<Begin Segment 8>

JK: Now, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, that was a very difficult and challenging time for the Japanese American community, and understandably, many Japanese American families don't speak a whole lot about that era of their life. Have you reflected back on that era with your grandparents and parents, or other family members?

PD: Well, after coming back to San Jose, when we had to close all our stores down and since most of the business of Dobashi was done with the Japanese American community, they were mostly farmers at the time, and a lot of those people weren't able to pay off their, their debts from whatever debts they accumulated. And our debts became a little bit bigger, but we were able to come back and open the store again.

JK: Is it difficult to discuss that era with, with your family? Or is it something that's openly discussed?

PD: Well, it's, it's hard to say. It's, I guess whatever happened during those times just happened, and I guess you just have to let it go, 'cause there's not too much you can do about it, and it's nothing you want to bring up too much.

JK: Which assembly center and War Relocation Authority was your family sent to?

PD: We were sent to Heart Mountain -- well, first of all, what they said, we went, we all went to Santa Anita, and I don't know what the period of stay was there, and we stayed there for a while. I don't know if my sister was born there or... then after that, we went to Heart Mountain, Wyoming.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2004 Densho and The Japanese American Museum of San Jose. All Rights Reserved.