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Memories of Manzanar

Manzanar? God, to me that was one of the worst places. I hated that place. Anyway, it was windy one day, windy the next day. That was the dust, too. And the building that we lived in, it was just full of those big knot holes. See, they weren’t covered; all the dust used to come. See, we’d wake up in the morning and there used to be about that much dirt on the floor. You know, dust.

And all we had was these little kerosene stoves. At first we didn’t know. It was so cold, so we turned that on. By morning, all the oil was gone. It’s cold, see.

And the first night we were there, there were these bunk beds or, what do you call these beds? Cots? Yeah. And then those mattresses, they call that? Straw mattress, we got bitten all over. My mother got so angry. There were little bed bugs. Oh god we got bitten. Terrible. So she had to go, she runs up there, she gives them hell over there. (chuckles). Bed bugs.

Anyway, so they changed all that. So we got another mattress. Anyway, it was a little bit better. But you know. That building, with all those holes, and every time the wind comes the dust will be blowing up, oh god that was awful. To me that was the most horrible place.


California concentration camps Manzanar concentration camp United States World War II World War II camps

Date: May 24, 2011

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Sumiko Kozawa was born in 1916 in Los Angeles. The oldest of five children, Sumi spent three years in Japan before World War II, learning koto, flower arranging, and tea ceremony. Her family’s flower shop, Tokio Florist in Silver Lake, was popular with the Hollywood community because of its fresh flowers and reasonable prices. Sumi not only helped out, but also had the opportunity to meet many people, including famous silent movie star, Greta Garbo. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Sumi and her family were sent to Manzanar. There she helped care for the family, taking care of her grandfather and younger sister. She passed away on December 2016, at age 100. (December 2016)

Frank Emi
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Emi,Frank

Loyalty questionnaire

(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee

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Frank Emi
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Emi,Frank

Speaking out in camp

(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

Resisting transfer from Jerome

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Frank Emi
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Emi,Frank

Draft resisters sent to jail

(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

Appearance vs. Combat Effectiveness

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Frank Emi
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Emi,Frank

Would do the same again

(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

Basic Training

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

A visit to Jerome after OCS

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

Do it for all Asians

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

Horrible pictures of war

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

Near-death experience

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

General Ryder’s faith in the 100th infantry battalion

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

Comfortable in combat

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Sakaye Shigekawa
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Shigekawa, Sakaye

Lost respect for the flag after incarceration

(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California

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Sakaye Shigekawa
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Shigekawa, Sakaye

Traumatic experiences before camp

(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California

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