<Begin Segment 11>

GK: So, outside of that, nothing special. Of course, I was at Camp Savage, and then from there, there was a name request from the War Department for my transfer, or assignment, to the War Department. So I taught one session at Camp Savage, and was sent to Washington, Washington, D.C.

MU: Oh, someone in Washington, D.C. wanted your services?

GK: Went through my records, and they wanted to have a linguist, a language specialist in the War Department. So they slammed through, and sent for me.

MU: Now what was your rank at that time?

GK: Master sergeant. I was a buck private when I went to school at Savage. Then when I taught, I was promoted to staff sergeant. And then when I was sent to Washington, I was promoted to master sergeant. So I went to Pentagon as a, with six stripes.

MU: They never gave you an officers'...

GK: No. Never was commissioned.

MU: Oh. After all that education you had...

GK: And at Camp Savage I was teaching a bunch of hakujin who just came in (for) graduation -- it was OCS for them -- and upon graduation they were all commissioned, and I was still a tech sergeant.

MU: You were their teacher and you were not commissioned. Did you feel that you were being cheated?

GK: I knew there was discrimination. And I felt it all along. Because, when I was drafted, even at Fort Warren, I applied for OCS, or administrative training school for commission... but every time I submitted my application it was turned down.

MU: Oh, you did ask for, or apply for...

GK: Oh yes. Anytime there was something on the bulletin board I asked for it. Later on I knew it'll be turned down, but just for the heck of it, I applied.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.