<Begin Segment 16>

DN: Well, after... what was the Island, the atmosphere on the Island like after everyone left? Obviously everyone was kind of dealing with, first of all, the fact that there weren't any strawberries being picked.

EH: Well then, we were, we were in, everybody worked at the navy yard, or worked at the shipyard, and we were practically working night and day. And there was so much talk about what was going on in Europe, what was going on the Pacific and so forth. So I can't recollect any... much being said about it.

DN: What was your own feeling? Did it feel like the Island was quieter?

EH: Well, now, Walt Woodward had Paul Ohtaki write letters for the paper. And I think, I think he wrote a letter once a week telling about all the Island Japanese. Who got married, who had a baby, some of 'em died. You know, they played ball down there, and who was on the ball team, stuff like that. It was interesting. We always read it, find out what they were doin' and how they were doin'. And we had no idea what kind of living conditions they had down there, because they put 'em in a dust bowl down there. And it was, and the... [laughs] It's like when I first went in the army, we had these tarpaper -- we called them tarpaper shacks, for barracks. You know, they were shiplap, and they would dry out, and there would be big cracks, and everything would blow through. And I don't think they had, had tarpaper on the outside of their places. Because the sand would just blow in on 'em, and they would have to shake the sand off all the time. One that likes to talk about that, that's Kay Nakao. And you're gonna have to interview Sam and Kay. And Kay, she's on our committee. Sam's had a stroke, so I haven't seen him for a while, but neat, neat guy. And Kay, she's a charmer, let me tell you. She's a cutie.

DN: [Laughs] So, so you were keeping up with, through the paper a little bit. But...

EH: But see, and then, then when I went in the service, well, then I lost all contact with everything, you know, more or less.

DN: Sure.

<End Segment 16> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.