Oral History Videos

Don Seki
Interview Length: 1:44

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT:
Interviewer: How did you feel towards Japan, like after the bombing?

You know, oh boy, I was really devastated because I don't care who it was, you know, Japanese or foreign elements, you know, they bombed our island, you know.  And I was so disgusted you know, with Japan.  So I was thinking, gee, we got to do something about this, you know, go to war regardless if it's your own race.  That's the thing that made me volunteer.  But they don't let you fight against your own race, you know, so what are you going to do?  So they had to have a -- we were segregated unit anyway.  The blacks were segregated, the Japanese were segregated.  I was so glad that we were segregated because within your own people, you know, your own group, I think you help each other out and go to war together.  It's togetherness, you know.  That's the thing.  I was so glad that we were segregated.  More than the “hakujin” going with the “hakujin,” you know.

Interviewer: Did all your friends that you were hanging around at the time, did they all feel the same way?

Oh yeah, sure.  Boy, they were glad to fight the war regardless no matter who your own race.