John Tomita Interview Segment 1

Father's family background (ddr-manz-1-76-1) - 00:08:50
Early memories of Isleton, California, and a large fire in the town (ddr-manz-1-76-2) - 00:12:56
Attending grammar school with ethnically diverse students (ddr-manz-1-76-3) - 00:09:40
Mother's family background (ddr-manz-1-76-4) - 00:05:05
Speaking primarily Japanese as a child (ddr-manz-1-76-5) - 00:05:55
Description of the Japanese section of Isleton (ddr-manz-1-76-6) - 00:10:42
Living with a family friend to attend high school in Berkeley (ddr-manz-1-76-7) - 00:10:28
Memories of high school: a serious illness, getting in a tractor accident (ddr-manz-1-76-8) - 00:12:40
Attending college (ddr-manz-1-76-9) - 00:05:08
Hearing about the bombing of Pearl Harbor (ddr-manz-1-76-10) - 00:07:46
Preparing for mass removal (ddr-manz-1-76-11) - 00:03:32
First impressions of the Walerga assembly center, working as a butcher (ddr-manz-1-76-12) - 00:05:06
Working as a surveyor in camp (ddr-manz-1-76-13) - 00:07:21
Work as part of a survey crew in camp (ddr-manz-1-76-14) - 00:04:09
Working with the Bureau of Reclamation on a project for camp (ddr-manz-1-76-15) - 00:08:59
Witnessing the aftermath of a shooting by a camp guard (ddr-manz-1-76-16) - 00:04:03
Answering the so-called "loyalty questionnaire" (ddr-manz-1-76-17) - 00:06:01
Description of Tule Lake as a segregation center (ddr-manz-1-76-18) - 00:10:30
Remembering unrest and conflict in the Tule Lake Segregation Center (ddr-manz-1-76-19) - 00:07:05
Trying to volunteer for military service and classified 4-C (ddr-manz-1-76-20) - 00:07:32
Leaving camp and working in a cannery (ddr-manz-1-76-21) - 00:06:26
Establishing a career as a civil engineer (ddr-manz-1-76-22) - 00:15:01
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PARTNER

Manzanar National Historic Site
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SEGMENT ID

ddr-manz-1-76-1 (Legacy UID: denshovh-tjohn_2-01-0001)

SEGMENT DESCRIPTION

Father's family background

00:08:50 — Segment 1 of 22

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DATE

July 21, 2009

LOCATION

PARENT COLLECTION

Manzanar National Historic Site Collection

TOPICS

FACILITY

PERSONS/ORGANIZATIONS

CONTRIBUTOR

Manzanar National Historic Site Collection

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of the Manzanar National Historic Site Collection

RIGHTS

PARTNER

Manzanar National Historic Site
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INTERVIEW ID

ddr-manz-1-76

NARRATOR

John Tomita

INTERVIEW TITLE

John Tomita Interview

02:54:55 — 22 segments

DATE

July 21, 2009

LOCATION

Los Angeles, California

DESCRIPTION

Nisei male. Born August 20, 1920, in Isleton, California. Grew up in Isleton where father operated a restaurant. Attended college and studied engineering before World War II. During the war, removed to the Sacramento (Walerga) Assembly Center, California, and the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. In camp, worked on the survey crew. Remained in Tule Lake when it became a segregation center. After the war, returned to California and became a civil engineer.

PRODUCTION

Kirk Peterson, interviewer; Richard Potashin, videographer

TOPICS

FACILITY

PERSONS/ORGANIZATIONS

CONTRIBUTOR

Manzanar National Historic Site Collection

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of the Manzanar National Historic Site Collection

RIGHTS

API