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George Katagiri
Interview Length: 1:45
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INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT: When I was visiting my relatives in the country, where many of them had never seen a GI, you know, the GIs had not been out there. So long as I wore my cap and my khaki uniform, they knew I was a GI. And when I walked down the road, they would stand to the side and bow until I'd passed. I think it's the showing respect to somebody much higher. And I guess I was the conqueror, so they were showing me that respect. And at first, I couldn't understand what was going on. And I had to ask my cousin, “why did he do that?” He said, “well, because you are a GI, a GI conquering, GI soldier.” And I said, “that's nice.” And I thought it was an odd custom. And then when I walked down the street and passed a group of people that's working in some kind of factory during the lunch hour, they're quite noisy when they're eating lunch. But the minute I came into view, there was silence. And you know, without looking at them, I could just tell they were all staring at me, at this American soldier. And I think they were surprised that, gosh, he looks just like one of us. And when I walk down the street in town, if I took my cap off, no one would pay any attention to me. The minute I put the cap on I became an American soldier.
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