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JA: Much of our narration today has centered around the World War II experiences. When did you first start talking about those events?

MH: My World War II story came out when my daughter, granddaughter Monica was at Bothell Senior High School, and the teacher told her to write a thesis on evacuation. So the loud telephone call comes, "Grandma, you going to help me? I need some help." I said, "On what?" And she said, "Evacuation." I says, "I don't remember anything." "Oh, yes do you Grandma." So that's where it started and I worked with her and she got a straight A on that thesis, and I was so pleased with her.

JA: So the fact that it was your own grandchild...

MH: That's right, that wrote that thesis.

JA: Kind of facilitated your memory to return.

MH: That's right. She started it and then it became my second grandson had to write that thesis, too. Of course, his own wording, of course, and then, the one in Bellevue, she had to write one, too, she said.

JA: So each time have you found...

MH: It's a little different. It's a little different the way it's written.

JA: You remember a little more?

MH: Uh-huh, a little different things about it and things like that I can tell her, and then I do some research and then I can tell her something different again, about somebody else's experience and things like that. So it worked out.

JA: And do you feel a little more comfortable each time talking about some of these bad memories?

MH: Oh, yes. Well, yes, I do. At first I didn't want to talk about it and my friends didn't want to talk about it either, my Japanese friends. So it was a different world in Bellevue for a while, but now it's coming out all over. And it's just more comfortable with everybody speaking and the young people getting together and things like that.

JA: And so, now you're participating in our oral history project. We thank you.

MH: Yes, that's right. So I encourage my other friends to come out and be involved in it, too. Yes. I certainly will be happy to.

JA: So not only helping us assemble this history, but do you find it personally beneficial?

MH: Uh-huh.

<End Segment 77> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.