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https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1261/

Her grandmother comes to Manzanar

Toward the end, my grandmother was dying. At this place. I don’t know. It’s some, like a convalescence home that they had. And so my grandfather was there too. But, you know, the men’s room and the women’s room, grandpa didn’t care. He used to have my grandmother out in the hall there. And she wanted water but they wouldn’t give her water so he used to get the water and give it to grandmother.

Anyway, towards the end somehow my mother got in contact with Father Leary and, this has been weeks now. So finally we got her back to Manzanar. And that was during the nighttime she came in. And by then, of course, she was half gone anyway, you know. We got her in the hospital and her eyes opened a couple of times, and that was about it.

And the nurse, Akita, turned her over, and you could see the bed sores she had. On her back, around her buttocks. Horrific bed sores. And nurse Akita, she shook her head. She says, my goodness, she says, they didn’t take care of her at all. So she makes this great big thing with this great big donut like, but in the morning she passed on. You could just feel that soreness into you.


California concentration camps families grandfathers grandparents Manzanar concentration camp parents 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)

Kim,Young O.
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Kim,Young O.

Appearance vs. Combat Effectiveness

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

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Emi,Frank
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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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Kim,Young O.
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Kim,Young O.

Basic Training

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

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Kim,Young O.
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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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Kim,Young O.
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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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Kim,Young O.
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Kim,Young O.

Horrible pictures of war

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

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Kim,Young O.
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Kim,Young O.

Near-death experience

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

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Kim,Young O.
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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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Kim,Young O.
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Kim,Young O.

Comfortable in combat

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

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Shigekawa,Sakaye
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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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Shigekawa,Sakaye
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Shigekawa, Sakaye

Traumatic experiences before camp

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

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Shigekawa,Sakaye
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Shigekawa, Sakaye

Joining the hospital unit in Santa Anita Race Track

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

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Shigekawa,Sakaye
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Shigekawa, Sakaye

“Everybody went in like sheep”

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

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Moromisato,Doris
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Moromisato, Doris

I’m a Japanese, Peruvian… who am I? (Spanish)

(b. 1962) Peruvian Poet, Okinawan descendant

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Suto,Henry
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Suto,Henry

The horror of Hiroshima after the atomic bombing (Japanese)

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

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