Densho Digital Archive
Preserving California's Japantowns Collection
Title: Eddie M. Inaba Interview
Narrator: Eddie M. Inaba
Interviewers: Tom Ikeda (primary); Jill Shiraki (secondary)
Location: Sacramento, California
Date: December 11, 2009
Densho ID: denshovh-ieddie-01-0011

<Begin Segment 11>

TI: So let's go on. So from Walnut Grove, which camp did you go to first?

EI: Not Amache...

TI: To Merced?

EI: Merced.

TI: Merced?

EI: Merced to Amache.

TI: And let's just ask a couple questions about Merced. What were your impressions of Merced? What was Merced like?

EI: What?

TI: Yeah, what was Merced like? When you got to Merced, what did it look like?

EI: Looks like? Like a big barrack camp, that's all.

TI: Let's move on, then. From Merced, you went then to Amache? When you got to Amache, what kind of job did you have?

EI: In camp? Oh, was working in the camp, relocation camp. All the people get there, we worked... then afterward, I went to Chicago and worked for the, Libby, McNeill & Libby.

TI: Okay, so after camp, you worked for Libby. But before we talk about that, let me ask about your other family members. Like your father, what kind of job did he get?

EI: Oh, stayed in the camp. He can't do anything.

TI: But in camp, did he have a job?

EI: No. Well, just help with the camp, they worked together, that's all. I think worked for twelve dollar, about eight dollar, twelve dollar, it was.

JS: What about your brother Richard?

EI: Richard?

JS: Did he have a job at camp?

EI: Yeah.

JS: What was his job?

EI: Huh?

JS: What job did he have at camp?

EI: Oh, he managed a barrack, one block barrack.

TI: So he was a block manager?

EI: Block manager, yeah.

TI: Did anyone work in the co-op? Do you remember the cooperative store?

EI: Yeah, yeah, co-op.

TI: So who worked in the co-op?

EI: My brother.

TI: And which brother was this?

EI: Richard Akira Inaba.

TI: And describe that. What would working in the co-op, what kind of work would that, what would he have to do?

EI: I don't know, look after the co-op, I guess.

TI: But he would have to order food, or order supplies and then sell it?

EI: Yeah.

TI: And then manage all that.

EI: Stocked up.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2009 Densho and Preserving California's Japantowns. All Rights Reserved.