The journey

The journey to temporary "assembly centers" was a difficult and disorienting experience. After gathering at designated locations, Japanese Americans were met by armed soldiers and transported in buses, private cars, and trains to sixteen temporary "assembly centers." When they arrived at their new homes -- often hastily refurbished fairgrounds and racetracks -- they were shocked to see barbed-wire fences, guard towers, and searchlights.

World War II (231)
Temporary Assembly Centers (231)
The journey (119)

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119 items
Mother with infant arrives at Stockton (ddr-densho-151-251)
img Mother with infant arrives at Stockton (ddr-densho-151-251)
Original caption: Stockton, California. Young mother of Japanese ancestry arrives at Assembly center with 21 day old baby.
Issei woman boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-261)
img Issei woman boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-261)
Original caption: San Francisco, California. Friends and neighbors congregate to bid farewell, though not for long, to their friends who are enroute to the Tanforan Assembly center. They, themselves will be evacuated within three days.
Japanese Americans waving goodbye from train (ddr-densho-151-299)
img Japanese Americans waving goodbye from train (ddr-densho-151-299)
Original caption: Woodland, Yolo County, California. Ten cars of evacuees of Japanese ancestry are now aboard and the doors are closed. Their Caucasian friends and the staff of the Wartime Civil Control Administration stations are watching the departure from the platform. Evacuees are leaving their homes and ranches, in a rich agricultural district, bound for Merced …
Mother and children waiting in line (ddr-densho-151-223)
img Mother and children waiting in line (ddr-densho-151-223)
Original caption: Turlock, California. Families of Japanese ancestry arrive at Turlock Assembly Center. Evacuees will be housed later at War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-205)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-205)
Original caption: Centerville, California. The bus has just arrived and these farm families of Japanese ancestry are being kept intact enroute to the Assembly center.
Elderly Japanese Americans waiting on bench (ddr-densho-151-231)
img Elderly Japanese Americans waiting on bench (ddr-densho-151-231)
Original caption: San Bruno, Caliofnira. These older evacuees of Japanese ancestry have just been registered and are resting before being assigned to their living quarters in the barracks. The large tag worn by the woman on the right indicates special consideration for aged or infirm.
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-171)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-171)
Original caption: Hayward, California. Farm families of Japanese ancestry are being checked into the evacuation buses which are enroute to the Assembly center. Their identification tags and numbers are inspected before entering the bus by a member of the Wartime Civil Control Administration Control Station staff. Over 400 persons were evacuated from this district on this …
Japanese Americans arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-160)
img Japanese Americans arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-160)
Original caption: San Bruno, California. Family of Japanese ancestry arrives at assembly center at Tanforan Race Track. Evacuees will be transferred later to War Relocation Authority centers where they will be housed for the duration.
Baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-224)
img Baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-224)
Original caption: Turlock, California. Possessions brought to the Assembly center by evacuees of Japanese ancestry, are inspected for contraband upon arrival. Evacuees are here here shown unfastening their bundles and unpacking their suitcases for the inspector. They will then be assigned to their places in the barracks.
Japanese Americans arriving to Stockton (ddr-densho-151-250)
img Japanese Americans arriving to Stockton (ddr-densho-151-250)
Original caption: Stockton, California. People of Japanese ancestry from the Lodi district. Their identification numbers and family groups are being checked by officials as they leave the buses. They are then directed to the place where their baggage is checked for contraband; medically examined, and assigned to their place in the barracks.
Mass removal (ddr-densho-151-49)
img Mass removal (ddr-densho-151-49)
Original WRA caption: Woodland, Yolo County, California. Ten cars of evacuees of Japanese ancestry are now aboard and the doors are closed. Their Caucasian friends and the staff of the Wartime Civil Control Administration stations are watching the departure from the platform. Evacuees are leaving their homes and ranches, in a rich agricultural district, bound for …
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-148)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-148)
Original caption: Byron, California. The moment has come for these farm families of Japanese descent to board the bus which will take them from their farm homes and ranches to the Assembly center 65 miles away.
