<Begin Segment 11>

TI: And so when you, when the train ride was over, where did they drop you off?

AO: In camp. (San Antonio, Texas. Then a bus from San Antonio to the camp in Crystal City.)

TI: In camp, so this is Crystal City?

AO: Yes, Crystal City, Texas.

TI: In Texas. And what did you see when you got to Crystal City?

AO: Oh, when I got there, all these other Japanese people, they stayed there, they kind of welcome us with singing some Japanese songs, so we felt really strong and happy because there was a lot of other Japanese in there.

TI: Oh, so they were waiting for you. They knew that you were coming?

AO: Yes. Because, I don't know, our ship, how many ships came from Peru, I don't know how many ships there were, that they sent from Peru to United States, and I don't know what number was ours, I don't know.

TI: So the people who greeted you, were they Japanese Peruvian?

AO: Some, and some from the United States, people from United States.

TI: And do you remember what Japanese song they sang?

AO: Yeah, I remember. Let's see, it was "Aikoku koushin kyoku." Aikoku...

TI: Aikoku...

AO: Koushin kyoku.

TI: And then what is that song?

AO: I think it's about Japan, how good is Japan, I think. What a good country, it was something like that, I think, the words (I kind of remember).

TI: But it made you feel good when you heard that.

AO: Felt so good to see other Japanese in there and welcome us. I felt real good.

TI: And then so what -- okay, so after you got off the train, you have the people singing, then what happens next?

AO: And then they took us to where we're gonna stay. Oh, it was, well, you know, lot of grass around. It was the place where it wasn't really a nice homes or anything, it was, they build real quick, I think.

TI: And so were you kind of disappointed when you got to your place or was it okay? What did you think?

AO: We felt, well, at least we're going to stay, and we were all the family together and there were other Japanese, so I think we felt kind of strong.

TI: I forgot to ask you, so when you came off the ship and you're going to the train, were your father and brother, did they come together with the rest of the family? Were you now together as a family on the train? Your father...

AO: Yes, I think they were. Yeah, I think they were.

TI: Do you remember any special moments with your father or brother when you all got together?

AO: No.

TI: Yeah, because I remember that you were separate and you came together.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.