<Begin Segment 6>

BN: Now, how... when the actual war, Battle of Okinawa begins, where were you in relation to, I mean, what part of the island were you in relation to where the main battles were being fought?

SI: We called Yanbaru... wait.

Off camera: [inaudible] is north.

SI: Yeah, so we go, move to the south side.

Off camera: They were heavier in their area, the village.

BN: So you're escaping to the south.

SI: Trying to save to over there, have more jungle. So we went to move to there. My family, my two brothers hold responsibility for that, we moved to the...

BN: How much notice, or how quickly did this occur? Did you have to move within just a couple hours and have everything and go, or you had some warming?

SI: Oh, no. Those days, our group is big, so we went to go in the truck, they hire, I don't know how many truck. [Laughs] Because our group is over seventy, so big, not going to the bus, we went to go to truck. Because so much luggage, two whole family.

BN: So you had a few days to gather up your belongings?

SI: All pack, just like moving, the whole family moving to the, we call it Yanbaru.

BN: How did you find out? I mean, who told you to evacuate?

SI: Oh, no. Those days, the government and trying to save the children of, they call it minkan, the whole group that could go. My brother, two brothers, responsibility. My father said... my brothers, they didn't want to go because their age is, my two young brother was, age was trying to help the government. So they didn't want to go, but my father said, "No, you have the responsibility to this group, bring to the safe place. So you have to take them to..." wait, I mixed up. Yes, they called it Yanbaru, south side, we're going to move to there.

BN: So you said something like seventy-eight or something from your village?

SI: Yes, yes, the village.

BN: And you got into trucks, and then...

SI: Truck, yeah, because all of, too many luggage, families, seems like family moving to the south side. So my brothers, two brothers. The time was... after war, that's the Shima Kiyoshi-san, he's a really big shot senator, came to the, went to move to Japan, he came to center. He was taking over two... our parents was too old already for them, so he's going to take care for them, there was grouped together with us to the south side.

BN: How much were you allowed to take, or how much could you take? Yeah, how much of your belongings could you take with you? What did you have to leave behind?

SI: Only in our... couple of months' canned food, and families... because we would live over there, so blanket, everything, kind of big luggage. I don't know how many those, those kind, my brother, them going to be my big sister, my two brothers, taking care of all that.

BN: You have to leave some things behind?

SI: Oh, yes, because my father have to stay the home. My father have to stay watching.

BN: I see. So the family without the father left.

SI: Yes. Father have to watch the home, so my father said that two big brothers have the responsibility for the, take care of those, all groups.

BN: Right, because he's staying behind.

SI: Yes.

BN: Where did they take you then? You have your belongings, you're getting in the trucks, and then where did you end up?

SI: Oh, okay. We went to the south, we have to look for the, where live in the house. They was ready for one cottage already, when reach there, for my family was all one cottage. Some, not same houses, each different houses... my family take the one cottage was. That time we was appreciated because only for my family for that.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.