After graduating from high school I took a civil service test and worked for the State of California until I volunteered for the service on October 27, 1941. I was sent to Fort Ord for a week and then to Camp Roberts in California where I received training as a field artillery replacment. Right after December 7, 1942, all Nisei taking basic training at Camp Roberts were weeded out and assembled in one large barrack. There must have been over 50 of us. Approximately a week later, they woke us up at 2:00 A.M. and told us to pack our gear. We were loaded onto a train with the blinds drawn, not having any clue as to where we were going. As the train proceeded to move on, an officer approached us and read the sealed order. It informed us that we were on our way to Fort Lewis, WA. Upon arrival we were assigned to C.A.S.C. 1907, which turned out to be nothing but a pool to draw workers for K.P. duties and picking up garbage.

While at Fort Lewis, I was interviewed by Capt. Dickey for my Japanese language ability to see if I was interested in the language school. I naturally turned it town since I felt incredibly negative towards the way we were being treated. I had no motivation to serve my obligation for this country in any shape or form, and I walked straight out of the interview.

In February we were sent by rail to Fort Snelling, MN, and then to Camp Crowder, MO.

At Camp Crowder, we were again used as laborers to get the camp ready for inductees to train for signal corp. Our chores consisted of washing windows (I don't do floors!!), rakingt he grounds, getting the barracks ready, and many details of that sort.

In mid April, I received notice with others to report to Camp Savage, MN. None of us knew why we were going to Camp Savage until after arriving there. We found out that we were attending the Military Language School.

From the time we arrived, we worked to get the school in shape, since it was in deporable condition. We scrubbed walls, cleaned toilets, cut the gradd, and tried to make it habitable. Finally in June of 1942, the first class in Savage began. There were no desks, so we sat alongside the walls and completed our studies for several weeks.

After the six month course was completed, we applied for a furlough. Since many of us had parents interned in Tulelake, CA, we wanted to see our families prior to being shipped overseas. Unfortuantely the government denied our requests, since they considered California an off limit area. I believe this to be our first encounter in rebelling, and we all refused to take the final exam.

On January 17, 1943, I was sent to the Aleutian Islands via Seattle. We rode a cattleboat to Seward and then the train to Anchorage. From Anchorage we went to Kodiak Island where we received addtional training in firearms (the rifle to the 81 mm. mortar). In February 1943, I heard about an all Nisei Combat Unit being organized. I requested a transfer back to stateside to join the Combat Unit, but was denied. Finally, I was shipped out to Adak Island, which became the Language Team Headquarters. In the spring of 1943, Cold Bay became the staging area for the assault on Attu. I was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Division, on May 11, 1943. Prior to our landing, I was assigned a bodyguard due to my feature. Despite the dense fog, rain, and high seas, I landed on Massacre Bay, Attu. There we fought, seldom seeing the enemy due to fog, and were constantly under fire, as the enemy were on higher grounds. After 18 raw, muddy days, the end came on the night of May 29, when the remaining 700 soldiers (out of 2,600), made a final Banzai charge. The attack failed.

Two and a half months later, on August 15, 1943, I landed on Kiska with the American Rangers. The island was deserted, as the enemy had slipped away by ship three weeks earlier. This was confirmed by an x-Japanese soldier who happened to be on Kiska.

In October of 1943, I was rotated back to the States and returned to Camp Savage.