Drafted for Vietnam War

Clip title: Drafted for Vietnam War

Interviewee: Seiichi Tanaka

Windows Media Player or Audio only

Clip transcript:

I was drafted for Vietnam War. That was a shock—after marry. So I swear, in case something happen, I said, “Yes, yes, yes…” I said anyway, “Yes, yes, yes…” I got draft[ed]. So, but I have no reason to go to Vietnam to kill the Vietnamese, right? So I tried to escape from the duty. But good thing, I’m fortunate. I had a tumor in my body. So the doctor write [that] I don’t have to go to war. So I was safe. If I go to war, I don’t think I was able to come back to this country. No, I don’t understand English. I’m not Vietnamese. I’m not American. So, that was quite [an] experience. And Mr. Akiyama, the lion dancer, he was also drafted Vietnam War. So that was hard time. I was just into [the] United States.

Credits:

Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum.