Interviews
“Agreement of silence”
I find it true among the veterans - now, even among ourselves - I think combat is such a horrible experience that few if ever, want to talk about what happens in combat. And so there is this…agreement of silence. And not only do they not talk to their wives, their children, or anybody else, but we don’t even talk to each other, you see.
We do get together, we love to get together, we’re extremely comfortable together. You know, 24 hours a day in combat seems like eternity. You know, when you don’t know when you’re going to die any moment, you know, life could come to an end and people are asking you to do what is normally almost an impossible task, at peace time no one would ask you to do, and you’re constantly…that pressure to achieve something that’s almost physically impossible in great, great danger. You learn to depend upon each other, so much so that when you haven’t seen somebody even for five, ten, fifteen, twenty years and you see them again, not only are you overjoyed, but nothing has changed.
Date: August 28, 1995
Location: California, US
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Wanting to take a stand
(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee
Ostracized by the camp newspapers
(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee
On trial for draft evasion
(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee
Draft resisters sent to jail
(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee
Fair Play Committee charged with conspiracy
(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee
Meeting other Americans in jail
(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee
Would do the same again
(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee
Arrested in camp for trying to leave
(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee
Different feelings from veterans about the draft resisters
(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee
Unable to work when the war broke out
(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California
Traumatic experiences before camp
(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California
Joining the hospital unit in Santa Anita Race Track
(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California
Lost respect for the flag after incarceration
(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California
“Everybody went in like sheep”
(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California
Necessary apologies (Spanish)
(b. 1962) Peruvian Poet, Okinawan descendant