<Begin Segment 10>

SF: One of the most controversial parts of the internment was the registration...

AH: ...for draft.

SF: ...or the registration for, with the "yes-yes" questions.

AH: Oh, yes.

SF: Can you tell us a little bit about that?

AH: I wish I could remember the real details of that. I can't even recall when it was brought out, and when... of course, we discussed it in our family, and we didn't know what our future was. Here we were citizens and we were yanked away from our homes and put in behind barbed wires. We didn't know what our status was. My sisters were still quite young, and my parents, of course, were aliens. The big thing that we had in mind was being sent back to Japan -- expatriated. And... there was, to me, there wasn't much choice. I mean, the family was the only sure thing that I had at that time. My... I feel my government has forsaken me, and so I decided that I'll stick with the family unit, as the group. And since my parents would -- I don't know whether they signed it "no-no" or not -- being they're non-citizens here, I guess it was sort of understood that they would sign "no-no." And so we, I decided I would go along with them. And my children -- my sisters naturally went along with them 'cause they were still minors. And it did raise quite a stink in the camps. It broke apart families, and you can't blame 'em. I mean, it was a real... I don't know, I think everybody feels it was a dumb thing for the government to do at that time. Especially since we were behind barbed wires with armed guards above us. But that's the route I went. And there was a lot of families who went "yes-yes" and volunteered or eventually be drafted. It really split the thing apart.

LH: At Minidoka, was the majority... what was the majority opinion, as far as which way to go?

AH: Minidoka had the largest group of volunteers and draftees, from what I understand. And very few who opposed the draft at that time.

SF: So when the people volunteered for the 442 after registration, did most of the camp sort of support these folks going off and volunteering...

AH: I guess there was no way to... no other way to go. I mean, that was the only route that I think they felt they had at that time. Their idea was that they're not aliens, they're American citizens even though they were treated that way, and they were going to fight for the country that was their country. During, just after the war started, I was in the draft 1-A, then I think they put me down to 4-C. Most of the Japanese, I think, were 4-C -- undesirable aliens -- or something like that. Then they put us behind barbed wires and all the sudden say, "You're 1-A," again. And I don't know, that was kind of a wagamama thing for the government to do. Just flip-flop like that.

LH: At the time when you discussed the issue with your family, did you know what the consequences might be of answering one way or another?

AH: Yeah. I thought that the first thing, they would be sending us, shipping us out to Tule Lake, and from there would be, the next step would be to get a boat. 'Cause they were sending back evacuees from Tule Lake. Tule Lake was the people... most of the people there were real controversial kinda people, who vocally opposed what the government did. And of course, the second thing was that I would be breaking the law and be sent to prison. We knew that. We had hoped, I had hoped, at least, that at the trial they would understand the reason why we took this stand. I said "we," but I should say "I" took this stand. The group that was from Minidoka, they all felt that way and we had worked out our argument. But when we did get to court, the judge said, "That has nothing to do with what you're here in court for." And his very word was that, "You are standing in front of me, which means that you did not go for induction. You're guilty," that's all. And they didn't, we didn't get a chance to explain why we took that kind of a step.

SF: So you got your induction notice and did you go for your physical?

AH: I went for my physical. I had to get a permit to go out and pass the guards at the gate to go out for even that.

LH: Where was it being conducted?

AH: Gee I forgot where it was. Did we go to Boise? I don't think we went that far... no, I don't remember where it was.

SF: What was going through you mind at that time, in terms of... you could have said, "I'm not reporting for my physical," I guess.

AH: Uh-huh, that crossed my mind also, but then I was hoping, hoping that there would be a change of attitude in the government. And that we would be free. We could go wherever we want, West Coast or whatever. And that would mean I had all my rights, and I couldn't imagine sending us to prison just without the government considering the reasons those stands were being taken.

SF: So, did you have a good feel for what was likely to come or did you have a good notion as to what the outcome, what you were doing was going to lead to at that time? In terms of resisting...

AH: Well, we did break the law. And we could be punished for that, but the hope was still there that the government would treat us like what we felt we should be treated -- as American citizens. Either that or they should have taken us to court prior to this, before they sent us to camp, you know. Take us away from our home, and all that.

LH: Did your group... did you act alone in your decision? Or were their others of the same mind that acted similarly?

AH: Uh, we, we all had the same thought in mind, but we did not act as a group. Each one, each one made their own decision. And they all had their personal reasons.

SF: How many people were resisters at Minidoka?

AH: Uh, Minidoka was... gosh, there were about fifteen of us.

SF: Did you hear about the Heart Mountain people?

AH: We... I didn't, no. I didn't know any of the others.

[Interruption]

SF: When you made your decision to resist the draft, that must have been a pretty difficult decision. Did thoughts of your friends' reactions, other people's reactions, people in the camp, affect, affect you, did you feel pressure?

AH: I don't think I had any pressure. This was a decision that I made on my own -- together with my family, and I knew that there would be repercussions in a way, but to me, the main thing was that I wanted to be with the family or have the family core not split apart. Take whatever has, there's in for me, just accept it and go. And so, I don't think the outside, there was any outside influence as far as I was concerned.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.