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MN: Now, what kind of work did you find at Manzanar early on?

JK: Well, I took any job that was open. And what we were doing, counting inventory of things that were being used in the camps. So all we did was count boxes and things in the boxes. [Laughs] That's all we did.

MN: How did you get this job?

JK: Well, besides our steady job was doing camouflage. And that was, there was a job all the time, everybody had to put in time on the camouflage nets.

MN: So what did you have to do when you worked on the camouflage nets?

JK: Well, we... they had set up a net, and they lowered it for the ladies who were working on the bottom of the net. And the young ones were doing the other things. So it was a teamwork. So everyone pitched in for the nets. And so it was left alone for a while while the people did something else. So it was... well, do it when you have time.

MN: And when you were working there, what did you... did you have little strips that you braided in?

JK: Yes. I think there were... I think they were 3 by 9, 3 inches by 6 or 9 feet. We had to weave in and out for the desert.

MN: Now I heard that people developed allergies working on the camouflage net. Did you have problems?

JK: No, I didn't have any trouble there. But lint, the lint off the strips bothered quite a few people.

MN: What about your wife?

JK: Oh, she was strong.

MN: So you worked next to... did you work together?

JK: Yeah, well, we used to.

MN: Now your group was one of the earlier groups that went into Manzanar. How much freedom did you have there?

JK: Well, everywhere we went, we walked. We even walked to the gates or anyplace guarded, because they were, the soldiers were active, at least they made menacing faces when we got close by. Because they weren't sure of us, we weren't sure of them, too. But we stayed away from the fences.

MN: So at that time, nobody was sneaking out to go fishing yet.

JK: No, no.

MN: How much of Manzanar was complete?

JK: I think the camp itself was... I think. Because there was no other work being done for the camp itself. Because I think all the mess halls were open, at least we didn't hear of anyplace that needed work.

MN: Now, how soon after you got into Manzanar did people start organizing sports teams?

JK: Well, first thing that happened was softball. And because most blocks came from the same city. It was easy to have teams like every block had a baseball team, like San Fernando, San Pedro, downtown. And so we were able to have leagues without any trouble. So that was the only thing, supplies. So people wrote to Montgomery Ward, Sears-Roebuck, to buy balls, gloves, whatever, bats. Whatever necessary we were able to get, because it was such a small request. So our league took off right away, and we had teams from San Pedro, San Fernando and a few other places, too.

MN: Which one were you with?

JK: Downtown. And because we had a pick of older players, we called ourselves Has Beens.

MN: What position did you play?

JK: Oh, I was shortstop.

MN: So you were really good then.

JK: Oh. [Laughs]

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.