Kay Hickman's Interview
on Her WW2 Experience in Taiwan
This content is also included in our book Taiwan, the Israel of the East: How China, Japan, the United States Influenced the Forming of a New Nation. If you want to learn more about this topic, please check our our book.
Ellen: Alright this is November 29, 2019. This is Ellen Hickman ad we are talking with Kay Hickman
Kay: And what subject do you want to do?
E: So um We’re going to be talking about what you remember going up and what you remember hearing about WWII and everything around it. But it’s just whatever you remember.
K: Well I was, when about that time I was about nine or ten years old WWII and it was a very, very brutal war. That WWII and I remember we shared… My parents owned own bomb shelter and that’s only for family, and then sometimes when it bombed, siren on, everybody run try to get in the bomb shelter. One, I don’t know where is , this woman come um run with it get in our bomb shelter because we had own private bomb shelter there and when he (she) get in “ I hope this is no more WWIII.” And she cry out because it so brutal.
E: brutal
K: The uh war. So these while she cries out, and I was nine or 10 years old, the siren starts Wooo everybody have to “Oooh!” have to helmet on cause protect our head and we all inside under the bomb shelter there and so when we crawl in there and I had a nanny always protect me and whatever come she have to grab me and use her body to cover me and bear me down the floor. And this is all inside the bomb shelter. And then we, they say “America Airplane coming! America Airplane coming!” So we at that time I’m either nine or ten years old no matter how you understand it little bit you hear “America Airplane come we have to duck we have to run and hide. And so, we go in there and I saw one old lady in there cry she says “I hope I don’t have to see through the WWIII any more and this is WWII and my nanny supposed to take care of me but she was the one try take care of the old lady.
E: Oh she tried to help the old lady?
K: Yep! And so I don’t know what reason what happened after that. But then another siren started yelling go on that the America airplanes gone.
E: The all clear
K: When the three times you free. Siren on three rings that means your free you can come out the bomb shelter oh it’s not easy. It’s that WWII we run from the America. So when after war every time we see American that is our enemy
E: Ok yeah so lets see about the bomb shelter I remember once you wanting to take your dolls in there with you?
K: yes! (my grandpa laughing) I always wanted to take my doll because my daddy went to visit to England and he come home visit and this is all WWII it’s kind of his work and business so he always bought me that America doll ( note she said later that he didn’t go to America so this confused me) and at that time I’m only nine or ten years old I don’t know at that time if America doll or England and to me and my eyes they all look the same (me laughing) and so he always brought me a lot of toys home most is doll and so
E: yeah and so let’s see and so in the shelter.
K:When the sirens when the war when the America Airplanes fly out … They come drop the bomb yeah one big old bomb and how you call that bomb’s name those WWII, pretty big crater
Robert (my grandpa): oh yeah they had some
K: mean ones too.
R: They had some you know bunker buster yeah
E: Oh they were called “bunker busters?”
K: Yeah
R: Yeah they had some of those and they had a lot of, they had to make sure that they didn’t leave anyone behind. There’s one thing here that she told me and it is that was kind of the US that they would try not to bomb places of worship if they could identify them.
K: Yeah!
R: And so she said her bunker was close to one of those.
K: Right next to the temple, that’s my mother’s temple and the temple and she just so believe it if she put the bomb shelter right beside the temple and
E: It would protect you guys?
K: Right and then each bomb shelter go in just the family.
E: Just one family?
K: Yeah but not the
E:not the other people?
K: Yep, but the other one you have to go to the public just like tu, those uh, flood places?
E: like the flood shelters?
K: yeah. You got to go those but this my family only private.
E: So was most of your family there or just most
K: Most of my family.
R: Her brothers all went off to war.
K: One is Bindu went to Singapore, Bunan with my daddy hide then secret I don’t know little I’m not supposed to.
R: and Bunan was in the navy
K: Bunan was in the navy yeah, fighter man he
E: So you had five brothers?
K: And two sisters.
E: And two sisters and so three of your brothers were in the war?
K:Bindu the oldest is navy and Bindu is army, the second one is air force but he drowned to in quick his airplane fall and right where is quicksand.
E: Oh it’s quick sand
K: and so whole airplane it just he died with it whole group you know.
E: There was a whole group of them that oh, that’s really unfortunate.
K: In the airplane
E: Ok so did your mother do anything during
K: No she was a lady she’s not supposed to do anything
E: Not supposed to do anything just be safe
K: Yeah and we have a nanny and just nanny say “sit down” and you sit down (general laughter)
E: Yeah so you had a helmet?
K: yeah so the siren their (nanny) responsibility was to grab me and my sister because I was nine years old so then pay attention to the siren if they ring they have to hurry up grab the helmet put on us and protect the head
E: so was it like an army helmet or a race care helmet?
K: No so this is order for, I don’t know where my parents got it, it’s um kind of like a rain
E: raincoat?
K: raincoat.
E: Oh! One of those hoods.
K: yeah but it got something under inside to protect it so don’t cut you or shell when they hit your head is bomb drop bad yeah and is heavy
E: yeah, I can imagine, it’s a helmet!
K: But that’s no everybody have that kind it’s just my family provide for that for me and my sister and my brothers and only one brother that Uncle Buan still with us so
E: still with us yeah he’s still alive
K: he was about 16
E: he was about 16 when it happened?
K: yeah he’s about 15 or 16 when
E: Yeah, so other than like the bombs were there food shortages?
K: Ohhhh everybody starving but that I’m..
E: you don’t remember?
K: No I remember people really bag for it. Then after war you go out you see a lot of hungry people die with the pass away in the street and the road and everything. But I’m too spoiled I don’t know all about I don’t know all about hungry meaning (nervous laugh) I too dumb I guess.
E: No it’s ok I know when your younger yeah (grandpa yeah) it’s hard to you know so did you so your three oldest brothers went to war right?
K: Yep
E: and so did you know where they were or did you parents just tell you
K: no no we don’t, my daddy know parents know so because they contact
R: You know where Bindu was.
K: Yeah Singapore and oldest brother is with my dad and he’s navy and Singapore Bindu is army. And quick sand that was Airforce so his airplane crash
E: so you mentioned for the Airforce, for like the Kamikazi pilots there was a little
K: no, no the Kamikazi had seven buttons sacura is cheery blossom buttons seven all the uniform have to be seven that was very hero.
E: Yeah the hero number so I’ve heard of these thousand stitch belts that some of the Japanese family would make for their the people going to war, do you remember that..
K: No that was
E: Japanese custom?
K: not just a custom depend on the family my family sometimes separated
E: Alright that’s ok so that’s interesting so yeah
K: That’s kind of the job to survive and they get paid, and they use that to buy the rice buy some food and some reason I’m too young and my parents, I don’t have to worry about where the nutrition come
E: because your parents had to worry about it and stuff. I remember you had a story about a brother who had to hide under a boat, which one was that one?
R: Norio
K: Norio, Norio he thought Taiwan is so if you ever if your family get involved with the Japanese government and its very discriminate. And he said “ I am not going to be a Chinese soldier I would rather serve the country of Japan and be a…” They call seven buttons you know that sacura
E: Sacura oh!
K: Yeah, that’s seven button hero and you have to really good soldier and talented because they are piolet and that why their uniform has seven buttons and so you’re very honorable when you kind of seven button uniform. And he decided he don’t want to be… you know they call China but my brother so discriminate he “Chungoro” ( laughter) He’s Japanese side more than Chinese side. He so worried Japan lose the war and we all have to change our name. Our name is Undo that’s our Japanese name.
E: for the Family?
K: Yeah Undo, My name is Undo Keko and my sister Sumiko
E: Undo Sumiko.
K: Yeah Undo that’s why went to Japan that one he said “ I don’t serve the Chinese Chungoro” Chungoro means Japanese call “China man”
E: yeah so that was their term for it.
K: Yeah he is Norio, Undo Norio. When WWII finish we my parents have to hurry hypocrite, hurry up change the name take our Undo out. Because they come after us they want to execute us but we are Japanese. So we have to change our name to Chen. C H E N.
E: To the Chinese version to the Mandarin.
