Sexo

Female

Fecha de Nacimiento

1923-5-8

Lugar de Nacimiento

Sacramento CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1951-1-1, Sacramento CA

Tipo de Alistamiento

Volunteer

Afiliación Militar

Usaf

Tipo de servicio prestado

War

Tipo de unidad militar

Support

Unidades a las que sirvió

Nurse Corps

Especialidad militar

Nurse Corps

Asignado

Texas; Philippines; Japan

Retirado

Travis AFB CA

Responsabilidad en la unidad

Nursing

Responsabilidad individual

Nursing

Reconocimientos, medallas, menciones (individuales o de la unidad)

Korean Service Medal

Condiciones de Vida

Living conditions were normal military accomodations; nurses' quarters.

For entertainment, I usually went outside the base taking the train to Tokyo for shows, Kabuki, etc. Most of my friends seemed happy with steak dinners and dancing at the officers' club.

My most memorable times were spent exploring the countryside by bicycle with my brother George who was stationed in Korea and would fly down for visits. When I signed out a car, it was my brother (enlisted) who was saluted at the gate (as he was driving).

Recuerdo más vívido de la experiencia militar

My most rewarding experience was a day spent with Mrs. Mariano, a public health nurse in the town of Angeles, just outside Clark AFB. What an inspiring, energetic 4 ft 8! She climbed up and down bamboo huts giving shots, caring for newborns, advising, etc. She made (me) feel we American nurses don't have challenges.

The funniest experience was the time my cousin (civil service) and I were on our way to a movie in Tokyo. I was not in uniform. Two GI's approached us. 'You, me, we go have takusan good time,' one of them said and showed us a Miyako Hotel card. 'Let's pretend we don't speak English,' I whispered to my cousin. We kept up a spirited conversation with 'Eigo wakarimasen,' 'Sukoshi,' etc. until it became so hilarious that I was about to burst out laughing, so I ran around the corner leaving my cousin.

¿En lo personal, qué obtuvo de su experiencia militar?

In the military, we are in it together for the sake of democracy; that's why I volunteered. But I was constantly reminded of another 'war front.' The Navy turned me down because of my color. Black nurses and I were refused service at a Texas restaurant. It was no different than the 'outside' world.

Each year our VFW (Nisei Post 8985) is asked to speak to hundreds of students from second grade to colleges. Hopefully we are creating a respect for each other and a love of country.

Información adicional

My five brothers and I served in the military.

1) Steve Seiji Sato, 442nd RCT

2) Sanji Don Sato, Army Occupation, Japan

3) Ronald Aizo Sato, US Air Force, Hawaii

4) George Kozo Sato, US Air Force, Korea and

5) Pete Naoshi Sato, US Army, stateside.

I practiced as a consultant in preschool Vision Screening and Blackbird Vision Screening System in Sacramento, CA.

Master in Nursing is from Case Western Reserve University, School of Nursing, Cleveland OH in 1948. Bachelor of Science from Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI in 1944.

Invented the Blackbird preschool vision screening system in 1975.