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TI: So at some point, there's word that Japanese families are going to be removed from the area. Do you remember that period and what the family had to do?

TW: Yes, I remember when we had to have, Dad had a family by the name of Johnston lived there, and our furniture, much of our furniture was left with the Shimogaki family that lived a couple of miles away, but when we got back, those things were all gone. And things like refrigerators, they would pay five bucks for it, and people would buy them as cheap as they can because had to get out of there. So we left the farm.

TI: And so the Johnston family, what were they supposed to do? So they were going to live there? Were they renting the place?

TW: They were supposed to pay the taxes, and that didn't get done. So when my dad came out of camp, he no longer had the farm or our home.

TI: Oh, so the Johnston family, there was some arrangement so that they could stay there rent-free, but they just need to pay the taxes.

TW: I think they paid their taxes, yeah, as far as I can recall.

TI: And in addition to that, it sounded like some of the things like refrigerators and things, your dad trying to sell as much of that as he could.

TW: Yes. Or some of it got stored with a friend, but things were gone before we got back.

TI: Any other memories of preparing to leave? Like did you have to say, or did you say goodbye to your friends, your white friends or anything like that, do you remember?

TW: I don't recall that. No, my good friends Loretta and Joy, I don't remember any sad partings or anything like that.

TI: Do you recall any of your feelings during this period? Like a sense of, maybe, uncertainty or just anything that you can remember?

TW: You know, our parents were wonderful. They never gave you the feeling of being frightened, everything's going to be fine. I don't know how they did it, but they let us know, things are going to be okay, don't worry, and I can't imagine what's going through their mind not knowing where they were going or what was going to happen to them. They were brave.

TI: And do you remember any talk that your mother or father gave to you and the other kids about that? Was there like a dinner conversation? When did this sense that everything was going to be okay, when did that come across?

TW: I don't think that happened until we actually were moving with our one bag that you were allowed. And that was getting on the train, letting you know. We were sent to Pinedale Assembly Center first.

<End Segment 13> - Copyright © 2022 Densho. All Rights Reserved.