Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1374/

Coming to California

When I was drafted I had to report to an armory and there were all kinds of soldiers and the armory was right on the train tracks that went to California. And we got out and we were put on the train and all the windows were blacked out and when we got to Camp Roberts—oh it was March, I told you, and the wind was coming off of Lake Michigan—cold, snow, and ice—and it was just a miserable winter. We got on the train and when we reached California, they told us to get off and here everything was green and beautiful and there were birds; meadow, Larks, and all kinds of birds singing—so different from the wintery Chicago—it was a shock actually. And when I saw that I said I'm not coming back to Chicago to live. I became a Californian right then.


armed forces military retired military personnel United States Army veterans World War II

Date: January 26, 2012

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki, Yoko Nishimura

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

Interviewee Bio

Harry Schneider, (b. 1916), was a member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service stationed in Tokyo. Although Harry was not Japanese, he initially was recruited for the M.I.S. training program in San Francisco because of his administrative skills, but then was motivated to learn the Japanese language with the other Nisei soldiers. He married his wife, Hamako, in 1948 soon after the end of WWII. At the end of the War, special legislation was required for an Asian “war bride” to be admitted to the U.S. In 1950 Harry and Hamako married again at the Japanese Consulate in Tokyo so that they could be one of the first couples allowed to enter. Harry passed away at age 97 in June 2013. (June 2014)

Mako Nakagawa
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Nakagawa,Mako

Search of family home by the FBI following the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(1937 - 2021) Teacher

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Mako Nakagawa
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Nakagawa,Mako

Not recognizing father after reunion at Crystal City, Texas

(1937 - 2021) Teacher

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Mako Nakagawa
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Nakagawa,Mako

A child's memories of activities at Crystal City, Texas

(1937 - 2021) Teacher

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Hearing about Pearl Harbor

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Traveling to Manzanar

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Margaret Oda
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Oda,Margaret

Victory Corps Work during World War II

(1925 - 2018) Nisei educator from Hawai‘i

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Jobs in Manzanar

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Sugar beet and potato farming in Idaho

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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William Marutani
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Marutani,William

Recalling Pinedale and Tule Lake concentration camps

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Being called out of Reserves

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Fort Snelling

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Clifford Uyeda
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Uyeda,Clifford

Attempts to sign up for military service

(1917 - 2004) Political activist

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Traveling from Manila to Tokyo

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Luis Yamada
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Yamada,Luis

Joined Japanese Imperial Army during the WWII (Spanish)

(b. 1929) Nisei Argentinean

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Holly J. Fujie
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Fujie,Holly J.

Camp stories impact on her career

Sansei judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California

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