<Begin Segment 29>

DG: Well, you said something about the FBI. Now, did they come and question you?

GF: Yes, the FBI came and questioned me. They called me... my wife was there already and she was there. We weren't married yet, but she came over to our place, and the FBI boys really scared her. She thought I was going to be taken out, taken away. So he came to me, and this fellow -- I forgot what his name was -- but he says, "Well, gee, I remember you. You were in the same, in grammar school days," you know. "Yeah, you were in the same school. We played baseball together. Yeah." I don't remember him, but he says, "I work for the FBI," and he says, "Your name came up to be questioned so I want to ask you a few questions." So he asked me a bunch of questions. I don't remember what, but I know he says, "Did you know that Japan was going to attack United States?" "Yes, I knew that they were going to attack. I don't know when, but they were going to attack United States." And he says, "You think Japan is strong?" "If Japan was weak, they would never attack the United States. They had the intention to beat you, beat United States. Who is going to start a fight thinking that they're going to lose? Nobody is going to think that." That's what I told the guy, and he says, "You're right." "You're right," he says. And that's the only subject that I remembered. The rest of it I don't remember too well.

DG: Well, did other people get taken away from Portland?

GF: Yeah. There were some people that ran a newspaper, Koyama or however his name was, and I know he was taken away. And I think they had furoya shop. I think he was taken away. And I knew these people were put into --

DG: Now, where were they taken in Portland?

GF: Gosh, I don't know. They were, they told me, I don't remember. Where all the Japanese from Hawaii were sent to. It wasn't Colorado, it was...

DG: There were several of them went to Missoula.

GF: Missoula. That's where a lot of them went to Missoula, Montana. That's where they were sent to, I think.

DG: Well, like in Seattle they went to the immigration center to start. Was there someplace in Portland?

GF: Gosh, I don't remember. I really don't know those parts that well.

[Interruption]

DG: Well, so you weren't taken away.

GF: No, I wasn't taken away, no.

DG: Because you're an American citizen, probably.

GF: You think that stopped them? You think so?

DG: I think possibly because I think the Isseis, if they were aliens, were taken for sure if they were questioned, but also it could be because your friend...

GF: Yeah. So I know I was classified under military, was 4-F or something -- undesirable citizen -- something like that. I don't know who else was classified that way. I really don't know, but I know I was classified. So that's the reason why when I was in camp, I says, "I think I'll go look for a mission plant or someplace where I can get bigger money" -- but they wouldn't take me. I also applied as a translator and they wouldn't take me. I think there was a black... something on me. I don't know what it is, but I think I'm just as good as the other guy. [Laughs]

DG: Well, you mean some Niseis could go to some of these jobs?

GF: Well, like myself I applied for one in Salt Lake. They wouldn't take me. They says, "No. And then another job, too, I applied for and Mr. Beason was the administrator at the camp, Minidoka. He says, "George, I don't understand it." I says, "Well, that's all right." So I went out and --

DG: Now this was in Minidoka by then.

GF: This was in Minidoka, yes. I worked out in the farm in Spokane.

<End Segment 29> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.