Densho Digital Archive - Shig Kaseguma Interview (denshovh-kshig-01-0011)

<Begin Segment 11>

RP: You had forty-eight hours?

SK: Yeah, to pack up and leave. They posted it on the telephone poles of every place.

RP: And what was, what was the family's evacuation experience like? Could you kind of lead us through what decisions had to be made and what you did with your property?

SK: Yeah, by that time, we had moved up a few blocks, about a half a mile away from where we originally were born. And the only thing that we bought new, my sister bought, was the refrigerator. I can't remember any other thing real valuable. But fortunately, they said we could bring our things to the church, the Episcopal church that we belonged to, and they boarded it up inside the church. So I never asked whatever... it wasn't our home. It was a rented home anyway. The other day, my sister was saying, "I wonder what happened to that refrigerator?" Brand new refrigerator. It just goes to show, that's the only thing that was valuable in our house.

RP: You have any vehicles or anything?

SK: No, we never had a car.

KP: Can I ask a question? What was your father's experience after December 7, 1941? With his job and everything?

SK: You mean his job and all?

KP: Yeah, did he, was he able to stay working?

SK: No. He was told, when they heard that we were being evacuated, his job stopped right there.

RP: He wasn't fired or terminated after Pearl Harbor?

SK: No, he wasn't terminated right away.

RP: Uh-huh, okay. Some of the railroad workers in certain places were.

SK: Yeah, like the porters, they were all fired right away. But he stayed on a little longer.

RP: State employees, Too, were also dismissed. You know, worked for government organizations.

SK: Yeah, they were... but he wasn't immediately fired, if I recall correctly.