<Begin Segment 6>

KL: Do you have a sense of when your father was arrested? Do you think it was December of 1941? Do you know when your father was arrested, was it right after the attack on Pearl Harbor or several months later?

MS: I forgot, when was it? That was December, wasn't it?

KL: December 7th was the attack on Pearl Harbor.

MS: I think wasn't it after that they started taking the fathers? You know, I forgot. I was thinking the other day when I was home but I forgot, was it before or just before, or after that?

KL: Do you remember the attack, was that a big deal?

MS: Yeah, oh, yes.

KL: What do you remember about that day?

MS: I think, "Oh my, what a mess fighting each other like that." It was kind of a surprise. You don't know what's going to happen. So, gosh, to be honest, I don't remember if it was after or before. I wonder if he remembers. Joey, do you remember, did they arrest my father after?

KL: That's okay. You said it was a surprise that Japan attacked the United States?

MS: Uh-huh. We heard the news somewhere, I don't know how. Must be the radio, something. But anyway... but I forgot if they arrested the fathers just before or just after the attack. Oh, my gosh.

KL: Did the attack, did it scare you or what was your response to it besides surprise.

MS: Well, yeah, it was kind of scary. It was kind of a surprise, so I don't know.

KL: How was it scary?

MS: Well, what's going to happen how? Are they going to start fighting each other and killing each other? I don't know.

KL: Did your parents keep in touch with their families in Hiroshima?

MS: I have no idea, I have no idea.

KL: You stayed in your home, you said, after your father was arrested?

MS: Yes.

KL: What was that like after he was gone?

MS: It was kind of lonesome without Father, it was kind of lonesome. I guess we were kind of waiting to be reunited with our fathers, so we were just kind of waiting.

KL: Did things change at school?

MS: I don't even know if they knew I was going to the concentration camp. So they were nice people, so maybe they don't want to talk, I have no idea.

KL: Did your neighbors change their behavior?

MS: I don't think so. I don't think so, because we didn't talk too much about those things. So they might have just talked themselves, but not outside, I don't remember that either.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 2012 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.