K: So that’s why we have this day to record to tell you about story because interesting because if you just other family you don’t have nothing to worry about.
R: Just one thing in here, the Japanese ruled Taiwan for 100 years before WWII ok.
E: Yeah
K: And some Taiwanese so glad Japan loose the war because they so determination to be a boss
E: yeah to be free, ok. So, you probably grew up in a Japanese school right?
K: so that’s kindergarten no… at that time is first grade at that time is war is bad war WWII
E: WWII started when you were about in 1st grad?
K: yeah
E: So you had Japanese teachers? Or was it Taiwanese teachers teaching Japanese? (long pause)
K: I think is Japanese, yeah that’s why most of my language is Japanese. When I grow up my family speak, but my family speak Mandarin, and Taiwanese most is Taiwanese and Japanese and Mandarin yeah. After loose the war we have to pick up with speak Mandarin. Then English then go to school and all that turn to English learn. English is last one because after WWII.
E: Yeah well thank you! So because you were a child, your parents did really, did you talk about how the war was going?
K: Not supposed to talk about it Daddy brothers all serve the country and if they do they execute you. The air got ear.
E: Oh the air has ears.
K: So we not supposed to be mention about it.
E: That’s fair there were a lot of war families like that you have to be careful you don’t know who is listening
K: When you talk to friends you lip they watching your eye contact they watch your lip and how you move and so, it’s not easy life when you got no country to settle. But we really, I really miss the Japan I liked the Japan better
E: You liked it when you grew up and that was
K: Childhood remember yeah “Mamagoto” Mamagoto means play house
E: Oh yeah! The little play house? (laughter)
K: Well you sat and listen and you have to add a little happiness too interesting
E: Yeah you had your dolls, so your father traveled a lot?
K: Yeah gone this war he is very busy and all the brothers is gone. I never know, see I never meet my second brother, that, airplane crash and in the quicksand. He go so fast and when WWII we never had time to meet go home you got that Sacura that cherry blossoms button uniform you got to wear it
E: you have to commit to it.
K: Really serve. Your life just have to devoted to the country
E: the country you are fighting for.
R: Do you want to tell her like after the war they said they were looking for people that had been on the Japanese side?
K: Yeah and then my daddy, my daddy and my brother have to run to Penghu which island there and that’s because my daddy own a lot of islands, a lot of islands belong to my daddy’s family and so he build, he chose one island to build up the radio station and he can contact Japan and he can see he can tell himself what war gonna be.
E: and what way it is going to turn
K: Yeah so on that WWII almost right before finish China win the war and Magong the little island I stayed there is already packed up surrender. World is Peace! Taiping is all at peace now. Everybody don’t worry about come out of the bomb shelter now and so well my daddy and my oldest brother he is radio man they know that radio station in that little island because it is my daddy and my brother know how to run hide. So both of them go run to there, hide radio station. And so, that’s why they survive don’t get caught.
E: So but after a period, they got to come back.
K: yeah you know wait till after sun go down come get out of the island. You know we got so many islands my family and we run to here, run to there. They all belong to daddy private islands.
E: so it’s interesting, thank you for sharing with me
K: Well I’m glad still have me left over to tell. (laughter)
R: Yeah, I appreciate that because a lot of time that history you know goes away. And well the next generation says “Well what was your grandmother like and where was she” and this way you have captured this and I appreciate that.
E: And I appreciate you sharing your story.
K: And we not criminal it just depend fight with America. And one thing I have to I know growing up and why I always “Japan, Japan” because Japan we call seven button and they are very determination when they get in either war or company, builder or something they very strong and China. Japanese always call Chinese “ShinaHetai” Japanese call Chinese “Shina” , “Shinajin” is they call Chinamen. ( Kay laughs)
R: You know because you never surrendered.
K: Yeah to Japan, my daddy had a little knife. If you get caught you have to take your own life.
E: So he had one of those um
R: Hericuri
E:Hericuri knives
K: Yeah all my brother my daddy have those
E: Really
K: But not my mother
E: No yeah!
K: Not my nanny
E: Definitely not your sister! (all laughter) So at this point was your oldest sister still alive?
