Living conditions

The "assembly centers" were hastily erected quarters located throughout the West Coast at fairgrounds, racetracks and other similar facilities. Conditions at these locations were appalling. People were housed in animal stalls and barracks with communal bathrooms and mess halls. Privacy was next to nonexistent. Most families lived in a 20-by-20-foot room separated from the next "apartment" by wood partitions that did not reach the ceiling. Shortages of food and deplorable sanitation were common. Overcrowding, uncertainty, and stress created tension in the "assembly centers," even as the demoralized camp inmates tried to improve living conditions.

World War II (218)
Temporary Assembly Centers (177)
Living conditions (374)

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374 items
Taylor Tomita Interview Segment 11 (ddr-one-7-61-11)
vh Taylor Tomita Interview Segment 11 (ddr-one-7-61-11)
Living conditions at the Pinedale Assembly Center

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Taylor Tomita Interview Segment 12 (ddr-one-7-61-12)
vh Taylor Tomita Interview Segment 12 (ddr-one-7-61-12)
Building furniture out of scrap lumber

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Jim Tsugawa Interview Segment 10 (ddr-one-7-55-10)
vh Jim Tsugawa Interview Segment 10 (ddr-one-7-55-10)
Coping with living conditions in the assembly center

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

George Azumano Interview Segment 16 (ddr-one-7-32-16)
vh George Azumano Interview Segment 16 (ddr-one-7-32-16)
Living conditions at the Portland Assembly Center

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Henry Sakamoto Interview Segment 5 (ddr-one-7-33-5)
vh Henry Sakamoto Interview Segment 5 (ddr-one-7-33-5)
Adjusting to lack of privacy in camp

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Yoichi
vh Yoichi "Cannon" Kitayama Interview Segment 13 (ddr-one-7-46-13)
Living conditions at the Portland Assembly Center

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Kenji Onishi Interview Segment 16 (ddr-one-7-62-16)
vh Kenji Onishi Interview Segment 16 (ddr-one-7-62-16)
First impressions of the Portland Assembly Center

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Yoshiko Kanazawa Segment 4 (ddr-jamsj-2-15-4)
vh Yoshiko Kanazawa Segment 4 (ddr-jamsj-2-15-4)
Frightening camp experiences as a child: vaccinations and a long train ride
Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview Segment 19 (ddr-jamsj-2-7-19)
vh Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview Segment 19 (ddr-jamsj-2-7-19)
Journey to Santa Anita Assembly Center, California; description of conditions
Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview Segment 20 (ddr-jamsj-2-7-20)
vh Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview Segment 20 (ddr-jamsj-2-7-20)
Working in an assembly center as a custodian of camp inmates'' property
George Hanada Interview Segment 5 (ddr-jamsj-2-5-5)
vh George Hanada Interview Segment 5 (ddr-jamsj-2-5-5)
Witnessing the so-called Santa Anita "riot"

This interview was conducted by the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, and is part of a project entitled "Lasting Stories: The Resettlement of San Jose Japantown," a collaborative project between the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and Densho.

Toyoko Okumura Interview Segment 10 (ddr-janm-13-6-10)
vh Toyoko Okumura Interview Segment 10 (ddr-janm-13-6-10)
Terrible conditions upon arrival at Santa Anita Assembly Center: "I thought we were coming to an end"
Louise Kashino Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-31-12)
vh Louise Kashino Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-31-12)
Leaving Seattle: packing extra food just in case; first impressions of the Puyallup Assembly Center

For the first hour of this interview, an additional camera crew from KCTS Television was also present.

Louise Kashino Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-31-16)
vh Louise Kashino Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-31-16)
Working as a "tray girl" in Puyallup Assembly Center

For the first hour of this interview, an additional camera crew from KCTS Television was also present.

Louise Kashino Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-31-13)
vh Louise Kashino Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-31-13)
Health concerns, bad Vienna sausages in Puyallup Assembly Center

For the first hour of this interview, an additional camera crew from KCTS Television was also present.

Akio Hoshino Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1000-26-8)
vh Akio Hoshino Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1000-26-8)
Memories of Puyallup Assembly Center: friendly guards, ice skating, and arguing over steel cots
Joe Yamakido Interview Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1000-167-5)
vh Joe Yamakido Interview Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1000-167-5)
Unpleasant memories of Santa Anita Assembly Center, California, working as a trashman
Nobu Suzuki Interview I Segment 26 (ddr-densho-1000-84-26)
vh Nobu Suzuki Interview I Segment 26 (ddr-densho-1000-84-26)
Attitude toward violation of rights, "There was nothing we could do about it because they had the guns"

References are made to several of Nobu Suzuki's personal papers, which are currently available for public perusal at the University of Washington's Manuscripts and University Archives.

Nobu Suzuki Interview I Segment 24 (ddr-densho-1000-84-24)
vh Nobu Suzuki Interview I Segment 24 (ddr-densho-1000-84-24)
Memories of Puyallup Assembly Center: setting up a makeshift hospital without medical equipment

References are made to several of Nobu Suzuki's personal papers, which are currently available for public perusal at the University of Washington's Manuscripts and University Archives.

Nobu Suzuki Interview I Segment 25 (ddr-densho-1000-84-25)
vh Nobu Suzuki Interview I Segment 25 (ddr-densho-1000-84-25)
Conditions in Puyallup: getting chicken pox, army looks for contraband in a chocolate cake brought by visitors

References are made to several of Nobu Suzuki's personal papers, which are currently available for public perusal at the University of Washington's Manuscripts and University Archives.

Tsuguo
vh Tsuguo "Ike" Ikeda Interview I Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-123-10)
Memories of the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon: working to distribute dairy products, help people settle

As a teenager prior to World War II, began keeping scrapbooks with newspaper articles and memorabilia, a lifetime habit.

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