Densho Digital Archive
Japanese American Film Preservation Project Collection
Title: Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I
Narrator: Eiichi Edward Sakauye
Interviewer: Wendy Hanamura
Location: San Jose, California
Date: May 14, 2005
Densho ID: denshovh-seiichi-02-0005

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ES: This is one of, another activities, those who wished to learn how to play piano, be an opportunity to learn how to play piano.

This is the USO. This is the only US-, registered USO in ten relocation centers. Here the boys who are in service or returning from service meet their friends, families, sweethearts, and enjoy the day while they're here. There's a welcoming party. We have people from all theaters of war here come through this door. Here they are registering at the USO. Now, this is social activity, dancing. Now, after the dancing, we have a little snack period, and here they're enjoying the snacks.

This is the community store where we can buy clothing. The clerk is an L.A. girl, and the customer is a San Jose girl. Here's how they demonstrated how to use it.

Now, this is everyday scene at the Heart Mountain bus stop. Daily, the bus comes by here in the morning, in the afternoon, and pick up passengers or unload passengers that, who had visited the nearby city for shopping or other purposes.

This is a scene at the military police station. One day they were giving a dress rehearsal, and I got permission to take their program. That little hutment in the middle of the picture is the entrance and exit gate. There's Dr. Frederick Rowe Thorn of the First Presbyterian Church in New York City, has visited the camp.

On inclement weather, the Boy Scouts and Campfire Girls have their training in this high school gymnasium. We had a wonderful leader who was leader in Boy Scouts from Los Angeles that continued teaching Scouts to these boys and girls in this relocation center. As you see, the leader is a local boy from Mountain View. All along, we were American citizens expressing our patriotism, but the rights of American citizens were denied.

I don't remember how many pounds it was, but it's quite a weight that he's lifting.

Here's another scene of everyday activities at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center station. Every day, someone's coming in or going out. They're going out for temporary leave, or going out for higher education, or going out because of the service in the military, and also some shopping in nearby town of Cody and Powell, as far as Billings, Montana. Here comes a Trailway bus to come in to pick up the passengers. Sometimes we have a half bus and half freight. This couple is relocating to Chicago. Here are some more boys relocating for higher education. We were permitted to leave the camp provided there's bona fide job offers or bona fide institution that they can move to.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 2005 Densho and The Japanese American Film Preservation Project. All Rights Reserved.