Densho Digital Archive
Friends of Manzanar Collection
Title: Keiko Kageyama Interview
Narrator: Keiko Kageyama
Interviewer: Martha Nakagawa
Location: Lomita, California
Date: May 5, 2012
Densho ID: denshovh-kkeiko-01-0012

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MN: Now, at Manzanar, what was your first job?

KK: Well, I signed up for clerical work, and that was my job.

MN: Where was the clerical work at?

KK: At the hospital, keeping records of all the shots that everybody... they had a card, and then we went our card, and then when they got their shots, it was put down. So we had a record of everybody.

MN: So you were there before a lot of people came in to camp.

KK: Yeah, uh-huh.

MN: So when people came into camp, were you one of the clerical people?

KK: Yeah, writing down the things.

MN: And you were there before the hospital was built. So when you were doing this clerical work for the hospital, where was the temporary hospital?

KK: I don't know. When I moved, the hospital was already built and ready when we moved to 29. So I don't know where they were storing all the stuff.

MN: How about when you were helping people come, you know, the new people come in and you had to take their records, where was that done?

KK: In one of the buildings in the front as you go in. As they would come in, they would have them come to the building there. I don't know what building it was, but one of the first buildings there. They processed everybody through there first.

MN: And that was not a temporary hospital building.

KK: Uh-uh.

MN: What did your mother do in camp?

KK: Oh, she signed up for nurse's aide, and she worked as a nurse's aide, too.

MN: What about your father?

KK: Oh, he signed up for farmwork. He worked on the guayule.

MN: So did your father know your future husband?

KK: Not then.

MN: So they weren't working together on the same place?

KK: Oh... well, they were working on the same project, but not in the same place.

MN: How long did you live in Block 11?

KK: Gee, I don't know, about three months or so, I think. Because most of my time was spent in Block 29.

MN: And that's where you moved to?

KK: Uh-huh.

MN: The people who were living in Block 29, where did they mostly come from?

KK: From all over.

MN: So it was a mixed block.

KK: It was really a mixed block.

MN: So Block 29 is very close to the hospital.

KK: Yeah. And most people that were in Block 29 worked for the hospital in one capacity or another, or somebody worked there.

MN: Is that why you were moved to Block 29, or did you request Block 29?

KK: No. They moved us because we were, I was working at the hospital.

MN: When you were working at the hospital, did you go home to eat lunch, or did you just eat at the hospital?

KK: No, I ate at the hospital.

MN: What was the food like at the hospital compared to the mess hall?

KK: They were given the same, same type of a meal, so most of it was same. Depending on the chef, you know, on how they, whether they make stew or meatloaf or whatever, or hamburgers, depending on this.

MN: So your job at the hospital, did it keep you pretty busy?

KK: Yeah, more or less. We talked a lot, though; we had a lot of fun. [Laughs] I got acquainted with a lot of different people, and I'm still friends with them, a lot of them.

MN: What did you talk about?

KK: Everything. Nothing in particular. About people, about things that's going on.

MN: Now in December 1942, Manzanar had a riot. Do you --

KK: Oh, I don't know too much about the riot because I was way up there, and all I know is that somebody was, I think it was Tayama-san they were after. And he came to the hospital, and so they hid him in one of the rooms.

MN: Were you there when this --

KK: Well, I was there, but I didn't know anything about it. I didn't know that they hid 'em. And so... all I know is there was a riot.

MN: And you were not near where the people got shot.

KK: No. Nowhere near.

MN: Now in 1943, the government passed out the "loyalty questionnaire." Was that an issue in your family?

KK: Well, I don't know. But I don't think so.

MN: Your parents never talked about going back to Japan?

KK: No.

MN: And for yourself, you never...

KK: No, I didn't even think about going back to Japan.

<End Segment 12> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.