Densho Digital Archive - Emi Yamamoto Interview (denshovh-yemi-01-0015)

<Begin Segment 15>

MA: And you actually went to Tule Lake, is that right? You didn't go to Poston?

EY: No, because my sister-in-law had, she was under the doctor's care, and people had a history of tuberculosis or some kind of contagious disease, they had a chance to go to a safer place, 'cause they were going to Arizona.

MA: Where the climate was a little better.

EY: Hard, yes. I had some classmates that went without letting them know that they had, they had that kind of problem, contagious problem. And when they went to that hot country, lot of 'em passed away.

MA: I imagine the dust as well, and the hot climate.

EY: And my sister-in-law, she was recovering from tuberculosis. When she was at home, she got released from the hospital at home, but she had a record, so we had to go. I split from my family and I wouldn't see them for five years.

MA: So your, your parents and siblings went to Poston, and you and your in-laws went to Tule Lake.

EY: To Tule, uh-huh.

MA: And you weren't able to see your, your family.

EY: Uh-uh, 'til it's over. It's quite an experience.

MA: Yes. So can you tell me about your journey to Tule Lake and how you, how you got there? Was it by train?

EY: We had, in the train. Train, I guess, there was couple of carloads of people. Some people hid, hide their, have that problem, went with the big gang to Poston, and lot of 'em passed away due to bad climate, you know, hot climate, they didn't have appetite.

MA: Right. So when you arrived at Tule Lake, what, what kind of living conditions did you have? Barracks?

EY: Barracks, same as assembly center.

MA: And it was the same, so you and your in-laws and your brother-in-law's family? Same people?

EY: Yes, three family there, and three of us had a room next to each other.

MA: Did you have a job in camp? Did you work?

EY: Well, I, I didn't, but my husband was a cook. He was one of the, head chief in our block.

MA: As a, as a cook in camp?

EY: Uh-huh. He worked all, 'til the end.

MA: So your family stayed in Tule Lake until the end of the war?

EY: Yes.