American Valor Quarterly Issue 1 - Winter 2007 | Page 18

Pell: Did the treatment improve while the talks were going on a ship—not going to Europe, and not going to Japan. So
on in Pammunjon?
I was surprised that, on my first day, I got so sick I could
not get out of my bunk bed. I was on that bed for a good
Miyamura: As the talks improved, so did our treatment. eleven days. I finally decided I had to go up top, but they
In fact, they gave us a little bit of food—not big portions, wouldn’t let us out of a certain area. They didn’t want us
but a lot more than we were getting. And they gave us talking with the other troops; I don’t know why. But we
athletic equipment to try to build our bodies back up. We were also interrogated along the way.
had lost so much weight because of the lack of medical
attention and proper food.
Pell: When you got home, word of the Medal had preceded
you, I assume?
Pell: And when you crossed into Pammunjon, Freedom
Village, you were greeted by General Osborne?
Miyamura: Yes, it did. My wife didn’t know if I was alive
for the first year,
Miyamura:
Well
because the Chinese
after being deloused,
did not release any
I took a shower and
names of the POWs
was in my pajamas,
they held in captivity.
lying down on a cot.
Only when the peace
A corporal or sergeant
talks
began
to
came up to me and
improved,
they
told me that there
started
releasing
was a gentleman from
names, which is when
my home state who
my wife finally found
wanted to talk with
out, a year into my
me. So I followed him
captivity. I had been
and he led me into a
listed as missing in
room, and there stood
action.
the general at a table,
with all kinds of lights
Pell: But she knew
focused on him. So I Hiroshi Miyamura (above center-left) leads a wreath laying ceremony at the Korean War you had received the
was led up to the table
Medal before you got
Veterans Memorial in honor of all who served in the war.
and that’s when the
back?
general shook my hand and told me why I was there.
Miyamura: She was told that I had received the Medal,
Pell: What was your reaction?
but had no idea what the Medal was. Some of my friends in
my hometown had to tell her exactly what the Medal
Miyamura: Oh, I said, “What??” I couldn’t really say represented. It took many years for it to really sink in.
anything. Then he wanted me to relate how I felt. That’s
when I told him that I didn’t feel like I deserved the Medal Pell: But you were obviously asked to come to the White
of Honor for doing what I was trained to do.
House; that should have helped it sink in a little bit.
Pell: So what then happened? How did you get back home? Miyamura: Yes, in fact, she was the only one who enjoyed
it. I was sick the whole time. I was so nervous, being the
Miyamura: Well, I was offered the opportunity to fly home, first of seven to appear President Eisenhower to receive
or get on a troop ship with my comrades and friends. I the Medal of Honor, and I was very nervous. [