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TI: Okay, so this is going to be the second interview we're doing with you, Tosh. And today is Thursday, June 11, 2009. On camera is Dana Hoshide, and interviewing is me, Tom Ikeda. And the first interview, we covered your early childhood life and your experiences up until you were, you were describing Tule Lake. And we had just finished talking about the school situation, but at that point you mentioned how you then kind of left to go work on the farm. So I thought we'd pick it up there. So you're in Tule Lake, how do you hear about things like working on the farm? How did that come about?

TO: Well, I think they were, actually, they were recruiting. Because if I recall, at that time, the Relocation Authority found that the farmers really need the labor to harvest their crops. So I think they were just posted on the bulletin board, different places you can go, and somehow we applied that that way. And, of course, a group of us, our buddies, we'd all go together. So the first time I went a very short time up in Montana near, in the Bitterroot Valley, and that was a late, getting quite late in the season. This farmer, he wasn't a very good farmer. Most of the farmers had already harvested their sugar beets, and this farmer, he was kind of late. And the ground was frozen, and the sugar beets were real dinky, you know, like a daikon. Big, sugar beets are usually pretty big, you know. And that was by the ton. So unfortunately or fortunately, my father had a heart attack in camp, and so somehow I got the word so I went back. but the guys that stayed, I don't think they made any money at all. And about time I was leaving, the truck broke down. This farmer had one truck so had to go to a neighbor's and borrow a truck to haul the beets into town. But it was a bad, bad situation. Then I went back to Tule Lake and my father somewhat stabilized. But following --

TI: But before we go there, so when you're in Montana, do you recall how you got word that your father had a heart attack?

TO: That... I was thinking about that the other night, and I assume that somehow through the War Relocation Authority, that they knew where we were and they must have... I think the agriculture department, Farm Security Administration or something, FSA is what they called it, maybe through them they got to the farmer and told me. But I really don't know how that came about, to be quite frank with you.

TI: And do you recall what your thoughts were when you heard that your father had a heart attack?

TO: I was very... I don't know how to best explain it... concerned. Very, very concerned, because he was, as I said earlier, he was an older man. He was fifty years old when I was born, so he was about seventy at that time when this happened. So very concerned. And he was, I think, a lot of the Issei, it was a stressful time. Even though, physically, they didn't have to do a lot, but mentally I'm sure that had some effect on his health. And, of course, in those days, I'm sure he had some high blood pressure along with the stress, so he had a severe heart attack. Thereafter, he was no longer able to do much, he was an invalid.

TI: So tell me, when you got back to Tule Lake, what did you find? I mean, what was the, kind of the situation?

TO: Well, he was, they didn't have him in the hospital. I'm really not sure the details. I don't think they took him to the hospital, I think they just treated him the best they could in the barracks, I think that was the case unless someone was, real severe injury or something like that. But I suspect that they just treated him at home, 'cause he was in the barracks at home. Of course, Mom was very, very concerned, she was real happy to see me, because like I said, I was the oldest, oldest son. But I was a kid then, so I didn't know what I could do. But fortunately, in the camps, you have a lot of support of neighbors and of course at that time, the medical situation throughout the world wasn't all that good, what it is today. But there were doctors right there, and nurses and whatever. So it was somewhat of a relief compared to if we had lived out in the farm. Still out in the farm, then, a different, altogether different situation.

TI: And during this time, which of your siblings were still at Tule Lake? So you had gone to the farm, how about your other siblings?

TO: My older sister, well, all of us were still there.

TI: Okay, so your older sister was there.

TO: Still there. And then my younger brother and sisters were still there.

TI: And they all still lived in that one room in the barrack with your father as he was recuperating? Okay.

TO: And my older half brothers and sisters, the three of them were in Tule Lake and one of my half sisters was in Minidoka at that time.

TI: So the ones, your half brothers and sisters at Tule Lake, were they staying in the same apartment or nearby?

TO: No, no. They were married and they had their own families by then. Except two of 'em did, one of 'em got married in Tule Lake.

TI: Okay. And you were commenting that in general, the healthcare, although it wasn't modern, was okay? There were doctors there, nurses, support.

TO: Yeah.

TI: And in terms of equipment, inside the room, did they have any special...

TO: Oh, no, nothing at all, nothing.

TI: So he was there just to essentially rest.

TO: That's right.

TI: How about diet? Did they give him special food or anything?

TO: I don't recall him having any diet.

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