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TI: So let's talk about your oldest brother. I know this is a hard story, but tell me what happened to your --

MO: I don't know why, he was down at the canal and a bunch of boys were going swimming, and the current apparently caught him, took him, because to this day, like Shobo Tanaka talks to me, and he remembers, Shobo Tanaka and Takeshi Chikamura and a couple more boys. Imai, there was a Imai Yanagita. Forgot his first name. They were all, went down swimming often, and that day, I don't know what happened, but Shobo recalls he went to see and he says the current must've taken my brother 'cause he couldn't find him. Yeah, it was really sad because three days later some Japanese fisherman down that way found him, past the gates, down.

TI: So they found his, his body three days later.

MO: They found my brother. And the man was, I used to know his name, but I've forgotten now.

TI: Now, I'm thinking that you were pretty close to your oldest brother.

MO: Well, he took care of me all the time. He was my babysitter, I guess, yeah. He'd play games with me and he took care of me all the time.

TI: So this was a, must've been a tremendous shock to you.

MO: Yeah, very sad.

[Interruption]

TI: But can you describe how you found out about your brother and what happened?

MO: No, I don't really recall. We were, he always, I was twelve or, between twelve and thirteen. I remember when they told my parents, I guess, but I can't remember much else. I think I didn't want to... yeah, sometimes you don't want to remember things. Yeah, he was a very good, close brother to me, my chief babysitter.

TI: It must've been very difficult for your parents 'cause he was the oldest.

MO: Well, I think my mother was in depression for probably twenty years, when I think of it now. We wondered, I didn't know at the time what was wrong, but I look back and I can see she was in depression all, all those years. But it's only looking backwards that you, you can understand a few things.

TI: And your father, did, do you recall anything that your father said?

MO: Well, luckily my father was strong. He had to keep the rest of us going. He was a quiet person, but he was, he was very kind and thoughtful and caring. He didn't use a lot of words, but you know he was always there.

TI: And I know this is very hard, but how about the other families, and do you remember what other families did for you and the others? I mean, such a tragedy --

MO: During, during the time that my...

TI: Yeah, yeah, such a tragedy, what happened.

MO: Well, I can't remember, being in camp and twelve, I don't remember very much. I don't remember that. I'm sure a lot of people came to see my parents, but I don't remember them actually.

TI: And how about the service, the service for your brother?

MO: We had, I have those pictures of my brother, and I have the urn, and I have the picture of my brother with, at the service. [to RO] Do you remember what I did with them?

TI: Can you describe the service? I mean, what kind of service did they have in camp for your brother?

MO: It was Buddhist, I think, what my mother, 'cause my parents were Buddhist. I really don't remember much of anything anymore. Yeah, it's pretty faded now.

TI: Yeah. I'm sure something like that just really, it sort of, what's the right word, it kind of...

MO: You kind of block things out a little bit.

TI: Overwhelms everything else in terms of memories.

MO: Just remember the good things.

TI: So let's move on. I mean, let's think about other things that happened at Minidoka. Like school, do you remember much about school at Minidoka?

MO: In camp?

TI: In camp, yeah.

MO: I remember I was eighth grade. I remember the teacher we had for some reason, Mrs. Sisterman. She was a redheaded, nice teacher. For some reason I can remember her. Eighth grade. Ninth grade, I must've, when I came out I went to Roosevelt High School, so I must've been going into junior year, huh, then?

TI: Okay. For your parents, did they have jobs in camp?

MO: No. My father, of course, he owned his own business before the war, but when we came back then --

TI: No, I'm sorry, inside camp. Inside camp did they have jobs?

MO: Let's see, what did, my dad did, gosh, I can't remember right now. He worked every day. Where, what did he do anyway? Gee, I can't even remember now.

TI: And you mentioned earlier your mother was, had asthma, so she --

MO: Yeah, she was sick almost all the time, 'cause I remember bringing home the meals from the mess hall every day and taking care of her.

<End Segment 12> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.