<Begin Segment 9>

RP: This is tape two of a continuing interview with Doris Taketa, and Doris, we were talking about the days, the weeks, the months after Pearl Harbor and how your life began to change. You said that the strawberry crop was ready to pick.

DT: Yes.

RP: And that had to be left behind. What arrangements did your parents make or your father to, as far as protecting his land? Was he able to find somebody took over the farm for him?

DT: Al Tsukamoto asked Bob Fletcher who used to be an inspector at the grape association to take care of his land. And I think that Al said he'll take over Al's -- I mean Bob said that he'll that he'll take over at Al's land and then next land, Bill Okamoto's land and my father's land, Joichi Nitta. And luckily we had Bob take care of it because otherwise we would have lost it because Papa still owed money for the land. And so Bob took care of three properties and I don't know how he did it because that was about 120 acres. And he must have worked I would say about sixteen, eighteen hours a day, 'cause I'm sure he did all the tractor work and then... well, when we left I think it was irrigation time and there were a lot of things to do like tying the tops and [inaudible] in and taking the leaves so that the leaves won't be stuck on the grapes to make the grape ripen, same time. Well, and I don't know where he got the workers 'cause everybody, all the Japanese were in camps and all the able-bodied men were in armed forces. So he must have gone to downtown recruited all the Mexican or Filipino people or maybe the high school boys. I never asked him but I'm supposed to have an interview, I mean, have another video taken at Bob's place one of these days and I have to ask him questions because there are questions that I have that I haven't got answered. But anyway, that was a humongous job I think for Bob and I'm sure his wife, Teresa, had to go and recruit all the kids for workers because it was so much work. But he managed and then he kept all the books, separate books, and sent my dad fifty percent of the net -- no, he didn't send -- fifty percent of the net profit he paid the taxes and he paid the mortgage, and for 1942, '43 he paid the mortgage and in 1944 he paid mortgage and the balance of the money he sent us a check. And so he was really helpful, otherwise we would have no place to come home.

RP: Did Bob have a farming background previously?

DT: No, he was just a UC Davis graduate and he took up agriculture. And so he was an inspector so he, just being an inspector you wouldn't know how to run all that farm and all the detail and everything. So it was amazing what he did and he said it was hard work and I imagine it was very hard but anybody else would have quit in the middle I think. But I'm sure it was just a handshake, I don't think it was a contract or anything. At that time it was just handshake or we'll take care of it and that was it. He could've walked away but now you even have a hard contract and people could walk away.

RP: Did your father have previous contact with Bob before the war?

DT: Well, he did inspecting of Papa's grape so he knew what kind of grape Papa had. Because Tsukamotos and Okamotos, their grapevines were older but ours were quite the young grapes so I think we was interested in Papa's work, I think 'cause my father, he did real good job and I'm pretty sure Bob knew that.

RP: And do where Bob Fletcher lived while he was caretaking the three farms?

DT: He might have lived at the Tsukamotos' I'm not sure, he might of but might of he and Teresa were already married so they might have lived in Florin but I'm not really sure. But all our furniture were stored at Tsukamotos' and so when we came back... our house was a real old, old house it didn't have any foundation or anything it was all built in 19 about '22 or '23 so we didn't have air conditioner or heat or air conditioner you just open the windows on both sides and the air went through. [Laughs]

RP: So during the time that you were gone to camp, nobody lived in your house?

DT: I don't think so. I don't think anyone wanted to. [Laughs] They could have bought any house you know.

RP: Are you aware of other Caucasians like Bob Fletcher who took over Japanese American farms in the Florin area?

DT: No. I think Jerry Kara I think might of rented my brother-in-laws father's land, but no one took over the way, and send us the net profits. Now that was really nice of Bob.

RP: Were there other Caucasians who came to support you or help you in any way before you left?

DT: Well, Jerry was, Jerry Kara was I guess my brother-in-law's friend, I think he's the one who took us to the train station. But Bob came after us after the war when we came back in August, 1945.

RP: And what was Jerry's last name again?

DT: Kara, K-A-R-A.

RP: And who was Jerry?

DT: Well, he was born to a very wealthy lady and he was not a farmer, he was a postman. But I think he took care of my brother-in-law's land but his wife was from a very wealthy family so I think they bought up a lot of the land. And he ended up running a grocery store, a big grocery store in Florin.

RP: Now how did you find out that you were going to have to leave your home? Did your parents talk to you about that or do you remember at all how you found out about that?

DT: Well, I guess they must have mentioned it but I never thought anything of it 'cause we were all going together and they were packing and everything and I didn't help pack, you know, my parents and my... I guess my sister helped but all I know is they were packing and we were leaving.

RP: Do you remember what they took for you or what they packed?

DT: No, but whatever they packed was enough for us I guess.

RP: Did you have any pets?

DT: No. Oh, we had a dog, we had a dog and Bob took care of it but it got run over while we were in camp.

<End Segment 9> - Copyright &copy; 2010 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.