<Begin Segment 10>

TI: So going back to the Pearl Harbor, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, on that Sunday, did you, were you able to talk with your mother or father about what had happened?

SI: Like I had mentioned prior to your question here, I don't realize, I don't think I really realized the gravity of the situation. I didn't even know what the war meant. So I don't think I had any answers.

TI: But did your mother or father say anything to you about the gravity of the situation? Do you recall anything?

SI: I think it probably was a shock to them, too. They really didn't say much to the children.

TI: So what was it like when you went to school the next day at Washington junior high school? What was that like?

SI: Well, there was talk about the war, but the business was pretty much the school business, you know, conducted. I can't remember if the principal called us into the hall to tell us what's going to happen next.

[Interruption]

TI: The question I was going to ask was, so on December 7th, December 8th, the FBI was going around the Japanese community picking up some of the community leaders. Now, were you aware of that? Were you concerned that maybe your father might be picked up? Did any of that sort of... do you recall any of those memories?

[Interruption]

SI: Okay. No, I was not aware of the fact that the FBI was picking up the people. My mother had Shinya, the youngest, on December the 9th. So she was having labor pains, probably, by then. Anyway, he was born on December the 9th, two days after Pearl Harbor. And my dad, I know that he knew about other leaders being picked up, and he was ready to go, because he had his briefcase all ready with his toothbrush and clothing and things to bring with him. But he was one of the later ones to be picked up by the FBI.

TI: Now, were you aware that your dad had already packed his briefcase?

SI: Well, I didn't know exactly what it was, but he had a little satchel and had it right by the front door, ready to go anytime.

TI: Now, did you start sensing, though, that something very wrong had happened?

SI: Yeah, I thought that things were rather unusual in the sense that we had to go and burn up our little samurai knife letter opener. [Laughs] Mom had told us to go and burn it up, because it was something that they didn't want to have around. And here, we had just gotten it from my uncle who had come back from Japan, as a gift, you know, to the kids. And I was kind of intrigued by the little samurai sword letter opener. That plus the cameras that we had to get rid of. My dad had bought both me and my younger brother cameras, box cameras. And we had to get rid of that. So I knew that something was wrong.

TI: As the weeks went by, eventually the community got word that they're going to be removed from Seattle. Do you recall that time period and what was going on, like at the temple? I mean, were people starting to have meetings to talk about it, or were they storing things? What were some of the activities?

SI: Well, definitely, we knew that we're gonna have to be moving. Because by the time the time came, my dad had already been taken.

TI: So let's talk about that. Your father eventually, initially he wasn't picked up.

SI: No, he wasn't initially.

TI: Right, but then...

SI: And so he was waiting for the agents to come and pick him up. Finally, when the day came, he was taken down to the Immigration and Naturalization building down on the Airport Way, where he was placed in a cell for... I don't know, several days, I suppose. I can't remember if he even returned home once, because they didn't have enough room. But that's where he went. After that, of course, we had to wait for any kind of correspondence to come from him.

TI: Now, were you around when the FBI came to pick up your father?

SI: I believe I was there when the two men came to pick him up.

TI: And what can you remember of that, of that time when they picked up...

SI: Well, my dad was all set to go, so it's just a matter of him saying goodbye and just leaving.

TI: Did your father say anything to you or the kids before he left?

SI: You know, I really don't remember what he might have said, but I would imagine that he did say something like, "Take care of your mom, listen to your mother." But I can't be sure now.

TI: Do you remember how you were feeling when this was happening, what you thought?

SI: I think my emotions were kind of mixed in a sense. 'Cause I wasn't really sure what was going on, what to expect. I don't think I had tears in my eyes, but I think it was sort of mixed emotions.

TI: Do you recall your mother's reaction during this time?

SI: Well, she had a pretty, I think she had a pretty brave disposition. She didn't want to show any type of fear towards the children. She didn't show any, too much emotion.

TI: And your siblings? Do you recall anything from your siblings in terms of any comments?

SI: I really don't remember now. The younger ones don't know what's going on, 'cause they were too young to remember anything. I don't think they, my sister showed any kind of emotion either. I'm talking about my first sister.

TI: Right.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.