30 July 1981

Testimony on Hearings for Wartime Commission,

My name is Franklin M. Koriyama, I live at ________, Seattle, retired, age 67.

Our family had a grocery store in Seattle, when my father passed away in 1939, I helped my mother in managing the store with my sisters till we were forced to evacuate in 1942 due to E.O. 9066.

Anger, dismay, frustration, and trauma were some of the initial reaction to the Evacuation Orders.

We were given approximately 10 days to gather our personal items along with bedding, kitchen items, e.g. (pots, pan, eating utensils), since we were limited as to what we could take with us. The rest we sold or gave away within the allotted time the rest of the items was stored with friends.

Our loss in business, furniture, automobile, and miscellaneous items I would estimate around $15,000.

Our first temporary camp was the fairgrounds at Puyallup Wa. Our permanent camp was located at Hunt, Idaho.

This was my first experience in being quartered in a horse stall and sleeping on straw filled canvas bag.

We were bussed from Seattle to Puyallup. After 6 months from Puyallup to rail sidings on bus from there to Hunt, Idaho by troop train, and to camp by bus.

My first impression of Hunt, Idaho as the bus pulled up to the main gate was what a God forsaken place with dust and tumbleweeds flying all over the place.

I drove a truck hauling coal from the rail siding to camp.

The lack of privacy, lack of freedom of movement, the guard towers, was frustrating.

I was with my mother who suffered the most from confinement, hardship of camp life, the food, with her liver, kidney, and hypertension condition which all contributed to her demise.

The loyalty oath for an American Citizen incarcerated in concentration camp was hard to fathom. My mother being denied the right to apply for an American citizenship was a mockery.

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While in camp I volunteered for the now famous Nisei Combat Regimental Team.

After serving nearly 3 years in the U.S. Army and a honorable discharge I settled in Seattle.

Housing and jobs were scarce in 1946 with the industries reverting back to civilian production from wartime production.

The loss of the business and the subsequent economic loss of earning power due to incarceration and the family being uprooted.

Since I am over the age of 65 and retired I would prefer tax exemption over a period of time till I recover the equivalent sum of $25,000.

[Signed]