<Begin Segment 16>

MN: Today, how do you feel about what happened to you and your family during World War II, and how do you feel about what's happening with our, the memorial that's coming up? What are your feelings about just looking back?

MN: Well, like my father said, we're American citizens, and they, when they, you know, that they'll abide by whatever they had to do. And taught us that we're, you know, to do the best we can and serve our country. That's how we...

JN: Do you feel that your experience -- how did it, how did it shape how you lived the rest of your life?

MN: And the one thing I am very thankful is I never regretted that we had to go to camp. I know some people did, but I never... you know, I knew it was, my father always told us it was for our protection, and to abide by the law, and so we never felt, so we knew we were protected, and we knew that was how they wanted us to do, so never fought back, and never felt very bad about that. It was for our protection, we were taught that. So that was the time that, for our safety, we were sent to this camp. So never had a grudge against... I know some felt very bad, but we never did. We did what we were supposed to do, abide by the law. And then this, I think it's wonderful that we're gonna be remembered, that they have... there's a quite a few already that's gone ahead of us, that's already, or have started this memorial for us. I think that's great, and there, everybody is for it, so I think that's wonderful.

JN: We haven't really talked about your, your adult life after the war. Do you feel that your experiences during the war shaped how you raised your children and how you lived your life afterwards? Or if it would it have been any, if it would have been different if you had not experienced that time?

MN: That's a hard question, isn't it? [Laughs] No, I think we would have just continued right on. And then I was always raised, my faith was in Christianity, so, and my friends, Caucasian friends were church-goers, and we were member of the Japanese Baptist Church at that time. And so we were really, and then the church on the island helped us through. So we were very thankful that we had wonderful friends that looked after us and cared for us. So no, I never, you know, 'til this day. Christianity means so much to me, helping one another and serving. So like yesterday, I was at a retreat camp, and I just had a wonderful time, we're treated just like they are, no regrets. So we live in a wonderful world.

<End Segment 16> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.