<Begin Segment 14>

TI: So any memories during this time period when people have to start closing down, packing up? Can you describe what that was like for you and the family?

RO: Well, all the Japanese from southeast Alaska, like, say, from about Juneau south, they congregated in Ketchikan, then we all boarded the ship to come down, but I can't remember much about packing things or such. Probably my mother did most of that, and anyway, it's a funny thing, we were able to take a washing machine down. A washing machine. [Laughs] It was probably the only one in camp.

TI: Yeah, I never heard of that.

RO: Yeah, we had a washing machine.

TI: How would you transport a washing machine?

RO: I don't understand that.

TI: So you'd have to load it onto a ship or something, then they would bring it down to Seattle, and then brought to Puyallup, the washing machine? So they transported that. That's a new one for me.

RO: Yeah, I liked it.

TI: But actually it'd be, it was probably very used in camp.

RO: It was.

TI: I mean, people had, initially had to do everything by hand.

RO: Yep. Yeah, we were fortunate to have it, really. But I just don't know how she got that out of Ketchikan.

TI: And do you ever, did you ever ask her why she brought a washing machine?

RO: No, not that I can remember. [Laughs]

TI: How about you? What did you bring? Do you remember anything in particular that you really wanted to bring?

RO: Gosh, no. I can't think of anything special.

TI: Well, for you, you're, let's see, you are about sixteen years old at this point.

RO: Yes.

TI: Never had really been away from Ketchikan, so describe the journey for you in terms of leaving Ketchikan and what that was like?

RO: Well, it was tough to leave, but we didn't have any choice, and like I said, coming down on the ship were all the families from southeastern Alaska and several of their sons going into the service at the same time on the same ship.

TI: Interesting. So there were young men who were being, to enter the --

RO: 442, yeah, or MIS.

TI: Interesting. When you left Ketchikan, did any of your friends or friends of the family say goodbye to you? Was there like a sendoff in any way?

RO: One of my boyfriends brought me a nice pencil.

TI: How about when the ship was leaving, or when you're loading onto the ship, were there any goodbyes or anything like that?

RO: That I don't remember really.

TI: Okay, so you're on the ship. Ironically, there are not only people who are going off to the camps, but then you mentioned there were Japanese American men actually going off to serve.

RO: Service.

TI: To service. So tell me what you saw when you, when the ship landed. Where did you land and what was that like?

RO: We landed in Seattle. They had a bunch of these sawhorses along the dock there, and we had to show what was in our suitcases and such. And after that we went to Puyallup. The husbands went the other way to New Mexico.

TI: Okay, so your father and the other Issei men were on the same ship. During that time, were they allowed to be with their families?

RO: I think they were. I'm not positive.

TI: So again, it's almost another tease. I mean, you can be with your family on the ship, and then you're separated again.

RO: Separated again in Seattle. And we'd get to be the first ones in Puyallup.

TI: So, so Bob, I want to ask you, what were you thinking? I mean... [interruption] you're raised as American, you understood the U.S. government and this concept of electing and the people, and here you see this happening. You're an American citizen and your father had done nothing wrong.

RO: Nothing.

TI: So what are you thinking at this point?

RO: What is happening? What's wrong with this government? We're American citizens. Well, let's see, it was, gosh, I'm trying to think, was my dad or mother a citizen then, Marian?

TI: Probably not, not 'til the 1950s could they become citizens.

RO: (Yes). But, well, they taught me high ideals, really.

TI: In school, or your, or your parents?

RO: Parents.

TI: I see. And what do you mean by that, what high ideals did your parents teach you?

RO: Doing things that are respectful and such.

<End Segment 14> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.