Densho Digital Archive - Howard H. Furumoto Interview (denshovh-fhoward-01-0002)

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HF: I was twenty at the time, and I really wanted to serve the country in some form. For that reason, I applied to the college for the army ASTP program for professional veterinary students, which would allow students to stay in college without being drafted. And upon completion of the course, then serve in the army. But this opportunity was denied me because of my ancestral background.

LD: How did you know that? You went and put an application in, and describe it. You did what? What did you do?

HF: Yes. I submitted an application which was denied, that is, which was cancelled, stating, of course, that I did not qualify. They did not state the reason, particularly, but I knew deep down in my heart that the only reason why I was denied admittance to the ASTP program was because of my ancestry. However, I did not take that as a final answer. And having excelled in the basic ROTC program at Kansas State University, performing perhaps in the top, or obtaining perhaps the top grades in basic training, I thought that my opportunities to advance to the ROTC program in the Officer's Training Program would be a lot better.

LD: You had ROTC at the school, and you got really good grades.

HF: Yes. Well, you know, when I was denied admittance to the ASTP program, then I thought up an alternative. And having excelled in the basic ROTC program, and one of the top students, I applied for the advanced ROTC program, and I made an application to the commandant of the ROTC unit at Kansas State University. And one day he summoned me to his office and approached me saying, "Young man, what are you doing? How dare you apply for an advanced ROTC when you are a Jap? You have no right to do so." And actually, he took up the application and tore it in front of my very eyes, I can still recall that very vividly. I was very, very much disappointed at that time, and obviously it was time for me to think of something else. At that juncture then, I was desperate to try to do anything to serve the country, so I thought of the idea of directly writing to the War Department Intelligence Service. And to my surprise, I did get a very prompt answer that I had been accepted and that I was to report for... I was to report to Fort Leavenworth for entering the army.

LD: When you applied to the intelligence, you applied to the War Department, is that what you did?

HF: Yes.

LD: When you applied to them, what did you say in your letter? Tell me what you said in your letter and then what they said to you.

HF: Okay. In writing to the War Department, I stated my qualifications as a linguist of the Japanese language, and that this should be an excellent qualification to get me into Military Intelligence Service. And I believe that the War Department realized the value of one such as me with that type of a background, so they had given me an immediate okay to enter the army.