K: Yeah so she volunteer hospital nurse she’s really kind of in here you rank would be say nurse practitioner, but nurse practitioner I don’t know if you would include with the midwife. But if you don’t have a doctor that’s what she did and if you have to deliver a baby that’s what she did.
E: So she’s the one who delivered that
K: Yeah whole canton
E: Oh all of Canton she was the main medical person
K: And I can’t remember anyways just go back. That second sister, that was my oldest sister and then after that all the boys and then Sumi second sister and then I’m the third daughter in the family.
E: yeah so Sumi went to Japan for her education later on?
K: Well the reason she go to Japan for education was she was waiting for passport to come to United States. And before that she went and already got her degree from Tokyo university.
E: Ok yeah but that was after so we jumped a bit. (Pause )
R: Quite a life huh?
E: Yeah it’s quite a lot to live through, and you haven’t lived through WWIII! (laughter)
K: Well when we grapple why I always in my ear have a ring is that old woman, and to me I’m just nine or ten years old I keep that memory of that old woman cry out say, look up to sky and say “I don’t have to see the WWII”
R&E: yeah
K: She bagged to die she hoped she died before she would have to see another war that would be WWIII because this is when I conversation WWII. So, war is not fun and most. Then I marry an American husband and my oldest brother is fight for he is Japanese soldier fight America. And every time he see my husband he say “You are my enemy.” ( laughter) And I feel so bad if you two don’t make peace then I’m not coming home no more.
R: you would think that
K: My brother my Christian brother!
R: My Christian brother! And a couple beers later he would get his sword out.
K: So this is my family
R: So she’s military family like that during Vietnam she was the key wife we were the flag ship for the 7th fleet and she’s there and if there’s news or anything she’s the one that has the direct line to the ship and vise versa and so she was always involved with the people there that were on base.
K: All the wives and children and they call me the Key wife because Acon (Robert) is an E9
R: Senior enlisted on the flagship
K: Usually the wife call how many stars you have got two stars. That’s they highest one you can get for master chief.
Recording goes on a bit more about a military wife suicide but this ends the section relating to WWII
She has given permission for me to record this.
Order of siblings from what I know: Oldest sister Bindu, second brother, (I think Binan), Norio, Buan, Sumi, Kay . This was the first time I had heard the story of second brother.
Kay: And what subject do you want to do?
E: So um We’re going to be talking about what you remember going up and what you remember hearing about WWII and everything around it. But it’s just whatever you remember.
K: Well I was, when about that time I was about nine or ten years old WWII and it was a very, very brutal war. That WWII and I remember we shared… My parents owned own bomb shelter and that’s only for family, and then sometimes when it bombed, siren on, everybody run try to get in the bomb shelter. One, I don’t know where is , this woman come um run with it get in our bomb shelter because we had own private bomb shelter there and when he (she) get in “ I hope this is no more WWIII.” And she cry out because it so brutal.
E: brutal
K: The uh war. So these while she cries out, and I was nine or 10 years old, the siren starts Wooo everybody have to “Oooh!” have to helmet on cause protect our head and we all inside under the bomb shelter there and so when we crawl in there and I had a nanny always protect me and whatever come she have to grab me and use her body to cover me and bear me down the floor. And this is all inside the bomb shelter. And then we, they say “America Airplane coming! America Airplane coming!” So we at that time I’m either nine or ten years old no matter how you understand it little bit you hear “America Airplane come we have to duck we have to run and hide. And so, we go in there and I saw one old lady in there cry she says “I hope I don’t have to see through the WWIII any more and this is WWII and my nanny supposed to take care of me but she was the one try take care of the old lady.
E: Oh she tried to help the old lady?
K: Yep! And so I don’t know what reason what happened after that. But then another siren started yelling go on that the America airplanes gone.
E: The all clear
K: When the three times you free. Siren on three rings that means your free you can come out the bomb shelter oh it’s not easy. It’s that WWII we run from the America. So when after war every time we see American that is our enemy
E: Ok yeah so lets see about the bomb shelter I remember once you wanting to take your dolls in there with you?
