<Begin Segment 19>

KP: And you mentioned before that you knew you were going in as replacements for the 442nd?

TT: Oh, yeah. Because all the Japanese Americans, the only place, because the MIS, they started after that. So we knew doggone well we're going to Europe, that was for sure. That's the only place they could send us. But we knew that we were the "suicide unit" anyway, so... but I had no... But I knew quite a few people that didn't make it, but I knew people made it. But then again, I know people that was in that southern France campaign, I got to know 'em pretty personally. That's one reason why I know quite a bit about that southern France campaign, because I got real good friend that, he was one of my, we go around speaking to the schools. He was one of the (speakers), so he was in on that rescue of the "Lost Battalion" bit.

RP: What's his name?

KP: What's his name?

TT: Oh, that was Bob Kashiwagi. I think he got wounded three times, as I recall. But he came back home, though. [Laughs] But he was quite a man, though, but very modest. Unless you ask point blank, he would not talk about it. I think he got wounded three times, anyway. So I ask him about that "Lost Battalion," and he said, you know that one they had the "Go for Broke," that rescue of the "Lost Battalion," what is that movie they made? It's nothing like that. He said it was cold, winter, dark, they had to dig a foxhole, there'd be about two, three inches of water. It was so pitch black in there, they had used to have white handkerchief in the back so you could see the guy in front of you. Oh, yeah. I went to, on the pilgrimage over there, the fiftieth anniversary, and that wood is still there. They can't harvest that forest because they have too much shrapnel in the trees, they cannot harvest it. But I tell you, you go from the clear ground, you go inside about a hundred yards, it gets pitch black. You've got to use the flash on your camera. It's really thick, I was surprised. But that's why I know quite a bit about it. But go around and tell the schools, students, that they went in there, that southern France campaign with a good six thousand people, started, and after, I think it was about two months of fighting, they come back with eight hundred and twenty-five. Because I was a replacement, that's why I know.

KP: So what time did you, what year and month did you -- well, '44, what month did you get into Europe?

TT: Jesus Christ. I know I got in on the last push. They just finished the southern France campaign, and I was a replacement. Then I went over in Italy on that push through the Gothic Line. I was in on that. But those guys, the Germans are good soldiers, that's all I got to say. [Laughs] There were soldiers, of course, from eleven, twelve years old, they march, you know. But I hate to say it, but that machine guns and the... machine guns were lots, far superior than our machine gun. That's all I can say, boy, that thing can really spit it out. You spit out thirteen hundred rounds a minute. Because that first night I joined them, we're going up in the dark, there's a firefight shooting across the (canyon), chasers used to come about that far apart from the gun. And ours used to come by at least five, ten feet apart, every fifth round. I think that machine gun used to spit out about thirteen hundred rounds a minute. Like ours, if you keep on doing that, ours would jam. Our heavy machine gun are water cooled, you'd probably run out of water and get overheated. But that German machine gun, uh-uh. So they push a button. The reason I know is I saw it. You push a button, the (barrel) comes out, [inaudible] got an extra (barrel), they pop that in and boom, they really go. And the cartridge belt is a link. You know like a fifty caliber on that, like on airplanes and whatchacall, they got a link chain, that's how the bullets are. They had big piles of clips on there. But they could really spit it out, that's all I know. Then the blasted German .88, oh my god, that used to be fast. Oh, I still remember that. Because you hear firing over there, you look on this mountain, it's exploding on this, about the same time you hear them firing, you hear 'em exploding on your end. Boy, those guys, they could shoot that thing, too. I still remember that.

Like a greenhorn, I first joined that day, still remember this. They shot, they hit the mountain way over there. And these old timer, they pick it up there, that first hot meal we had in a month, they start picking up the mess kit, see. Like me, I'm a greenhorn, I'm still sitting there taking my time, boy, the next shot was right in town there, in the plaza. That's all they had, get a bearing, and boom. But hey, they could shoot that. That thing was fast, too, boy. But you know one thing, toward the end, I don't know that slave labor or what, but they had a lot of duds, especially the motor, they had a lot of duds.

KP: Which was a good thing for you.

TT: Good thing they did, because I wouldn't be here. I had dirt all over me, but that's nothing compared to that, that dud was about (twenty-four feet) away. Because we got caught in that barrage, I still remember that. They had us zeroed in, but another funny thing, I don't think anybody got a scratch. We were pretty lucky. Because the war was winding down, see. I was in the battle, but it was winding down, so that's all I can say. I know what war is like, but that's enough for me, that's all.

KP: So were you still on the lines for VE Day?

TT: Well, you know, the VE Day, we were in, I think it was the little town of Ghedi, Italy. But you know, like I don't know what the other guys did, but like our outfit, you know what we did? We heard it was all over, I remember most of the guys, we sat down on our helmet. Some guys (were) crying because maybe they lost their buddy day before or whatever. But we never celebrated. Like us, like me, I sat on my helmet and leaned against the wall. I still remember that. I think it was up in Ghedi, Italy, northern Italy. But back here, they have all kinds of celebration, but way I looked at it, there's nothing to celebrate. We lost, we lost too many good people.

KP: So how much longer were you in Europe after the end of the war?

TT: Pardon?

KP: Did you, were you shipped home immediately?

TT: No, no. I spent, oh, a good six months after the war. Because I came home in '46.

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 2008 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.