<Begin Segment 3>

AI: Well, and so now, when were you born? What's your birth --

RM: I was born in 1913.

AI: And what was your birthdate?

RM: May 1st.

AI: 1913. And where was it that you were born?

RM: Place called Laguna, that's the outskirts of Los Angeles, city of Los Angeles, but in Los Angeles County.

AI: Well, is... I wanted to ask about that. Is that anywhere near the Laguna Beach area?

RM: No.

AI: That's farther south.

RM: Laguna Beach is by the ocean.

AI: Right.

RM: But this is in, in the town itself. And Laguna is a common name in the Spanish name, means pond or lake or...

AI: So, in those days, the Laguna area was a rural area, then?

RM: Rural area, yes.

AI: And --

RM: And the address was RFD, Rural Free Delivery, Los Angeles. So that was a farming area then, at the time.

AI: Well, now, when you were born, what name was given to you at birth?

RM: Hiroshi Matsumoto.

AI: And then the "Roy" came from your --

RM: Yeah, "Roy" came when I went to school and the teacher, hard so she says, "Go by Roy." But I mean, I didn't know how come, but Hiroshi means Hiroi so I explain to other people, Hiroi, or Roy is better and they could remember a common name. But actually, it, well, they, kid time, they call all different names, but anyway --

AI: But at home you were, at home you were called Hiroshi?

RM: At home I was called Hiroshi. Everybody, even the Japanese call me Hiroshi.

AI: And you were the first child of your parents, is that right?

RM: Yes, I'm the first one, then I have other brothers.

AI: Well, in fact, can you tell me the, your other brothers and sisters that came after you, their names?

RM: After me went Takeshi is the second and Noboru and...

AI: Oh, Tsutomu, who used to be called Tom?

RM: Tom, yes.

AI: Tsutomu?

RM: He's now Tom and everybody call him Tom. And... Noboru, then sister, Haruye, then a brother Isao, and the youngest one, a sister, is Shizuye.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.