K: yes! (my grandpa laughing) I always wanted to take my doll because my daddy went to visit to England and he come home visit and this is all WWII it’s kind of his work and business so he always bought me that America doll ( note she said later that he didn’t go to America so this confused me) and at that time I’m only nine or ten years old I don’t know at that time if America doll or England and to me and my eyes they all look the same (me laughing) and so he always brought me a lot of toys home most is doll and so
E: yeah and so let’s see and so in the shelter.
K:When the sirens when the war when the America Airplanes fly out … They come drop the bomb yeah one big old bomb and how you call that bomb’s name those WWII, pretty big crater
Robert (my grandpa): oh yeah they had some
K: mean ones too.
R: They had some you know bunker buster yeah
E: Oh they were called “bunker busters?”
K: Yeah
R: Yeah they had some of those and they had a lot of, they had to make sure that they didn’t leave anyone behind. There’s one thing here that she told me and it is that was kind of the US that they would try not to bomb places of worship if they could identify them.
K: Yeah!
R: And so she said her bunker was close to one of those.
K: Right next to the temple, that’s my mother’s temple and the temple and she just so believe it if she put the bomb shelter right beside the temple and
E: It would protect you guys?
K: Right and then each bomb shelter go in just the family.
E: Just one family?
K: Yeah but not the
E:not the other people?
K: Yep, but the other one you have to go to the public just like tu, those uh, flood places?
E: like the flood shelters?
K: yeah. You got to go those but this my family only private.
E: So was most of your family there or just most
K: Most of my family.
R: Her brothers all went off to war.
K: One is Bindu went to Singapore, Bunan with my daddy hide then secret I don’t know little I’m not supposed to.
R: and Bunan was in the navy
K: Bunan was in the navy yeah, fighter man he
E: So you had five brothers?
K: And two sisters.
E: And two sisters and so three of your brothers were in the war?
K:Bindu the oldest is navy and Bindu is army, the second one is air force but he drowned to in quick his airplane fall and right where is quicksand.
E: Oh it’s quick sand
K: and so whole airplane it just he died with it whole group you know.
E: There was a whole group of them that oh, that’s really unfortunate.
K: In the airplane
E: Ok so did your mother do anything during
K: No she was a lady she’s not supposed to do anything
E: Not supposed to do anything just be safe
K: Yeah and we have a nanny and just nanny say “sit down” and you sit down (general laughter)
E: Yeah so you had a helmet?
K: yeah so the siren their (nanny) responsibility was to grab me and my sister because I was nine years old so then pay attention to the siren if they ring they have to hurry up grab the helmet put on us and protect the head
E: so was it like an army helmet or a race care helmet?
K: No so this is order for, I don’t know where my parents got it, it’s um kind of like a rain
E: raincoat?
K: raincoat.
E: Oh! One of those hoods.
K: yeah but it got something under inside to protect it so don’t cut you or shell when they hit your head is bomb drop bad yeah and is heavy
E: yeah, I can imagine, it’s a helmet!
K: But that’s no everybody have that kind it’s just my family provide for that for me and my sister and my brothers and only one brother that Uncle Buan still with us so
E: still with us yeah he’s still alive
K: he was about 16
E: he was about 16 when it happened?
K: yeah he’s about 15 or 16 when
E: Yeah, so other than like the bombs were there food shortages?
K: Ohhhh everybody starving but that I’m..
E: you don’t remember?
K: No I remember people really bag for it. Then after war you go out you see a lot of hungry people die with the pass away in the street and the road and everything. But I’m too spoiled I don’t know all about I don’t know all about hungry meaning (nervous laugh) I too dumb I guess.
E: No it’s ok I know when your younger yeah (grandpa yeah) it’s hard to you know so did you so your three oldest brothers went to war right?
K: Yep
E: and so did you know where they were or did you parents just tell you
K: no no we don’t, my daddy know parents know so because they contact
R: You know where Bindu was.
K: Yeah Singapore and oldest brother is with my dad and he’s navy and Singapore Bindu is army. And quick sand that was Airforce so his airplane crash
E: so you mentioned for the Airforce, for like the Kamikazi pilots there was a little
K: no, no the Kamikazi had seven buttons sacura is cheery blossom buttons seven all the uniform have to be seven that was very hero.
