<Begin Segment 9>

KL: When did you, you said there were a lot of rumors flying around about having to leave and what the camps would be like. When were you aware that you would actually have to leave? When did you start preparing for that and what was that like?

WI: Well, things happened fast. Once the word got out and President Roosevelt signed that order, 9066, it was now time to start packing up, get rid of whatever you can, sell whatever you can, and it was sort of in a state of mild panic to get these things done. But many of those just gave up and just sacrificed everything, virtually gave it away, you know. You buy a new car for five, six hundred dollars, sell it for twenty-five dollars and things of that nature. And, of course, all the farmlands up and down Ventura County, strawberry fields in Orange County, virtually given away. And so, of course, the impact really hits when the government says, okay, you guys are free to go home now. And it's like, "Where do I go?" Because in three years, in just that time, gave everything away, and then it's only three years later you're allowed to go home when you have nothing. Where do you begin? Because it really began at the turn of the century when the early immigrants came in. And then they had their Nisei or second generation children that was able to buy property and all that, then it's all gone.

And that's where I have to hand it to my father, having more of an optimistic outlook and saying, "No, no, we will be coming back, and so we'll keep our home and all that." Many of those did. They had good friends, good neighbors that says, "Don't worry, we'll watch your place and take care of everything." Some of the farmlands fortunately survived by good neighbors. But then on the other hand, you had the opportunists that came in and glommed onto the property, and ten cents on the dollar. So that was really a sad thing, too.

Looking at those old historical photos of signs that says, "No Japs allowed," and, of course, the Chinese and the Filipinos had to walk around with buttons and badges that says, "I'm Chinese," or, "I'm not Japanese," or whatever, in fear of being accosted on the streets. And we were pretty cautiously kept in the house because we had the air raids and we followed all the air raid traditions by blackening the windows and jumping under the tables and all that. But we were told, "You know, don't venture away too far from Japantown community," because outside of that, there would be some ruffians that...

KL: Did you have any encounters with people with an ax to grind or who threatened you or anything in those couple months?

WI: Not me, and not at my age. Maybe my father may have, having a business and all that. But he never really talked about it. Again, he kept a lot from my mother, too, because my poor mother was, she wasn't so involved in the politics of everyday and whatever. And so what my father would encounter at his business... my father was very friendly at that time with Shelley, who happened to be, I think he was the mayor of San Francisco and the police chief and all that. So he was sort of on the in of hearing a lot of things. Maybe, maybe one of them says, "Hey, I won't get rid of my home." I think I would stay in it and be more optimistic.

<End Segment 9> - Copyright © 2013 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.