<Begin Segment 13>

MN: And when was your family shipped out to Central Utah, mostly known as Topaz?

TH: Topaz? Yeah, it was in September.

MN: 1942?

TH: '42, yeah.

MN: Now, did they tell you that you were going to Utah?

TH: Well, they must have. We must have known.

MN: How did you get to Topaz?

TH: In a train. You know, I can't remember really. Must be in the train.

MN: Do you remember the train ride at all?

TH: No, I don't remember anything.

MN: How was your sick mother taking this?

TH: She was getting stronger, because I suppose this, getting together as Japanese ladies, that kind of invigorated her.

MN: Now, did the train stop directly at Topaz, or did you have to go to another city and take a bus into Topaz?

TH: Yeah, probably. I'm not too good at remembering things, but yeah, it must have stopped at the city near Topaz and then riding the bus.

MN: So when you saw Topaz, what was your first reaction?

TH: It was very dusty, dust storms, and when we got into the barrack it wasn't completely finished, so we had to put up the (sheet rock) ourselves, because there was some space between the floors and the dust would come in.

MN: Do you remember what barrack you lived in in Topaz?

TH: Yeah, Block 9. I remember the room 9-3-F.

MN: What did your stepfather do at Topaz?

TH: Well, as far as I could remember, nothing.

MN: I understand that during the winter it got so cold that people just dug a hole instead of using a refrigerator or ice box. Do you remember doing that?

TH: No, I don't remember that.

<End Segment 13> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.