Densho Digital Archive - George T. "Joe" Sakato Interview (denshovh-sgeorge-01-0045)

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TI: Is there anything -- we're at the end of my questions, but is there anything else that you wanted to say or any reflections?

GS: My parents went back to Japan, and they brought back a sword, katana. They had sold the good ones, they couldn't get, but they had this one they were able to purchase from one of the families they sold the sword to. Right after the war, there's no money coming in, and so all the swords they had, they sold to various places. And Japan says you can't have swords, but my parents was able to bring back one. I have a sword that, six hundred years old, the straps that hold the sword together, I just got pieces of it now, it's falling apart. The sword is getting, the case is starting to crack, antique.

TI: So what do you want to happen to that sword?

GS: I'd like to send it back to them. I went back there in 1984, and they have the katana that my, he was killed in, and stained with blood, they still have his yukata, rather, yukata that he wore in battle and he was killed. Bloodstained, they still have that in a box. I was able to see that, and I would like to send the sword back to them, but then a yoshi is taking the name of Sakato. So, but how to get it, if they'd be able to hold it, keep a sword is something else. No swords can be kept in Japan. So I wanted to talk to the consulate-general and see, even with, even take it back and put it in a museum. But me and my Japanese don't quite make it. [Laughs]

TI: How about your Medal of Honor? What would you like to see happen to your Medal of Honor?

GS: I would probably give it to the museum, 'cause my, well, my daughter will have it 'til, but I'd like to have her give it to the museum or something. I gave 'em one of my Distinguished Service Crosses, to the museum Los Angeles. Original was stolen, and then so there was a duplicate made, so I gave it to the museum.

TI: Well, Joe, thank you so much. I mean, this was an incredible, incredible interview. I've done, as I said, lots of these, and this one will be a standout. So thank you so much.