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.

The journey (104)

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104 items

doc Letter to Kinuta Uno at Fort Missoula (ddr-densho-324-17)

Correspondence from Kinuta Uno's wife and daughter discussing life at Pinedale Assembly Center.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-324-17/

img Japanese Americans boarding buses (ddr-densho-151-143)

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.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-143/

img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-207)

Original caption: Centerville, California. Members of farm family board evacuation bus. Evacuees of Japanese ancestry will be housed in War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-207/

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.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-294/

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.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-231/

img Japanese American family arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-154)

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.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-154/

img Bus leaving for Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-151-263)

Original caption: San Francisco, California. This bus loaded with evacuees of Japanese ancestry, is bound for Tanforan Assembly center on the first day of evacuation of the Japanese quarter.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-263/

img Japanese Americans arriving to Stockton (ddr-densho-151-249)

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 there baggage is checked for contraband; medically examined, and assigned to their place in the barracks.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-249/

img Japanese Americans saying goodbye (ddr-densho-151-42)

Original WRA caption: Woodland, California. Filled with evacuees of Japanese ancestry, the special train is ready to depart from this rich agricultural section for the Merced Assembly Center, 125 miles away.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-42/

img Japanese Americans walking to barracks (ddr-densho-151-227)

Original caption: Turlock, California. Arrivals at Assembly center on their way to their new quarters. Evacuees of Japanese ancestry will be transferred later from assembly centers to War Relocation Authority centers where they will spend the duration.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-227/

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.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-250/

img Japanese Americans boarding train (ddr-densho-151-295)

Original caption: Woodland, Yolo County, California. The train is about to depart which will take these evacuees of Japanese ancestry, from this rich agricultural district, to the Merced Assembly center about 125 miles away. Many leave close friends behind.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-295/

img Young Japanese American during mass removal (ddr-densho-151-40)

Original WRA caption: Hayward, California. A young evacuee looks out the window of the evacuation bus before it starts for Tanforan Assembly Center. Evacuees will be housed in War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-40/

vh Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview Segment 19 (ddr-jamsj-2-7-19)

Journey to Santa Anita Assembly Center, California; description of conditions

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-jamsj-2-7-19/

vh Harry Ueno Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1002-7-9)

The day of mass removal: traveling to Manzanar, California, by bus

This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in this collection are typically not life histories ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1002-7-9/

vh Kazuko Uno Bill Interview I Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-211-20)

Memories of the journey to Pinedale

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-211-20/

img Japanese American family preparing for the journey to the Pomona Assembly Center (ddr-densho-242-4)

Caption by Ike Hatchimonji: "May 1942 - El Monte, California - In front of family store. Hatchimonji family about to leave for the Pomona Assembly Center then the WRA camp at Heart Mountain, Wyoming. L-R: Tasuke Ike, Megumi Mike, Kumezo father, Nobue mother, and daughter Gloria, wearing the family ID tags."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-242-4/

img Japanese Americans boarding train for Manzanar, California (ddr-densho-36-15)

Japanese Americans from Bainbridge Island, Washington are being transported to the Manzanar Assembly Center, California.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-36-15/

img Mass removal (ddr-densho-36-16)

Sumiko Furuta of Bainbridge Island, Washington, on a special ferry to Seattle. From Seattle, she will board a train headed for Manzanar Assembly Center, California.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-36-16/

doc Newspaper clipping "Tanforan, 1942" (ddr-janm-4-42)

Newspaper clipping titled "Tanforan, 1942". The article was written by Soji Kashiwagi on December 17, 1984.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-4-42/

img Japanese Americans waiting for baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-226)

Original caption: Turlock, California. These evacuees of Japanese ancestry have just arrived at this Assembly center and are awaiting the inspection of their baggage. They will then be assigned places in the barracks to remain until they are transferred to a War Relocation Authority center for the duration.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-226/

img White townspeople saying goodbye (ddr-densho-151-298)

Original caption: Woodland, Yolo County, California. Ten cars of evacuees of Japanese ancestry are now aboard the train and the doors are closed. Their Caucasian friends and the staff of the Wartime Civil Control Administration stations are watching the departure form the platform. Evacuees are leaving their homes, ranches, in a rich agricultural district for Merced ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-298/

img Japanese American crying as train leaves station (ddr-densho-151-302)

Original caption: Woodland, 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 form the platform. Evacuees are leaving their homes and ranches, in a rich agricultural district, bound for Merced Assembly center ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-302/

img Japanese Americans arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-159)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Families of Japanese ancestry arrive 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.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-159/

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.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-248/