<Begin Segment 11>

LT: But I'd like to ask you now to reflect on your professional and your community career as well as some of the experiences that you had, not just growing up, but as an adult as well. And the first question is, thinking about the war, taking on responsibility as the elder son after Pearl Harbor was bombed, going to school, college, serving in the military, being classified as an "enemy alien," losing some of your rights, spending time at the assembly center, and one month at Minidoka. How do you think your wartime experiences affected your sense of being a Japanese American?

GT: I find that difficult to respond to. First of all, I tried in every way possible to avoid the feeling that I was being picked upon, and that I regarded myself as part of the country. Well, look at this. I still feel like I'm an American, and I want everybody to know it, and so when things come up that's a little, maybe demeaning to me, I reject it and I put it on the back burner and makes me work harder to try to prove that I am American. And I feel grateful for the opportunities been given me, and I recognize that I've been recognized in many ways. I prefer to feel that none of this has come about because of some greatness within me. I don't think I'm particularly smarter than anybody and so forth. I try to be conscientious. I do take an honest concern about other people's illnesses, and work as hard as I can to get them better.

LT: There are some who don't know what happened during World War II, and there are other generations who are just learning. What should young people especially know and learn about what happened to Japanese Americans during World War II? If you could tell them what messages, what lessons there are, what should they learn?

GT: I think that it would be, well, for them to know what happened to some of us or all of us as a result of the war. But I would like to emphasize that it was a combination of a mature response by Nisei organizations during the war, and feeding back to the membership of the Niseis and now Sanseis, Yonseis, the heritage that was left by us and living with all these challenges that did indeed take place, but we're not going to let that create any sense of bitterness, but some pride in the fact that we did manage to come through this thing in relatively good shape, and we did not add to any real racism or criticism of the Niseis, and more recently, the Sanseis. So I think that there's enough positive things to be taught our children and grandchildren and beyond, that there's nothing to be ashamed of being of Japanese origin in this country. We still have a reputation of having the lowest per capita prisoners, that our conviction rate in our daily living is one of the finest in the country bar none. That's a lot to be proud of. And I think that recognizing that as a fact, and keeping it pretty much to yourself, you don't brag about these things to other people. But organizations such as JACL and some of these groups might, from time to time, point out that we have a distinction of being hard workers, that we help the country in more ways than oftentimes given credit for, that we can set the standard of everyday living, avoidance of getting into trouble with the law and so forth, there's a lot to be proud of. You don't have to brag about it, but I think that these things will be of some good generally speaking, not only for us, but for the country, too. That the people then start thinking about, that it's important not to be a group of people known for criminal activity, that we fill the jails up for various offenses and so forth.

LT: Speaking of pride, in 2010, Congress honored Nisei, Japanese American veterans, with the Congressional Gold Medal, and you're definitely a part of that.

GT: I guess. They had just the symbol of the thing, because I think it took more than just those people to create the image of patriotism and good citizenship. And it's true. You don't have to brag about it, but I think when it comes right down to it, there's more to be, as Americans, be proud of how the Niseis and more recently the Sanseis have shown the elements of good citizenship, and we can be modestly proud.

LT: How did it feel to you to be recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal?

GT: Well, I don't know. I never received the Congressional Gold Medal, but I think it should create modest pride, nothing to brag about, but to continue living, and to point out, when the opportunity arises, the importance of what it takes to be a good citizen.

LT: One last question for you: what's important in life?

GT: What's important in life? Well, I think that life itself is a challenge. You hope that you go through life without serious illness, you hope that you don't have any bad injuries that might have to compromise the path that you would like to choose. I think most of us would like to be well-thought of by general people. And how does one live with that? Recognize it for what it is, and don't be boastful or become arrogant and try ever harder to become, to be better citizens in life. I think that's the most... and then hopefully raise the point that this country would be so much stronger if everyone were to take that attitude.

[Interruption]

LT: So, Gus, one last question. You practiced medicine for thirty-five years in Ontario, Oregon. And you retired in 1993, so it's been twenty years since you retired. You're now ninety-one.

GT: I'll be ninety-one in August.

LT: Okay. So how have you spent the twenty years since you retired, and what is your belief about how one can and should retire?

GT: Well, I think people have a general right to expect to enjoy their, quote, "free time." It doesn't mean that they're going to have to take a trip around the world or anything, but perhaps spend more time with their kids, the grandkids, and so forth. If one is asked to serve in various committees, or like Teddy says, I gave a lot of my time to our community college, helped with our fundraising, to improve some of their structure so that it met standards and expectations of the scholarship. And even now, I stay close to the officers. I don't know if you've met Cathy Yasuda, she's one of the gals that spent a lot of time in education and has helped give the Niseis a good name. We have, I have a sister-in-law, Sharon Wada, she has served on more boards, commissions and things that most people would care to try to remember, and she's very modest in her attitudes about doing things, she doesn't brag about it.

LT: So it sounds like you've given back a lot to the community? What does this service do for you?

GT: It doesn't do anything. I just figure that whatever you do, it's part of life itself. It would be more cause for embarrassment to think that you didn't respond adequately. It seems to be, to me, part of life itself to continue doing what you can.

LT: Thank you very much.

GT: What's that?

LT: Thank you very much.

GT: Oh, you're welcome.

LT: Thank you for all that you've done.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.