Densho Digital Archive - Jiro Sugidono Interview (denshovh-sjiro-01-0021)

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TI: Now, during this time, you said quite a few people were drafted out of Poston. Were there some people at this point who resisted the draft? Do you remember any of that happening?

JS: I didn't hear about it, no. But I know there was lot guys bucking for physical, you know, medical. Guys drinking shoyu to get high blood pressure.

TI: So you heard about that. Some people were doing that?

JS: (Yes), people were doing that, 'cause they didn't want to go over. And some of the guys who were doing it, they were, looked like they weren't in shape anyway. (Yes), they were Japanese, but they were no different than anybody else, guys didn't want to go, they were trying to make a way to get out. So he went to Blanding, I went to Shelby, and oh, (yes). That place there, Shelby was, it wasn't too bad, but it was hot. (Yes), what was funny was when they shortened our training, 'cause they needed replacements. I think, I don't know how much week, but we already got thirteen weeks. That was just about Christmas time, that's where the, we got our furlough, so I got furlough to go back to camp, last time. And I thought I might be able to see my brother same time. (...) I think when I went to camp, I was there first, and then I found out my brother was gonna come in that week. So I, somehow I got hold of the Camp Shelby CP, and I asked him if they could extend my furlough 'cause my brother was gonna come. (...) I didn't get an answer from them, see. Then when I was going back, I met him in Phoenix, he was coming in, and when I went back to Camp Shelby, I went to the USO, where they get together and first sergeant, he said, "Hey, Sugi, how come you're back so early?" "Why?" "We sent you an extension." [Laughs]

TI: Oh, so you missed it.

JS: I spent my whole week in the USO.

TI: So if you had received it, then you would have had a whole week with your brother.

JS: (Yes), I would have stayed with my brother for a while.

TI: Going back to camp with your uniform and everything, what was that like for you?

JS: (Yes), to tell the truth, at first, when I got from Camp Shelby and went to the bus, they still had that discrimination law. I think the colored had to go in the back. But heck, I just went in and sit anywhere I want, they didn't bother me. So that's the only thing, that's the only time I noticed anything. But I still, I saw, when I went in town, there were still places where they have water segregated, toilets segregated and things like that. So it's, it still was, you know, part of the system we had, even though those guys are in uniforms, American, colored people, they still got to go in the back. So I don't know. But as far as people there, they didn't say anything. I mean, I didn't get bad reception or anything like that.