E: Yeah the hero number so I’ve heard of these thousand stitch belts that some of the Japanese family would make for their the people going to war, do you remember that..
K: No that was
E: Japanese custom?
K: not just a custom depend on the family my family sometimes separated
E: Alright that’s ok so that’s interesting so yeah
K: That’s kind of the job to survive and they get paid, and they use that to buy the rice buy some food and some reason I’m too young and my parents, I don’t have to worry about where the nutrition come
E: because your parents had to worry about it and stuff. I remember you had a story about a brother who had to hide under a boat, which one was that one?
R: Norio
K: Norio, Norio he thought Taiwan is so if you ever if your family get involved with the Japanese government and its very discriminate. And he said “ I am not going to be a Chinese soldier I would rather serve the country of Japan and be a…” They call seven buttons you know that sacura
E: Sacura oh!
K: Yeah, that’s seven button hero and you have to really good soldier and talented because they are piolet and that why their uniform has seven buttons and so you’re very honorable when you kind of seven button uniform. And he decided he don’t want to be… you know they call China but my brother so discriminate he “Chungoro” ( laughter) He’s Japanese side more than Chinese side. He so worried Japan lose the war and we all have to change our name. Our name is Undo that’s our Japanese name.
E: for the Family?
K: Yeah Undo, My name is Undo Keko and my sister Sumiko
E: Undo Sumiko.
K: Yeah Undo that’s why went to Japan that one he said “ I don’t serve the Chinese Chungoro” Chungoro means Japanese call “China man”
E: yeah so that was their term for it.
K: Yeah he is Norio, Undo Norio. When WWII finish we my parents have to hurry hypocrite, hurry up change the name take our Undo out. Because they come after us they want to execute us but we are Japanese. So we have to change our name to Chen. C H E N.
E: To the Chinese version to the Mandarin.
K: So that’s why we have this day to record to tell you about story because interesting because if you just other family you don’t have nothing to worry about.
R: Just one thing in here, the Japanese ruled Taiwan for 100 years before WWII ok.
E: Yeah
K: And some Taiwanese so glad Japan loose the war because they so determination to be a boss
E: yeah to be free, ok. So, you probably grew up in a Japanese school right?
K: so that’s kindergarten no… at that time is first grade at that time is war is bad war WWII
E: WWII started when you were about in 1st grad?
K: yeah
E: So you had Japanese teachers? Or was it Taiwanese teachers teaching Japanese? (long pause)
K: I think is Japanese, yeah that’s why most of my language is Japanese. When I grow up my family speak, but my family speak Mandarin, and Taiwanese most is Taiwanese and Japanese and Mandarin yeah. After loose the war we have to pick up with speak Mandarin. Then English then go to school and all that turn to English learn. English is last one because after WWII.
E: Yeah well thank you! So because you were a child, your parents did really, did you talk about how the war was going?
K: Not supposed to talk about it Daddy brothers all serve the country and if they do they execute you. The air got ear.
E: Oh the air has ears.
K: So we not supposed to be mention about it.
E: That’s fair there were a lot of war families like that you have to be careful you don’t know who is listening
K: When you talk to friends you lip they watching your eye contact they watch your lip and how you move and so, it’s not easy life when you got no country to settle. But we really, I really miss the Japan I liked the Japan better
E: You liked it when you grew up and that was
K: Childhood remember yeah “Mamagoto” Mamagoto means play house
E: Oh yeah! The little play house? (laughter)
K: Well you sat and listen and you have to add a little happiness too interesting
E: Yeah you had your dolls, so your father traveled a lot?
K: Yeah gone this war he is very busy and all the brothers is gone. I never know, see I never meet my second brother, that, airplane crash and in the quicksand. He go so fast and when WWII we never had time to meet go home you got that Sacura that cherry blossoms button uniform you got to wear it
E: you have to commit to it.
K: Really serve. Your life just have to devoted to the country
E: the country you are fighting for.
R: Do you want to tell her like after the war they said they were looking for people that had been on the Japanese side?
