Densho Digital Archive - Mitsu Fukui Interview (denshovh-fmitsu-01-0017)

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AI: Well, now then in 1941, of course, it became very difficult because in December of 1941 Pearl Harbor was bombed. And can you tell me what you remember about that day?

MF: Well, you know, my husband was fishing out here. And when he came out from the boat to get in the car, the FBI was already there. They questioned him. And he was released, of course. But some of those people were taken that day. My father was. And that was the night that my grandfather's memorial service was held at my father's home. And the minister, Reverend Ichikawa, from Baptist -- Buddhist church, he was there. And my father and the minister was taken that night of the Pearl Harbor.

AI: They were taken directly from --

MF: To Immigration.

AI: -- from your father's home--

MF: Uh-huh.

AI: -- to the immigration station here in Seattle. When did you find out about what happened to your father?

MF: Next day. They just told him he'll be back in a couple days but he never came back.

AI: So after they took him to the immigration station --

MF: Then, you know, he was there for quite a long time, I guess. I never visited him but my mother did because she had to take his shaving equipment and everything. Well, anyways, he said he'll be home in couple days but he was there and he was sent to Missoula, Montana.

AI: To Missoula. Well, after your father was taken out of the home, who was left there living with your mother?

MF: Yeah, my mother and my brothers were still there.

AI: And your sister also?

MF: I guess so. When was, we taken to the camp?

AI: That was a little bit later. You went to Puyallup in May --

MF Yeah, we went to Puyallup first.

AI: In May.

MF: Was that in September?

AI: That you went to Minidoka? Uh-huh.

MF: And then we, we're there about three months or something like that?

AI: Well, so, after your father was taken, did you and -- you must've been very worried about him. Did you have some idea as to why he was picked up like that and why they kept him rather than releasing him?

MF: Well, I didn't really worry about him because he was with his friends and when he was taken, my father and mother and the minister, Reverend Ichikawa was at my parents' home having a service for my grandfather. That was when FBI came. That was in the evening and I wasn't there. I was married and so happened I wasn't there. But my husband is a Issei and FBI came and asked him that, if I had a visitor from New York recently. I said, "We don't have a friend in New York." Oh, so he said, "Okay." He left. But I don't know why he said that I had a visitor from New York, and I said, "We don't have any friends there." He says, "Is that right? Are you sure?" I said, "Yes."

AI: Isn't that peculiar?

MF: Yeah.

AI: Well, then after that, did you, were you worried about what might happen to Bill or to you after that?

MF: Well, you know when my father was taken right away somebody spread a rumor that my husband was taken, too. But that was a rumor.

AI: What kinds of rumors were going around at that time?

MF: I don't know. But anyways -- but FBI did come about this New York people. He said, "You had a visitor from New York," and I said, "We don't have any friends from New York, any from New York." "Are you sure?" he said. "Yes." I don't know where they got that idea.