Interviews
Hearing about Pearl Harbor
Actually, when I heard the news, at the Japanese school we had Alumni club, those that graduated from the Japanese school. And unfortunately, I happened to be president at the time. So we had some meeting to be held on that Sunday. I don’t know if it was preparing for a Christmas party because it was the 7th. Either it was a Christmas party or preparing for a New Year’s celebration.
So I went there alone, but when I got there, about four or five of us were there at the same time. And the teacher come out there and says, “No, go home.” Why? He said, “Didn’t you know that Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese?” We're wondering, "what is he talking about?" He said, “This may be the last time that you will come to the Japanese school, but don’t come to the Japanese school. Stay away from the Japanese school.”
And so that was it. That’s the last time, that’s what I remember that the war had started in 1941.
Date: February 6, 2015
Location: California, US
Interviewer: John Esaki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Coming to California
(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service
Life in the Philippines
(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.
Learning Japanese with the MIS
(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service
Camouflage Net Weaving in Manzanar
Japanese American animator for Walt Disney and Hanna Barbera (1925-2007)
Miscommunications
(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service
Writing Letters
(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service
Developing Art Skills in Camp
Japanese American animator for Walt Disney and Hanna Barbera (1925-2007)
Longing to be an imperial soldier as a youth (Japanese)
(b. 1929) Kibei Nisei
Return to Los Angeles
Japanese American animator for Walt Disney and Hanna Barbera (1925-2007)
Grandparents were incarcerated in Jerome, Arkansas
(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii
Memories of the ship heading to the U.S.
(b. 1938) Japanese Peruvian incarcerated in Crystal City
Grandfather's business in Hawaii while in camp
(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii
Thunder in Crystal City
(b. 1938) Japanese Peruvian incarcerated in Crystal City
Having a house at camp
(b. 1938) Japanese Peruvian incarcerated in Crystal City
Joining the army
(1919 - 2015) Nisei who served in World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team