Food

The eating facilities in the camps were large mess halls with long lines and crowded tables. Group living tended to erode family solidarity, as teenagers escaped parental authority by eating with friends rather than family. The quality of the food was poor and milk and fresh meat were constantly in short supply. Inexpensive foods such as wieners, dried fish, pancakes, macaroni and pickled vegetables were served often. The diets of the camp inmates improved only after they began growing some of their own food.

World War II (283)
Concentration camps (2078)
Food (283)

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283 items

doc Notice from Harry Tateishi, Foreman, Canal Project, to the residents of Heart Mountain, 1943 (ddr-csujad-55-670)

Notice from Harry Tateishi, foreman on Canal Project, to incarcerees at the Heart Mountain incarceration camp regarding a forthcoming agricultural program and irrigation project. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0672

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-670/

doc Menu (ddr-csujad-55-1904)

Menu for breakfast, dinner, and supper at the Tule Lake incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1907

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1904/

img Japanese Americans eating in mess hall (ddr-densho-151-66)

Original WRA caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. Mealtime in one of the messhalls at this War Relocation Authority center for evacuees of Japanese ancestry.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-66/

img Mess hall (ddr-densho-151-433)

Original caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. Messhall #16 at this War Relocation Authority center for evacuees of Japanese ancestry. An evacuee of 290 persons are fed three meals a day in each messhall, and all work is done by the evacuees themselves.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-433/

img Mealtime in mess hall (ddr-densho-151-432)

Original caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. Mealtime in one of the messhalls at this War Relocation Authority center for evacuees of Japanese ancestry.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-432/

img Japanese Americans lining up for mess hall (ddr-densho-93-21)

Original Ansel Adams caption: Mess line, noon, Manzanar Relocation Center, California / photograph by Ansel Adams.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-93-21/

img Four woman standing outside building with sign, Station 21-27 (ddr-densho-464-22)

Names inscribed on front: (l to r) Itsuko, Tsuye, Kazuko, me.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-464-22/

doc Letter from Joseph Ishikawa to Eva (ddr-densho-468-99)

Letter written from Granada (Amache) describing life in the concentration camp compared to Santa Anita.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-99/

doc A Myopic Account of a Relocated Life during the Second World War (ddr-densho-468-97)

Personal recollections of life in an assembly center and relocation camp for Japanese descendants and various digressions

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-97/

doc Letter from Helen Takahashi to Henri Takahashi; Letter from Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi to Henri Takahashi. In same envelope (ddr-densho-410-413)

Letter 1: Helen plans to come to San Francisco to visit him after Easter, sent cards to the Yabuki family. Letter 2: Rice is scarce in the camps now, most being sent overseas as part of the lend-lease program, some have had no rice for weeks, encourages Henri to get a job soon as they will …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-413/

img Large group portrait of Mess hall staff (ddr-ajah-6-947)

Caption below photo: Mess 58 crew. Tule Lake Center, Summer 1945

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-947/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, October 23, 1942 (ddr-densho-432-7)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of the food, environment, church, and school. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-7/

av Sowing Seeds of Life... of Hope (ddr-densho-1024-80)

Japanese vegetable seeds played an enormous part in making life more bearable for the Japanese people who were incarcerated in a concentration camp at Heart Mountain, Wyoming during WWII. See this item in the Densho Resource Guide at: Sowing Seeds of Life... of Hope (film). See this item in the Digital Library of the Japanese …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1024-80/

doc Mess Hall Identification Card (ddr-csujad-29-24)

Manzanar mess hall identification card. Block 20, Building 11, Apt. 4. Belonging to Ruth Hochi. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 4137_M03

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-24/

img Mess Hall 54 crew (ddr-densho-480-171)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-480-171/

img Mess Hall workers (ddr-densho-363-22)

The caption on the back of the photograph reads "Heart Mt Mess Hall workers Kimi Komoto + workers". Pictured from left to right: Unidentified, Kimi Komoto, Kimi Uchida, Tomi Ichida, Chiyo Sakane, Asano Marutama, Toshiko Tsuyuki, Ruth Murakami, Hatsuye Shimizu, Unidentified

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-363-22/

doc Wartime Civil Control Administration (WCCA) Mess Hall ticket for Saburo Kitagawa (ddr-densho-539-72)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-539-72/

doc Letter from Masako Tada to Marion Blomgren (ddr-densho-540-24)

Masako Tada discusses her daily life in the Midoka concentration camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-540-24/

doc Lordsburg Times issue (ddr-densho-536-142)

Likely issue number 143.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-536-142/

doc Lordsburg Times number 13 (ddr-densho-536-14)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-536-14/

doc Lordsburg Times number 29 (ddr-densho-536-29)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-536-29/

doc Lordsburg Times number 122 (ddr-densho-536-121)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-536-121/

img Jerome Mess Management Award staff group photo (ddr-densho-545-9)

Image displaying staff members with the Jerome Mess Management award.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-545-9/

img Group photo (ddr-densho-545-8)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-545-8/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. II, No. 27 (July 6, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-75)

Selected article titles: "Officials Give Views on Closing of Stores" (pp. 1-2), "Skeleton Remains of Young Indian Found at Blk. 51" (p. 1), "Housing Adjustments Necessary Says Thomas" (p. 2), and "Farm Produces 250,545 Pounds" (p. 2).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-75/