Densho Digital Archive - Kay Ikeda Interview (denshovh-ikay-01-0010)

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TI: So let's talk about going to the Fresno Assembly Center. Do you have memories of Fresno and what that was like?

KI: Yes, I do. I was surprised that they had a soldier up there with a gun watching that we don't escape from that camp, you know, barbed wire camp. And I thought, "My goodness, why would anybody want to leave?" You know, when we're forced into camp in Fresno? No one left. But you had to have a permission if you wanted to go see a doctor or something, you know. And you had to sign a release and come back. I don't think there was any trouble.

TI: Now, do you recall any, like, visitors when you were at the Fresno Assembly Center? Did you have any...

KI: Oh, that Italian, Galianos came to see me, I remember. But they came to see me once because they wanted to see that I was all right. That was nice of them.

TI: Now, did you ever have any conversations with the Galianos? Here they're Italian Americans, the United States was at war with Italy as well as Japan. Did they ever, you ever talk to them why you had to go to a camp and they didn't have to?

KI: No, we didn't talk about those things, no.

TI: When you were at the Fresno Assembly Center, did you and Hi have jobs?

KI: Hi was a, working from mess hall, taking food to different locations, different camps, say 14 or... I was in 14 so I remember 14. But they used to take the food that comes into the camp to distribute to every mess hall. It was about thirty-six blocks, I think, maybe more. Maybe forty or something in Fresno. It was all in blocks. I was in Block 14.

TI: Uh-huh. And how about you? Did you have a job?

KI: No, I didn't have a job. I didn't work in...

TI: And so what did you do with your time when you were at Fresno? How did you spend the day at Fresno?

KI: I remember getting sixteen dollar, but... I must have sewed children's dresses, and what I sold, they put in the store where they could sell things. So I did get sixteen dollar, I mean, I remember that. I don't know how long I worked there, 'cause I had a sewing machine to be able to, and then they had materials in the commissary, you know, you could buy it and sew up a dress.

TI: Yeah, so that was my question. So you brought your sewing machine to camp?

KI: Yeah.

TI: So that was one of your possessions that you carried into camp?

KI: Oh, let's see. That was... you're right, we were only supposed to carry one luggage. How did the sewing machine get there? Hmm, I don't recall.

TI: Yeah, maybe someone carried it for you or something? Because it was probably really heavy, right?

KI: I know. You got me. [Laughs]

TI: Okay, so you have to go back and... let's... yeah, any other memories from Fresno, Fresno Assembly Center? You talked about the guards, you talked about sewing...

JS: Did you remember the dances, when they had it on the street?

KI: Except I was married, so I couldn't go to dances. [Laughs]

JS: Oh, that's right.

TI: Any other memories like sporting events you saw or anything like that?

KI: Well, judo and sumo and stuff like that, they had in camp. My husband used to go to sumo or wrestle or something. I didn't follow him around to see that, 'cause I had a child by then, you know.

JS: Oh, at the Fresno Assembly Center?

KI: Yeah, I think I had George then.

TI: Oh, let's talk about that. So you're pregnant and then you have a child inside camp?

KI: Yeah.

TI: Was this at Fresno or at Jerome?

KI: Well, actually, my first son was born, has an Arkansas... what is it? Birth certificate. So he was born in Arkansas.

TI: Okay. Before we go to Arkansas, any other memories or thoughts about the Fresno Assembly Center?

KI: I could just mention the mess hall, you know, a big mess hall, we all had to go and eat at a certain time. And we were fortunate that there was a cook that liked to bake. Our Block 14 was fortunate to get some pastry made that he would put on the table, yeah.