Interviews
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.
Date: January 26, 2012
Location: California, US
Interviewer: John Esaki, Yoko Nishimura
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Search of family home by the FBI following the bombing of Pearl Harbor
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
Not recognizing father after reunion at Crystal City, Texas
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
A child's memories of activities at Crystal City, Texas
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
Hearing about Pearl Harbor
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Traveling to Manzanar
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Victory Corps Work during World War II
(1925 - 2018) Nisei educator from Hawai‘i
Jobs in Manzanar
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Sugar beet and potato farming in Idaho
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Recalling Pinedale and Tule Lake concentration camps
Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.
Being called out of Reserves
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Fort Snelling
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Attempts to sign up for military service
(1917 - 2004) Political activist
Traveling from Manila to Tokyo
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Joined Japanese Imperial Army during the WWII (Spanish)
(b. 1929) Nisei Argentinean
Camp stories impact on her career
Sansei judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California