August 25, 1981
Testimony of
Sayo Harmeling
Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians

The tragedy of evacuation was something I tried to forget. It was seldom discussed. My children knew little or nothing about it. When it was announced there was going to be a caravan to Camp Harmony it took my husband, Sheldon Harmeling, to make me go.

When I arrived there and was looking at all the pictures and documents I suddenly saw an article on the wall with my deceased husband's signature, I broke down. I knew then I had to ask for redress. This is about Akira Kumasaka.

He was among the first group who formed J.A.C.L. When we went into camp he was asked to be personnel manager under Lefty Ichihara, who was area director.

Contrary to belief, we were not a wealthy family. His father loaned money so freely and signed so many notes when the bank failed, they lost all their money. When the war broke out they were just making expenses. Akira owned a 5 acre property with a greenhouse business. His only worry at the time was to be able to pay his taxes so we would have a place to come back to.

We had the greenhouses filled with tomatoes and cucumbers ready for harvest when he had to leave. Akira found a Mr. Nickleson to lease the business. He left the place under the watchful eyes of our friend and lawyer, Frank Boyle.

Though it broke our heart to see the barb wire fences and machine guns, we tried to make the best of it. When we were in Minidoka, sometime in September, 1942, we got a request from a farmer and Deacon of a Morman Church in Sugar City, Idaho, where I was born, for help on his farm. We were among the first to leave.

About this time Akira received a letter from his lawyer stating that Mr. Nickleson loaded up our truck with our possessions and had left. Fortunately, Mr. Boyle had called him and getting no answer, went to investigate

[Page 2]

and found our storage shed broken into and our possessions gone. He called the police, gave them the license number of the truck and they were able to get the truck back.

From that time on there was nothing but trouble. Akira started to get migraine headaches. He received only bad news for three years. He developed high blood pressure.

Whenever Mr. Boyle found someone to run the place they would not stay long. Seattle suffered a severe winter one year and he got reports back that the pipes were frozen, greenhouse windows were breaking and there was nothing Akira could do but fret.

When we got back in 1945, everything was in horrible condition, so Akira started off with a pick, a shovel and a wheel barrow.

Many of the greenhouse owners put in a claim to the government for damages, but Akira did not. It took us 6 years to rebuild all the greenhouses.

In February 1952, Akira, still suffering from migraine headaches and high blood pressure, took the tractor into town for repair in the morning and never came home. His brother finally found the truck impounded in the city lot and Akira booked for drunken driving, in jail. They would not release him until he paid the $250.00 bond.

A friend of mine picked me up and we paid the bond. We waited and waited for Akira and he didn't appear. Finally we had to bang on the door, asking why they didn't release him. They answered they couldn't wake him up. We demanded to see him. They reluctantly opened the door and there he laid on the floor unconscious.

I refused to take him without an examination from my doctor. When the doctor arrived he took Akira's shoes off and tested his reflexes. There was none and the doctor said that Akira had a stroke. Dr. Tucker immediately took him to Doctor's Hospital and called a private laboratory in to test his blood for alcohol.

The P.I. carne out next morning with "Church leader jailed for drunk driving -suffering from stroke". The Times quoted Chief Eastman that Akira was drunk, so for one week it caused an uproar in Seattle. Akira died 2 days later at the age of 39.

[Page 3]

I received many telephone calls from lawyers asking to sue the City. My lawyer and my doctor advised against it as I was pregnant.

I am asking for redress because if it hadn't been for evacuation, Akira may still be alive today. I want his share to go to his first son, who was born out of camp. He barely remembers his father, he was only 7 years old; and for his second son who never knew him. But the real issue is still: we were denied our birthright. The government broke the constitution. If we did we would have to pay - so should the government.