<Begin Segment 19>

AI: Well, so as I understand it, it was the fall of 1943 when quite a few things happened. There was that truck accident where someone died, and I, and I understand that there was a protest because people wanted to, to have a large funeral, which was, I guess, was denied. And then I understand, at about the same time was when there was -- because the work stoppage and strike, then strike-breakers were brought in from some of the other camps.

HK: Yeah.

AI: Do you recall that time?

HK: Well, I remember going to the funeral and hearing all about how it happened, and it involved the farm, farm workers, I think. Because we had a friend who was a farm worker, so he had, he knew closely what had happened. So I, I knew about that, and I went to the funeral, it was held in the firebreak, and there were a lot of people, thousands, and I think the administration, yeah, they might have tried to stop it or something, but it went on, yeah, had the funeral. And as for work stoppage, I, I heard of that, but I wasn't involved personally. And had something to do, something to do with people stealing meat or vegetables or something. They would, the personnel staff taking it, and then trying to blame it on guards or evacuees. I don't know.

AI: And, well, and apparently, there were many rumors like that going around, that, food supposed to be for the families, being taken and used for some other purpose.

HK: Right. I, we never knew for sure, but people, even today, they say that this was happening, so I don't know.

AI: Well, apparently, there was also, in November, there was quite a bit of activity, and that in early November, that some young men were beaten in an, in the WRA office, and then soon after that, that the army came in and put, held, had martial law.

HK: Yeah.

AI: What was, what do you recall from that?

HK: Well, I remember the army coming in, all the tanks and teargas and all that, yeah.

AI: What did you think was happening?

HK: Well, it was scary, yeah. We tried to stay within our block and not go out at night, and we had a friend who was always drinking and would come over, and then there was curfew, and so he would have to be home, or out, not out, and he was caught one time, and then he must have said that, "I was visiting," our place. And we were so scared, that we said, "No, we don't know him." [Laughs] So he got hauled in. But, you know, it was a mean thing to do, but why get us involved in it, you know?

AI: So it sounds like it was a pretty strict curfew, though.

HK: Yes, it was. I mean, in jeeps, they go around and question people wandering around, and probably drunk at the time.

AI: Well, did you know anyone who, who was injured or beat up or hurt?

HK: No, I don't, no.

AI: But it sounds like it was something that the news traveled very, very quickly.

HK: Oh, yes. And they, they, yeah. Curfew was, you had to observe it.

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.