<Begin Segment 15>

MN: Now, when the WRA passed out this controversial "loyalty questionnaire," did you discuss this with your friends?

TH: Well, I went to some large meeting, which was held in different mess halls. I don't exactly remember what was said. I'm not sure whether I was influenced by it or not, but like most Kibei, most of the Kibei I know, I signed, "no-no." And also probably it was my parents that consent, then later my father said "no" to 28, question 28, and also applied for repatriation to Japan. We must have talked things over. But my personal feeling is that I can accept a lot of things, but my family lost business when we were sent to Tanforan, and had to stay in a horse stall and then sent to Topaz, then the government ask you about whether you'd be drafted or volunteer, so ask about the loyalty. It didn't just sound right. It's, something is not quite right. Of course, another thing is to try to keep the family together after all the things that happened to us. So it wasn't, for me, it wasn't a question of loyalty, whether I was loyal to emperor or to the United States.

MN: So it sounds more like out of anger and protest that you...

TH: Yeah, basically it's the protest, yeah.

MN: So your father also answered "no" to question 28?

TH: Yeah, this I later found out through the record that I obtained.

MN: Did your parents talk about going back to Japan?

TH: No. As far as I don't remember, but it was more or less agreed on.

MN: You mentioned that you went to these meetings at the mess halls. Who was organizing these meetings?

TH: Gee, I don't know.

MN: Was there a lot of people at these meetings?

TH: Yeah.

MN: Were there women at these meetings or just men?

TH: Let's see. Mostly men, I guess. I'm just guessing.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.