Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/692/

Encountering a train full of Japanese Americans being transported to a concentration camp

And then one time—this was very hush-hush—but a train stopped late one afternoon. I presume it came from the coast somewhere, and I serviced it with water, ice, and there was a guard on each end with the shades all drawn. I had to go inside to service the water. When I went in, that's all I saw: Japanese. All Isseis and Niseis, and I don't know about Sanseis, but all Japanese. I thought, “Holy crow! Holy mackerel!” Then it dawned on me, I inquired. They weren't supposed to talk, they weren't supposed to show their face, I wasn't supposed to do anything, but they were headed for Heart Mountain. And I says, “Oh.” I serviced them, and that was the last I saw of them. They went to Heart Mountain, Wyoming. And at a different time, another train came through during my shift that had nothing but evacuees on it, going to Heart Mountain.


imprisonment incarceration railroads World War II World War II camps

Date: March 15 & 16, 2006

Location: Washington, US

Interviewer: Megan Asaka

Contributed by: Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Interviewee Bio

Nisei male. Born 1923 in Spokane, Washington. Spent childhood in downtown Spokane where parents ran the World Hotel. Father also worked as a mail handler for the Great Northern Railroad. Attended Lewis and Clark High School and Washington State University. During the war remembers seeing train cars pass through Spokane with Japanese Americans headed to Heart Mountain incarceration camp, Wyoming. Drafted into the army in 1944 and served at the Military Intelligence Service Language School in Fort Snelling, Minnesota and Presidio, California. After World War II, worked as a chick sexer in upstate New York and surrounding region for thirty years. Returned to Spokane in the mid-1970s and pursued a career in real estate. Currently lives with wife, Susie, in Spokane and is an active fly fisherman. (March 16, 2006 )

Frank Emi
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Emi,Frank

Arrested in camp for trying to leave

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

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Willie Ito
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Ito,Willie

Dusty Weather at Topaz, Utah

(b. 1934) Award-winning Disney animation artist who was incarcerated at Topaz during WWII

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Willie Ito
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Ito,Willie

Mother in Camp

(b. 1934) Award-winning Disney animation artist who was incarcerated at Topaz during WWII

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

They had to succeed

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

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

People with talent 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.

“Agreement of silence”

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

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

442nd’s contribution to redress

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

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Margarida Tomi Watanabe
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Watanabe,Margarida Tomi

Interrogation by police (Japanese)

(1900–1996) The mother of Nikkei Brazilian immigration

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Sumiko Kozawa
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Kozawa,Sumiko

Memories of Manzanar

(1916-2016) Florist

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Sumiko Kozawa
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Kozawa,Sumiko

Wind in camp

(1916-2016) Florist

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Sakaye Shigekawa
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Shigekawa, Sakaye

Unable to work when the war broke out

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

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Sumiko Kozawa
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Kozawa,Sumiko

Her grandfather and Dr. Thompson

(1916-2016) Florist

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Sumiko Kozawa
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Kozawa,Sumiko

Her grandmother comes to Manzanar

(1916-2016) Florist

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Doris Moromisato
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Moromisato, Doris

Necessary apologies (Spanish)

(b. 1962) Peruvian Poet, Okinawan descendant

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Cedrick Shimo
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Shimo,Cedrick

Angry about the mistranslations of his father’s testimonies

(1919-2020) Member of the 1800th Engineering Battalion. Promoted Japan-U.S. trade while working for Honda's export division.

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