<Begin Segment 7>

BF: Now in camp, I wanted to mention the fact that your mother had three more children. One in Pinedale? Is that right?

TM: Uh-huh.

BF: And then two while she was at Tule Lake.

TM: Uh-huh, uh-huh.

BF: So she was dealing, while, through this whole internment period, with three practically newborns, as well as children who were still barely school age. We talked a little bit about how she managed that, that size family in camp earlier. Tell me a little bit about what it was like to have, have these young children you're responsible for while you're interned?

TM: Well, I don't remember all of it, but I remember a couple of things. My sister Hisako that was born in Tule was one of the first babies in Pinedale, or Tule, whatever feed system to be born. And I remember here again getting back to some extended family, lot of us from Tacoma that were from Shikoku area where my father so. I, I remember there, they came around. And they probably had, they were looking forward to doing something. I remember we had a lot of help. And it was awfully hot. I remember they, some way, how they got ice I don't know, but I remember saying, "Gee, how come my baby sister gets ice and we don't get ice?" But that's, but the point is some way, some people brought ice and lots of things for the baby. And we got spun off on some of that. And Tomoko was one of the last babies to be born in Tule Lake from what I understand. Here again, I'm guessing that they had a lot of friends, and I guess there wasn't too many family, but a lotta friends that just helped us along, I'm guessing, yeah. And then my father, in his own way, was very supportive I think.

BF: Yeah, because...

TM: I remember him doing the diaper, laundry and things. I don't think he'd ever make that public, but he did that.

BF: Because, let's see now you probably, typically, stayed in one room. The whole family in, in one room. Is that correct?

TM: Yeah. And that room might have been even smaller than this room. But in those days, how many, there was my older brother, myself and my next brother, three of us. We probably slept in one bed. I'm guessing

BF: Yeah.

TM: But I don't remember too much.

BF: Right.

TM: Although my father was very handy and made furnitures and shelves and things out of scrap lumber or crates that produce came in. I remember that.

BF: So he kept really busy.

TM: Yeah. And he tried to keep us as comfortable as possible I think. He was somewhat resourceful. As a business person, I think he was very resourceful.

BF: And you mentioned that you never heard your mother complain. So that must mean, even during this period they remained optimistic, or at least not bitter about what was going on?

TM: I think that's cultural. But I think she also was conf -- confident of her life up to that point. So she always lived a comfortable life up to that point. So she probably kinda figured if she could last out that she'd be okay, but I don't know. It's amazing what the people that went through camp endured and kind of didn't complain. It's amazing.

BF: When they were in Tule, and your father was planning to go back --

TM: To Japan?

BF: To Japan. Do you remember, I mean, did he then have many friends that were in the pro-Japan sorta movement that sort of grew? Because this is in Tule and they're, post segregation, they stayed there. So do you remember...

TM: No I don't. But I'm just gonna have to assume that he probably related to those people than the others, I'm guessing, But toward the end Tule Lake was practically all either trouble makers or pro-Japanese because it became a segregated camp. So I'm guessing that, I don't know.

BF: So you don't have any -- you were young so you didn't, probably weren't really aware of sorta the turmoil that was going on in the camp.

TM: In retrospect, if I knew I would have probably pushed for staying in the United States, I think. [Laughs] Seriously, I mean we were born here and raised here. I'm guessing that, you don't know when you're seven years old, that's pretty hard to figure those things out.

BF: Yeah. Do you remember if they had any contact with your sister in Japan? Did they know how she was doing?

TM: Well, they wrote letters I understand, back and forth.

BF: Oh, okay.

TM: And I think that's when Red Cross and places used to -- so some way we were getting word. I don't exactly know the details, but some way we kinda seemed to have, were in contact of some kind.

BF: That's right. 'Cause you were saying that your father was also getting word that it's, it's tough in Japan, so don't come back.

TM: Well, right after the war that was the message we got.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.