<Begin Segment 7>

[Ed. note: This transcript has been edited by the narrator]

VY: So in Topaz, did you live with your parents and all of your siblings all in the same block?

YY: I'm sorry.

VY: That's okay, I'm sorry. When you were in Topaz, did you live with your, all in the same room? Like you and your four siblings and your mom and dad?

YY: (We were given two mid-sized rooms. My parents, sister and I in one room; my three brothers in the other room. They invited a young man from Hawaii who was alone, without family, to join them. He remained a good friend after leaving camp. We were all together in Topaz, at least for a while, then one after the other, they left. Kats was anxious to attend college, so he left for Michigan, lived with a family and completed his freshman year. In exchange, he babysat, mowed the lawn, washed dishes and babysat, but his sophomore year never happened, he was drafted into the army. Boot camp in Mississippi, then to Fort Savage in Minnesota for Language School.) He went to the language school at Fort Savage in Minnesota, and then he went to the Philippines. (...) The war ended while he was in the Philippines (in early August 1945. Therefore) he was in one of the early groups (to occupy Japan.)

VY: Did he ever talk about that time? Like was that strange for him to be in Japan as an occupying...

YY: [Narr. note: As members of the Military Intelligence, they were prepared and understood their role in occupying a country. About a year or so later, the USSR started releasing the Japanese POWs, and the U.S. prepared to interview each prisoner as they returned. This was during the period of the "Iron Curtain," and the U.S. knew very little of what was happening in the Soviet Union. They were anxious to learn what they can from the returning POWs. My oldest brother was stationed in Tokyo for almost 2 years, returned to S.F. following discharge, enrolled at UC Berkeley as a sophomore majoring in Business Administration to prepare for handling the business end of the family business. My second brother left Topaz in early 1945 for Chicago, worked for a trailer company, building furniture for the trailers. He married and eventually returned to San Francisco to resume working with our father and brother in their construction business. When the war ended, the administration encouraged everyone to leave the camps, and then closed the schools. My third brother found his way to Michigan to complete his senior year of high school, then came home to San Francisco following graduation. He found a summer job, then enrolled at UC Berkeley, majoring in Electrical Engineering. My sister was in Chicago working when a family friend asked her to help with the opening of their restaurant in Salt Lake City. She moved to Salt Lake City and eventually married one of the workers.]

VY: Did she stay in Salt Lake City? Is that where she raised her family?

YY: (No, they eventually returned to California.)

VY: It's okay.

YY: I couldn't hear that.

VY: Your sister, she got married in Salt Lake City. Did she stay there?

YY: Actually, they all moved back to California after the war. The owner of the restaurant (left for) Stockton, (then) opened a restaurant there. (My sister's) husband was born in the U.S., (a Kibei). He went back to Japan to finish school (and just as he returned), the war started. My sister was very (fluent with the) Japanese language, reading and writing, (so they got along well).

VY: That's interesting, okay.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2021 Densho. All Rights Reserved.