Sukeo Oji oral history interview, part 4 of 7, May 26, 2002

Sukeo “Skeets” Oji discusses the rebuilding of Japan. He joined the 553rd engineering construction group to make housing in Sendai. He described the area after the bombing. The individuals who assisted with the rebuilding of Japan were Japanese local contractors. The Government established a special procurement agency in the Administry of Construction. Skeets was a Second Lieutenant assigned to the S2 Operation Section. He supervised the surveying and designing of the building.

During the occupation, Skeets was in Japan from 1946-48 helping with the family housing and making inspection reports for military housing. Skeets related the relocation of the Japanese families to the American Government relocating the Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor.

In 1948, Skeets got orders to return to the United States. Skeets brought his family with him, and he reported to Fort Pickett Virginia. However, the engineering program has deactivated the program and locked up everything.

Skeets left Fort Pickett and went to Fort Benning to attend engineering school. He worked on a few engineering projects before going to the Pentagon to request to be sent to Japan. Before going to Japan, he settled his wife and children in Yuma City. In 1950, Skeets returns to Japan for the second time to build additional buildings.

Later, joined the 2nd Infantry Team from Fort Lewis to go to the Korean War.

2002OH0285_04_Oji

http://www.goforbroke.org/oral_histories/mp4/285-Oji-Skeets-4.m4v

1918 Feb 24