<Begin Segment 12>

TI: So let's go to December 7, 1941. Do you remember when you heard about the Japan attack at Pearl Harbor?

TW: I think I do vaguely. I think Mom was out in the strawberry patch. It's December, but that's the way I remembered it. And being told Japan had bombed the U.S., and that's the only thing I remember about it. Of course, things happened after that.

TI: And was there any talk about... because Rye was at Washington State, do you remember any conversation about Rye and what's going to happen to him or should they bring him back to Bellevue?

TW: No, there was no question that he just stayed there. But I remember they were confiscating guns or anything that could cause problems. But I remember Dad had a gun and he went and buried it out in the field. That's all I remember about it.

TI: Do you remember if he buried anything else besides the gun?

TW: I just remember the gun. I don't think he had swords or anything like that, just the handgun.

TI: Did anyone ever visit the farm to look at, like the police or any authorities come?

TW: I think they did come by, but there was nothing taken. We weren't threatened in any way.

TI: Now, I'm curious because you mentioned your mother able to speak English. So for many Japanese families, this was a difficult time because if they didn't speak English, everything was happening and there was a lot of confusing information. Did you notice your mother maybe helping other families a little bit more during this time period? Because she could follow what was going on with the news and things like that?

TW: No, I don't recall that. I think parents were busy working.

TI: Now, you mentioned you were going to the Highland grade school. So the week after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, do you remember going back to school and did it change at all?

TW: I hadn't thought about that. No, I don't remember feeling anything, any different.

TI: So no questions or comments around one of your classmates or anything?

TW: (No). And we were never called names.

<End Segment 12> - Copyright © 2022 Densho. All Rights Reserved.