Sukeo Oji oral history interview, part 5 of 7, May 26, 2002

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Description

Sukeo "Skeets" Skeets recalls the saddest part of the war was seeing political prisoners' dead bodies. He never forgot the smell of the bodies. The American troops advanced to the 2nd Infantry Division; Skeets received orders from the CIC to form an engineer task force.

During the Korean war, Skeets faced challenges in battles with the enemy soldiers and interrogating POWs. He recollects before going to Sunchang, the troops had to go through a mountain road and were under artillery fire. The 2nd Division had a heavy loss of men and could not continue. Therefore, they had to recuperate for a month waiting for replacements.

Besides combat, Skeets interrogated the officers and non-combats. However, there were too many of them. Skeets recalls getting Chinese POWs in Korean uniforms. With the dilemma, McArthur Headquarters went to Chiang Kai Shek to find a Chinese linguist.

Skeets was called back to the 8th Army in Taegu to start an Interrogation Poisoner of War Training School at Army Prison in Pusan. Skeets picked about 20 Niseis from the frontline for 2 weeks of training. The training consisted of map reading, interrogation, and how to evacuate POWs.

The Niseis practiced their interrogation skills on the POWS at the 8th Army Compound. The interrogation later moved to Pusan. After Skeets conduct about four classes of interrogation training, he received orders to go to Japan. Skeets wanted to return to the States. However, linguists were needed.

Identifier

2002OH0285_05_Oji

Oral History Item Type Metadata

URL

http://www.goforbroke.org/oral_histories/mp4/285-Oji-Skeets-5.m4v

Date of Birth

1918 Feb 24

Location of Birth

Branch of Service

Entrance into Service

Nickname

Campaigns/Battles

Citation

Oji, Sukeo: narrator, Yee, Govan: interviewer, and Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher, “Sukeo Oji oral history interview, part 5 of 7, May 26, 2002,” Japanese American Military History Collective, accessed December 11, 2024, https://ndajams.omeka.net/items/show/1052962.