<Begin Segment 14>

RP: So you came in there late spring and during the summer months, like you said, it got pretty hot in camp. So what did you do to cool off?

SK: Well, one of the things we did was go to the, there, well, after we were able to get off the inside the enclosure, we would go swimming in the water hole, where they, the camp's water supply came.

RP: The reservoir.

SK: Yeah, the reservoir.

RP: You swam in the reservoir?

SK: Yeah, well, I learned how to swim in there. Yeah, by using, well, first we used to dive in and go under water to the other side or a short distance. And then we would, well, I used those milk cartons, those, they were made out of paper or whatever it was, and used those as a float and learned to paddle that way. Yeah, that's how we kept cool in the summertime. But as far as air conditioning or anything else in the barracks, there was nothing. I mean the, I guess you probably put a wet towel or something like that.

RP: So you walked out of camp to the reservoir?

SK: Yes. Yeah, see, it's funny. I didn't remember what direction that was but when we visited the camp in October of last year, I could relate to where the, where the reservoir was which was north of the camp. And so, that, I remember that. And I also remembered that the pig farm was south of the camp. I mean, until just visiting, until we visited it, I didn't realize which direction anything was. And I remember the airport was east of the 395, on the other side of the road. I always used to remember that little sack, air sack. Yeah. And I think that thing was there when we visited in October, but I'm not sure.

RP: Oh.

SK: Yeah.

RP: Interesting. So that's how you got your bearings kind of.

SK: Yes. I mean, I just didn't remember north, south, or east or west. But when we visited in October, then it came to me which direction everything was. Yeah, but anyway, that's... in the spring and summer we kind of kept cool by swimming in the water hole.

RP: Did you have any problems getting out of camp during that time or was that a period when the MPs were no longer in the towers?

SK: Well, at that time the MPs were already gone. See, when the guard towers were manned, I don't know if the incident was true or not, but we, I remember somebody saying that somebody got shot because they reached over the fence with, to get a ball or something which I'm not sure was true or not. Okay. So we never went near there. I mean we would go near the fence during that time when the guards were there, but never ventured out. I don't know how much longer after we were there the guard towers were unmanned. But then we were, we would go off the farm. I mean, out to the water hole. People would got to Mount Whitney. Yeah. They'd go, I guess they went all over.

RP: While you were swimming in the reservoir did you notice any fish in there?

SK: Yes, there used to be trout in there all the time. Well you know it's funny. We never tried to catch 'em with... we didn't, we never tried to catch 'em 'cause we didn't have any fishing equipment. So we, the only thing we would try to do is stomp on 'em. I mean they were, they were too quick to stomp on a fish anyway, but that's about the only thing. I think that the adults or the people that were older used to use a safety pin as a hook. But I'm not sure. We didn't have any fishing hooks. So, anyway.

RP: So you never went out and actually fished in the creeks?

SK: No, no. I remember that reservoir to the north and I remember a creek to the south. And I remember that had trout in it too.

RP: Oh, was that near the camp?

SK: Yes. It was, I think it was south of that pig farm or where the, where those warehouses were, below that. I think there's a stream.

RP: Right. So, you were never chased out of the reservoir or anybody ever gave you any grief about swimming there?

SK: No.

RP: Did you ever see any people up there, adults, who were in charge of maintaining the reservoir or anything of that nature?

SK: No, nobody ever bothered us. We...

RP: Were, were there other people, other kids that, that went in and swam there regularly?

SK: Oh yeah, uh-huh. We all... there, there'd be a whole bunch of us. yeah, I mean, nobody ever said anything to us. And I think, now that I think about it, I think the vegetable garden was that direction too someplace. The camp grew its own vegetable or something. And I think it was that direction.

RP: North and south of the camp.

SK: Right, north. I think there was one north of it but I'm not sure.

<End Segment 14> - Copyright &copy; 2011 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.