<Begin Segment 13>

FA: Do you recall -- I have this, like I say, this wonderful home movie of you speaking at Heart Mountain.

BK: I didn't see that. I haven't seen it.

FA: But did you, do you remember speaking? Do you remember that day, do you remember that moment?

BK: No, I don't particularly remember the moment. I know that I made several appearances. And it's gotta be authentic. [Laughs]

FA: [Laughs] Do you recall, Ben, what did you say at, when you spoke to the camp general population? What did you say?

BK: I don't remember. You know, it's been so many years ago and I want to say this: that, you know, I was still just a dirt farmer's son out of Nebraska and I had only a high school education and I was not cut out for speaking or anything like that. It was just, all this was thrust on to me so more or less because I had been available and came back early. 'Cause I was back home already from the war from Europe when most of the guys were still thinking about enlisting or still going over. So they took advantage of me and I had to go to these three camps. Not by my choice. [Laughs] But it was quite an experience. I was glad it happened. I was think I was really gung-ho you know and I probably irritated a few of the resisters in the things that I said but it came from a guy who was born and raised in Nebraska in an entirely different atmosphere, so...

[Interruption]

FA: Can you tell me about the bus that was leaving Heart Mountain? They asked you to step on board and... tell me about that, tell me what happened.

BK: Well, the only thing that I could remember was that I felt that I got a real cold reception. And all I wanted to do was wish 'em good luck you know but...

FA: Start from the beginning. Tell me, tell me what happened. What were you asked to do?

BK: Well, they just asked me to step on the bus, that these young men were going into the service. So I thought I'd go in there and wish them good luck, and I'm pretty sure I did it. But the reception was so cold and nobody responded so I just turned around and got off. It was very short. But I remember it.

FA: Yes, and one fellow wrote you years later to thank you for your encouragement.

BK: Yes.

FA: Yes. On the day that you left Heart Mountain, Guy Robertson wrote to Dillon Myer and said that on the day that you left, six more Nisei boys refused pre-induction physicals.

BK: I didn't know anything about that. Wouldn't surprise me if they did.

FA: Part of your message there was to encourage cooperation with the draft.

BK: Yes, well, you know, like I said, nobody gave me any instructions of what to say or anything but I guess it was obvious that I was there to help promote enlistment.

FA: How was your reception at Minidoka next? Minidoka was next.

BK: I thought the reception was great. That's a strange thing 'cause people seemed to think that the reception at Heart Mountain was the best and I thought it was best at Minidoka. And I remember them putting me on a jeep and everything and I was embarrassed as all hell, because I just felt like, God what... it didn't feel comfortable at all.

FA: Let me go back real quick and tell me about Heart Mountain, your reception, tell me what, how was your reception at Heart Mountain? You arrived, you were shocked seeing the soldiers and seeing uniforms and then we had, they put you on the podium on the stage, and well, tell me, what was your... how were you received at Heart Mountain?

BK: I thought I was received okay. The only uneasy incident that I had was when I had, when I spoke to the Fair Play group and they hissed at me. But no, I thought the reception was okay. I just... and of course I wasn't used to anything like that anyway and so I don't know how you'd judge it.

FA: Well, I guess what I'm getting at is just tell me what they, where they took you at Heart Mountain and how many rallies, meetings, just tell me what...

BK: The only thing that stands out in one of my memories of that is that I spoke to a church group on Sunday morning during the services. And that certainly was something new for me. [Laughs]

FA: How did you travel, Ben? Did you travel alone or did you have an escort?

BK: No, I traveled alone. Just went from bus to bus. Bus took me to each place as I remember.

<End Segment 13> - Copyright © 1998, 2005 Frank Abe and Densho. All Rights Reserved.