<Begin Segment 32>

KL: Well, I really appreciate your willingness to, as you put it, blab on, but to talk to me about it today. Are there things that I left out that you kind of expected or wanted to talk about?

IT: No. We covered quite a bit. [Laughs]

KL: We did, yeah.

IT: Yeah, things, as I, people send me videos and things about camp, which I like to see, and I usually learn something from them. And I, the one they had about the 442 guys, it breaks my heart. And that was when my son was in, at West Point, when I got the video, and they were about the same age he was. And I kept thinking, those young guys sacrificed their lives to show America that we were citizens. I mean, it really hurt me, but that's what happens. You have to, we had to prove that we were -- well, we didn't have to, but that's how it turned out. So I feel for those guys, and I think about them often, grateful to our military 'cause those guys are young and they're saving, they're really saving our freedoms.

KL: The legacy of people's decision to go into the 442nd is still really active. Sometimes people will come to Manzanar and they'll just be talking to me kind of calmly, and then they'll start to talk about the 442nd and they'll lose it emotionally. It still has a lot of power for people.

IT: Yeah. It hurts, it hurt more because when I realized that they were the same age as my son when he graduated from high school, I thought gosh, they're babies. I mean, you know? And they just grew up like that and helped us out. And some of their parents are in camp. So that, a lot happened in those three years. Then I start thinking about the Indians and the blacks and how unfair life has been to them. Anyway, in a way we're coming out of it, and still there's other things cropping up, so I guess that's life. But I'm still happy to be an American. You know? [Laughs] And I do love the national parks, oh my gosh.

KL: I'm glad. I hope you do come to Manzanar, and let me know beforehand. It would be great to meet up with you guys and show you around the first time. At least say hi and stuff.

IT: Good.

KL: Well, I think I'll turn, turn this off, unless there's anything you want to add.

IT: No, that's it. Well, thank you so much.

KL: Thank you so much.

<End Segment 32> - Copyright © 2014 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.