Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Robert Coombs Interview
Narrator: Robert Coombs Andrews
Interviewer: Alice Ito
Location: SeaTac, Washington
Date: August 2, 2003
Densho ID: denshovh-crobert-01-0020

<Begin Segment 21>

AI: Well, now, as we're -- I want to focus on the year 1943. So, you were able to have a Christmas break with your family.

RC: (Yes).

AI: Then you went back to Minidoka. And during this year, I understand in 1943 is when the government started allowing the Nisei boys to volunteer for the army.

RC: (Yes).

AI: And I'm wondering, when you heard that news, what was your thought about that?

RC: I did not -- the only seniors I had were in my, in my public speaking class. [Coughs] Excuse me. And to my knowledge, not one volunteered from that class. They wanted to finish high school. It was up to the, the twelfth grade core teachers, and I think they did -- they were hoping that they would not volunteer to go into the service until they finished high school. But I think some did. I heard one of them talking about it last night, that he never did finish school. He got a pass to go out and he, he, he went into Utah, or some state. And he wasn't attending school. And he says the hooky cop caught him -- [laughs] -- and they put him in school. But he wanted to get away. But he didn't go into the army. But some did.

AI: Well, and I understand, at the same time, as some of the fellows were volunteering for service, that, this was also the time when everyone was required to register --

RC: (Yes).

AI: -- and fill out this questionnaire. I'm wondering... I think I read in your article that you also did some counseling of students.

RC: Yes.

AI: And I'm wondering whether anyone came to you at that time with some difficulty about the questionnaire or related issues?

RC: No. The adults were the ones who were (to fill) that out. And I think they, they did that among themselves. I have read articles and I have read stories about that. And it must have been a horrible thing. There was a professor at Stanford ... oh, I can't remember the book, the name of the book that he wrote. It had to do with morning glory... something. [Ed. note: narrator is referring to Morning Glory, Evening Shadow: Yamato Ichihashi and His Internment Writings, 1942-1945 by Gordon Chang (Editor).]

AI: Oh yes. About Professor Ichihashi? Ichikawa?

RC: Something.

AI: Yes.

RC: This was a, I think a Chinese professor, who wrote about his room, office mate. Was it Hayashi? Professor Hayashi?

AI: I'm trying to remember if... I think it was Ichikawa, but I'm not positive.

RC: That's more like it. That really, basically, he was at Tule Lake. And I got more out of that book about that questionnaire. I never saw one of the questionnaires. And I realized what they had faced after I read that book.

AI: But at the time it wasn't clear to you?

RC: No. It was, it was sort of a block thing, where the people in the block had their meetings. And they had leaders. And the children didn't talk about it.

<End Segment 21> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.