Densho Digital Archive - Tom I. Mine Interview (denshovh-mtom

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TI: Going back to that time when the FBI first picked up your, your father, were some of the men, do you think, expecting that, or was it a complete surprise when they came?

TM: Well, I, I think a complete surprise. I don't think my father knew, said, you know, because he couldn't speak English, they just picked him up, and he didn't have a chance to argue or anything like that. They just...

TI: Now, were you home when they did this?

TM: I just, I just got home, too.

TI: So the FBI was there when you, when you came?

TM: Yeah, they just took him. I heard about it when they -- they took him before I got home, because I came home from San Jose.

TI: And so did, and so what did you do when you saw this happened?

TM: Well, there was nothing I can do, they just took him.

TI: Did you have a chance to talk with the FBI agents at all?

TM: No.

TI: So they didn't explain...

TM: No connection with them, no. I just, we just waited and waited. You know it was stunning, too.

TI: And so what were you, you thinking and feeling when this happened?

TM: Oh, that's, that's another thing. I was just too stunned and there's nothing I even thought of doing. Well, what could I do? Put it that way.

TI: What about your mother? What was the reaction...

TM: Well, she was stunned, too.

TI: And your other siblings, they were, in the same way, it was just...

TM: Well, I guess, I don't know how they felt, but I guess they were, we were all stunned, anyway.

TI: And at that point, did you know what was going to happen to your father?

TM: No, no way.

TI: And so when was the next time you heard from your father, that you were in communication?

TM: Oh gee, I don't know how long.

TI: But at some point you found out that he went to San Francisco?

TM: Yeah, and then they went different areas. They went to Bismarck, and they went to Crystal City or wherever. They had those detention... I don't know what they call it. I never did look into that too much, and I didn't get involved in it.

TI: So with your father gone, what did the family, what happened next with the family? What did you decide to do?

TM: Well, we just continued the way it was, because he was of retiring age already.

TI: And when did you hear, you mentioned that other members, probably called the Japanese Association...

TM: Yeah, Japanese Association.

TI: When did you hear that they were being picked up also? How did you hear about that?

TM: Well, mouth of word, you know, who got picked up, and then, well, then I figured, well, anybody connected with the Japanese Association or with Japan or kendo, anything like that, they were taken, too. Instructor, kendo instructor, all that.