<Begin Segment 17>

TI: And can you describe that reunion for me, how, so you found out your father and your brother were on. So how did the family get together?

TO: They broadcast each one, saying that our dad was on the same ship, and my brother was on the same ship, and that they were going to, certain hours, we were able to meet them. We were all separated on the ship also.

TI: So when they gave you the time that you could meet, you would go to a certain place?

TO: No, they came right into our, where we were in the barracks -- not barracks, the place where we were.

TI: So can you describe what it was like to finally see your father and brother after all this time?

TO: First thing, I knew my mother was the one that was, well, she was happy to find that they were in good shape. And twelve days on the ship, but they were able to come and see us every, about five o'clock in the afternoon, they would see us. We were not able to go to their place, it was separated.

TI: Because I'm thinking, so it was your father was at Santa Fe, your brother was at Bismarck, you, your mother and your sister were at Tule Lake. While you were making preparations to go to Japan, you didn't know if you were gonna see your father and brother. So that must have been a confusing, difficult time.

TO: Yes, it was, uh-huh.

TI: And your, but your mother and you and your sister still wanted to go to Japan, because you thought that's where you might see them?

TO: Yeah. We heard from Dad that he was going, signed up for all of us to return, so eventually we thought that we would get together in Japan.

TI: Going back to Tule Lake, so after your brother and your father were removed, how did the other people in camp treat you and your mother during this time? I mean, were they supportive?

TO: Yeah, very supportive, very.

TI: So can you describe how that was? How did they support you?

TO: Well, they were very friendly, they came over, lot of the mess hall people would, special food that they would cook for us. We were able to go to the mess hall, but that same time, my sister was crippled. We weren't allowed to have our meal in our barracks.

TI: And so the mess hall people would cook you extra special or special food?

TO: Well, nothing special, but was able to, instead of going to the mess hall each time.

TI: Would they ever talk about your father or brother, to be supportive about that? Did they ever talk about it?

TO: They didn't say too much about it.

TI: Do you remember the name of the ship that took you to Japan?

TO: SS Gordon.

TI: And do you know about the date that you left?

TO: Date that we left is January... no, let me see. It was the day after Christmas we were shipped from Tule Lake over to Portland, Oregon, on a train.

TI: And so in Portland you boarded the Gordon. Do you remember, like, what year this was?

TO: '46.

TI: Okay, '46, so the war was over, and so you're now on the SS Gordon, you said about twelve days?

TO: That's right.

TI: And then at 5 p.m., you'd have these brief meetings with your father and brother. Were there any other memories you have about the journey or the trip over from Portland to Japan?

TO: Oh, lot of 'em got seasick, of course, it was terrible. And luckily I never got seasick, so I was taking care of all these people. [Laughs]

TI: What was the mood on the ship of the people as they were going across to Japan?

TO: Japanese people are very quiet. They don't say too much. So just ordinary conversation was it. Only thing is, "What's gonna happen after we get there?" Whether we're going to be able to see our relatives or wherever to meet us there at the port. And anxiety was more or less...

TI: Do you recall what you thought, what did you expect when you on the ship? Before you got to Japan, what were your expectations of what you would see when you got to Japan?

TO: Well, I had a sister, three years younger, who was adopted by our uncle. So she was in Japan.

TI: Oh, so this is Miye?

TO: Miye, yes. Well, I didn't know they were in South Pacific. They were in the pearl business, Mikimoto Pearl. And so I thought they were in Japan and they were gonna see us there at the port, but they came later after we got there.

TI: But as you were traveling, so you thought you would see your sister.

TO: Uh-huh.

<End Segment 17> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.