K: Yeah and then my daddy, my daddy and my brother have to run to Penghu which island there and that’s because my daddy own a lot of islands, a lot of islands belong to my daddy’s family and so he build, he chose one island to build up the radio station and he can contact Japan and he can see he can tell himself what war gonna be.
E: and what way it is going to turn
K: Yeah so on that WWII almost right before finish China win the war and Magong the little island I stayed there is already packed up surrender. World is Peace! Taiping is all at peace now. Everybody don’t worry about come out of the bomb shelter now and so well my daddy and my oldest brother he is radio man they know that radio station in that little island because it is my daddy and my brother know how to run hide. So both of them go run to there, hide radio station. And so, that’s why they survive don’t get caught.
E: So but after a period, they got to come back.
K: yeah you know wait till after sun go down come get out of the island. You know we got so many islands my family and we run to here, run to there. They all belong to daddy private islands.
E: so it’s interesting, thank you for sharing with me
K: Well I’m glad still have me left over to tell. (laughter)
R: Yeah, I appreciate that because a lot of time that history you know goes away. And well the next generation says “Well what was your grandmother like and where was she” and this way you have captured this and I appreciate that.
E: And I appreciate you sharing your story.
K: And we not criminal it just depend fight with America. And one thing I have to I know growing up and why I always “Japan, Japan” because Japan we call seven button and they are very determination when they get in either war or company, builder or something they very strong and China. Japanese always call Chinese “ShinaHetai” Japanese call Chinese “Shina” , “Shinajin” is they call Chinamen. ( Kay laughs)
R: You know because you never surrendered.
K: Yeah to Japan, my daddy had a little knife. If you get caught you have to take your own life.
E: So he had one of those um
R: Hericuri
E:Hericuri knives
K: Yeah all my brother my daddy have those
E: Really
K: But not my mother
E: No yeah!
K: Not my nanny
E: Definitely not your sister! (all laughter) So at this point was your oldest sister still alive?
K: Yeah so she volunteer hospital nurse she’s really kind of in here you rank would be say nurse practitioner, but nurse practitioner I don’t know if you would include with the midwife. But if you don’t have a doctor that’s what she did and if you have to deliver a baby that’s what she did.
E: So she’s the one who delivered that
K: Yeah whole canton
E: Oh all of Canton she was the main medical person
K: And I can’t remember anyways just go back. That second sister, that was my oldest sister and then after that all the boys and then Sumi second sister and then I’m the third daughter in the family.
E: yeah so Sumi went to Japan for her education later on?
K: Well the reason she go to Japan for education was she was waiting for passport to come to United States. And before that she went and already got her degree from Tokyo university.
E: Ok yeah but that was after so we jumped a bit. (Pause )
R: Quite a life huh?
E: Yeah it’s quite a lot to live through, and you haven’t lived through WWIII! (laughter)
K: Well when we grapple why I always in my ear have a ring is that old woman, and to me I’m just nine or ten years old I keep that memory of that old woman cry out say, look up to sky and say “I don’t have to see the WWII”
R&E: yeah
K: She bagged to die she hoped she died before she would have to see another war that would be WWIII because this is when I conversation WWII. So, war is not fun and most. Then I marry an American husband and my oldest brother is fight for he is Japanese soldier fight America. And every time he see my husband he say “You are my enemy.” ( laughter) And I feel so bad if you two don’t make peace then I’m not coming home no more.
R: you would think that
K: My brother my Christian brother!
R: My Christian brother! And a couple beers later he would get his sword out.
K: So this is my family
R: So she’s military family like that during Vietnam she was the key wife we were the flag ship for the 7th fleet and she’s there and if there’s news or anything she’s the one that has the direct line to the ship and vise versa and so she was always involved with the people there that were on base.
K: All the wives and children and they call me the Key wife because Acon (Robert) is an E9
R: Senior enlisted on the flagship
K: Usually the wife call how many stars you have got two stars. That’s they highest one you can get for master chief.
Recording goes on a bit more about a military wife suicide but this ends the section relating to WWII
She has given permission for me to record this.
Order of siblings from what I know: Oldest sister Bindu, second brother, (I think Binan), Norio, Buan, Sumi, Kay . This was the first time I had heard the story of second brother.