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Sam Ogo Interview Segment 1

Family background; growing up part of a railroad workers' community (ddr-densho-1000-193-1) - 00:03:55
Father's job working for a railroad company; a terrible accident (ddr-densho-1000-193-2) - 00:02:42
Description of parents' hotel business (ddr-densho-1000-193-3) - 00:03:02
Meeting people of other ethnicities while growing up (ddr-densho-1000-193-4) - 00:04:47
Attending Japanese language school; teacher a strict disciplinarian (ddr-densho-1000-193-5) - 00:01:35
Description of siblings; attending church (ddr-densho-1000-193-6) - 00:02:03
Moving to Japan as a child: "It was kind of exciting in a way" (ddr-densho-1000-193-7) - 00:02:47
Having a difficult time attending school in Japan because of the language barrier (ddr-densho-1000-193-8) - 00:02:47
Comparison between Japanese and American education system prewar (ddr-densho-1000-193-9) - 00:04:55
Returning to the U.S. to avoid serving in the Japanese military (ddr-densho-1000-193-10) - 00:01:58
Readjusting to life in the U.S. after living in Japan (ddr-densho-1000-193-11) - 00:03:32
Helping with parents' hotel business (ddr-densho-1000-193-12) - 00:02:11
Hearing rumors after the bombing of Pearl Harbor; destroying so-called 'contraband' items (ddr-densho-1000-193-13) - 00:04:27
Meeting Japanese Americans moving to Spokane during the war; helping families leave camp (ddr-densho-1000-193-14) - 00:03:40
Brother's experience in Japan during the war (ddr-densho-1000-193-15) - 00:02:24
Trying to enlist in the army, being rejected for various reasons (ddr-densho-1000-193-16) - 00:02:56
Running a 'truck farm' (ddr-densho-1000-193-17) - 00:06:14
Meeting wife, getting married (ddr-densho-1000-193-18) - 00:03:30
Postwar work; a single encounter with discrimination (ddr-densho-1000-193-19) - 00:05:40
Disappearing Japanese American community in Spokane (ddr-densho-1000-193-20) - 00:03:49
Lessons learned from parents: the importance of discipline (ddr-densho-1000-193-21) - 00:02:09
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ddr-densho-1000-193-1 (Legacy UID: denshovh-osam-01-0001)

Family background; growing up part of a railroad workers' community

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

00:03:55 — Segment 1 of 21

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April 25, 2006

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-193

Sam Ogo

Sam Ogo Interview

01:11:03 — 21 segments

April 25, 2006

Spokane, Washington

Nisei male. Born September 1, 1919, in Millwood, Washington, where father worked for SP&S railroad. After serious injury, father quit the railroad and moved family to Spokane, Washington, where they operated numerous hotels. Sent to Japan with siblings in 1933 to attend school. Was only one in the family to return to the U.S. three years later. Brother served in a non-combat position for the Japanese navy during World War II. Operated a produce farm until the 1960s when the state purchased the land to build a freeway. Worked at Crescent Department Store until retirement.

(This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.)

Megan Asaka, interviewer; Dana Hoshide, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

API