<Begin Segment 15>

DC: So what was it like for you when you heard about Pearl Harbor?

CM: Boy, it was a shock and it really was a sad situation. The weather was beautiful, it was like today, blue sky, nice beautiful weather, and I was out waiting on the customer, and another fellow drove up there and said, "Charlie we're in war, they've bombed us." And boy that was a sad, sad, sad, sad case. And the customer that I was waiting on, she was shocked and she just laid up her basket and she walked away and went home. That was December the 7th about 9:30, 10 o'clock I believe. It was a beautiful day, and you hear that shock, it really hurt.

DC: Why do you think that customer did that?

CM: Well, she was shocking her too and she wanted to more about what happened and so she, she wasn't about ready to go back to her garden and plant the stuff that she had bought. She just left it there and she walked away and I don't blame her.

DC: How did you feel about the fact that it was Japan?

CM: Yes... yeah, my folks were from Japan. He's a citizen of Japan, he couldn't, wanted to be American citizen but because of that there discrimination, they, all Orientals could not be American citizens. And we're American but we're a minor then, most of them are minor age and...

MM: But they did become citizens, our parents did, American citizens.

CM: Yeah, we were American citizens and, but that didn't mean a thing when the war broke out, you were just a... just a...

DC: So during the war, did your parents feel loyal to the U.S.?

CM: Oh yeah, they just said, "Oh, what a shame that we have to be at war." And those early days, being a Japanese citizen in America, but they were not able to be American citizens, that's when they still had their emperor, you know they had an emperor picture on the wall. But when the war broke out, they took down all the emperor, even the flag or whatever, they destroyed it, they didn't want to...

DC: Why did they do that?

CM: For the safety.

DC: So how did things change for your family after Pearl Harbor?

CM: Well it... gosh, I don't know how to put these in words. Well, the public treated us okay. There was no bad feeling whatsoever. Our customers, they still come, you know and... and the rumor was going at that time that the, our folks, Issei, the first generation, they were, they're non-citizens, so they were figured, they're the one that would be round up and be taken. And we understood that. We're American citizens so were going to stay at home and continue. But then a month later when they, 9066 come in February the 19th, I think, that changed everything. One ounce of Japanese blood in you, you're enemy, you're going to be sent to concentration camp or...

DC: Was that a shock when you heard about Executive Order 9066?

CM: Yes, that was a shock. First when they say that our folks, being a non-citizen, would be taken, I understood that rule. But when we were told that we have to go, anybody had one ounce of Japanese blood, they're all going to be picked up, that was a shock.

DC: So was there a different notification first suggesting that your parents would have to go somewhere?

CM: Well, it must be because of the rumor through newspaper or what, I don't know how that worked. But word gets around that the Issei, the first generation, they all going to be round up, so that's the, that's the parents would be all round up.

DC: So you expected your parents to be...

CM: Well, when they said that, well, we expect, being at war and being, that's the difference between the citizens there, we figured, well, that's the way it's going to be.

DC: Where did you think that they would be taken?

CM: Well, see, they were "enemy aliens," and then you hear all kinds of rumor what's going on each day, and for the safety for the U.S. citizens and all that, they have to take that step.

DC: Did people say that the women were being taken in addition to the men?

CM: Well, see, that's the first group that was round up, was they're all prominent people, doctors, lawyers, teachers, big executive people, import-export company people. They were the cream of the crop, they were all round up. That's the group that was settled in Santa Fe.

DC: Yeah, so they did round up a lot of Issei men, but it sounds like there was also a rumor or a fear that they were going to round up all of the Issei?

CM: Yes, right. That was the first rumor, that the Isseis' going to be round up. And when the Issei says that, we figure that, well, we're American citizens so we have the right and they have no rights because they were non-citizens.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2012 New Mexico JACL and Densho. All Rights Reserved.