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Interviews

Henry Suto

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.
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Comparing basic training of US and Japanese Armies

Yes. June I was here and then for one thing, my uncle says, “Well it’s important when you come to the United States, you have to register. That’s the first thing I want you to do and then register for the Army Draft Board and then you get a social security card” which I did. And then September, I was drafted in the Army – 3 months later. I went basic training at Fort Ord for about 4 months. Infantry man so that was…I was very impressed the way Army trained the recruits here. You would think that American Army is easy life but it wasn’t. The basic training that went through in here was compared…just as hard when I was in Japan. And Japan basic training is…they’re something unrealistic. You’re barefoot and they’re making you walk all this in the cold weather. Then they give you shower. In the Army, I didn’t have to do that because…but basic training – real field maneuvering and whatever. The training was very, very tough. And so after graduated and then went to Japan and I was selected among about 30 people able to speak foreign language.

basic training Imperial Japanese Army military education United States Army

Date: Jun 17, 2008

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Janice Tanaka

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Henry Eiichi Suto was born on February 5, 1928 in Minot, North Dakota to Issei parents. After the death of his father and younger sister, his mother returned to Japan with Henry and his brother. Henry was 7 years old and since he knew little Japanese, he worked hard to learn and try to fit in with his classmates. When he was approached by his teacher to sign up for the Japanese Army at the age of 17, he accepted—knowing he wouldn’t be able to afford to go to college. After basic training, he was 1 of 34 selected to train under a special unit, which he later found out was a “suicide” unit to man a one-man torpedo boat. He was in this unit when Hiroshima was bombed and was one of the first soldiers to arrive with aid, thirty-six hours after the bombing.

When the war ended, he returned to the United States and lived with an uncle after his mother passed away. He enrolled in Belmont High School, but 3 months later was drafted into the U.S. Army to fight in the Korean War. He was trained to become an interpreter and was taught the Korean language at Camp Palmer. He was to go to the front lines in Korea to interrogate, but while on their stopover in Japan, he was asked to stay to serve as an interpreter there instead.

He returned to the U.S. after being discharged from the army and went to Los Angeles City College where he majored in foreign trade. He found a job at the Otagiri Company and worked there till his retirement in 1993.

He passed away on October 17, 2008 at the age of 80. (January 30, 2009)

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