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-206)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-206)
Original caption: Centerville, California. The bus has just arrived and these farm families of Japanese ancestry are being kept intact while enroute to the Assembly center.
Baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-225)
img Baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-225)
Original caption: Turlock, California. Baggage is inspected as families arrive at Turlock assembly center. Evacuees of Japanese ancestry will be transferred later to War Relocation Authority centers where they will spend the duration.
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-142)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-142)
Original caption: Byron, California. Farm families of Japanese ancestry boarding buses for Turlock Assembly Center 65 miles away. An official of the Wartime Civil Control Administration is checking the families into the bus by number.
Japanese Americans arriving to Stockton (ddr-densho-151-248)
img Japanese Americans arriving to Stockton (ddr-densho-151-248)
Original caption: Stockton, California. People of Japanese ancestry from the Lodi grape-producing district. Their identification numbers and family groups are checked by officials as they leave the buses. They are then directed to the place where their baggage is checked for contraband; medically examined, and assigned to their place in the barracks.
Boarding train to Merced Assembly Center (ddr-densho-151-291)
img Boarding train to Merced Assembly Center (ddr-densho-151-291)
Original caption: Woodland, California. Families of Japanese ancestry leave the station platform to board the train for the Assembly Center about 125 miles away. About 750 people of Japanese ancestry have been evacuated from this area under Civilian Exclusion Order Number 78.
Japanese Americans waiting for medical examination (ddr-densho-151-222)
img Japanese Americans waiting for medical examination (ddr-densho-151-222)
Original caption: Turlock, California. These evacuees of Japanese ancestry are awaiting their turn for medical examination before being assigned to their places in the barracks, after their arrival at this assembly center.
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-147)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-147)
Original caption: Byron, California. The moment has come for these farm families of Japanese ancestry to board the bus that will take them from their homes and ranches to the Assembly center, 65 miles away.
Japanese Americans arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-162)
img Japanese Americans arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-162)
Original caption: San Bruno, California. Evacuees of Japanese ancestry have just arrived at this Assembly center. They have been registered and are now awaiting a guide to show them to their place in the barracks. Later they will be transferred to War Relocation Authority centers.
Bus leaving for Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-151-262)
img Bus leaving for Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-151-262)
Original caption: San Francisco, California. These evacuees of Japanese ancestry are part of a group of 600 persons being evacuated on this morning to the assembly center. The Japanese American Citizens League headquarters is being used as a Wartime Civil Control Administration station. Prior to evacuation orders it was used as a language school.
Japanese Americans on board train (ddr-densho-151-300)
img Japanese Americans on board train (ddr-densho-151-300)
Original caption: Woodland, Yolo County, California. Ten cars of evacuees of Japanese ancestry are now aboard and the doors are closed. Their Caucasian friends and the staff of the Wartime Civil Control Administration stations are watching the departure from the platform. Evacuees are leaving their homes and ranches in this rich agricultural district, bound for Merced …
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-146)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-146)
Original caption: Byron, California. These families of Japanese ancestry, evacuated from farms in Contra Costa County, board bus for assembly center in Turlock Fairgrounds, 65 miles away. Evacuees will be transported later to War Relocation Authority centers where they will spend the duration.
Young Japanese Americans boarding train (ddr-densho-151-294)
img Young Japanese Americans boarding train (ddr-densho-151-294)
Original caption: Woodland, Yolo County, California. Persons of Japanese ancestry, bound for Merced Assembly center, 126 miles away, bid farewell to friends.
Japanese American family arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-156)
img Japanese American family arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-156)
Original caption: San Bruno, California. Family of Japanese ancestry arrives at assembly center at Tanforan Race Track. Evacuees will be transferred later to War Relocation Authority centers where they will be housed for the duration.
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