<Begin Segment 9>

RP: I know you were all pretty young when this tragic event happened, but do you recall how you heard about the news of Pearl Harbor being bombed, and can you recall your, not your own reactions, maybe your parents'? How did the news affect you?

KT: I remember when I first heard about it... I can't remember... I believe he was the vice president of the bank where my dad banked. He came over -- and this was a Sunday -- he came over and he told my dad what was going on. He wanted to know if my dad would want to, to draw his money out. He said he'll make arrangements so he could draw his money out. Because he didn't know what was going to happen, they thought they would close all the accounts up for the Isseis. So I remember that, I remember it was on a Sunday when he came over.

RP: And was he able to do that? Did he draw his money out, do you know?

KT: I can't remember.

AF: I don't think so. I don't think he did.

NN: He was well-respected.

RP: The accounts were frozen.

KT: Oh. The accounts were frozen? Well, then he must have gotten it out because I remember when the, the officials from the bank came over and told my dad what was happening, and they wanted to know...

NN: Maybe it happened prior to the closure? Or was it immediately closed, do you know?

RP: I'm not sure how long after Pearl Harbor the assets of the Issei in Japanese banks were...

AF: Oh. Well, maybe he transferred it in your name, huh?

KT: I can't remember exactly what happened after that time. But I remember when the officials from the bank came, this one or two, one official.

AF: Because I know we had a business, so he must have put it in your name, probably.

KT: I don't recall.

AF: 'Cause he was probably afraid that they're going to...

RP: Right. You talked about the uncertainty of --

AF: Tie up his assets.

KT: But then you have to remember, even if my name was on there, I was a minor.

AF: I know, but we had the, we had Mr. Marion Wright, remember?

KT: Oh, the lawyer.

AF: The lawyer.

RP: The lawyer?

AF: My father got a lawyer immediately.

RP: After Pearl Harbor?

AF: Yeah, uh-huh, and put everything in her name, I think. I'm not sure, but I think that's probably what happened, yeah.

KT: I do remember the official from the bank that came over and wanted to know if Grandpa wanted to...

AF: Take his money out?

KT: Get his money out, I think rearrange it.

<End Segment 9> - Copyright © 2008 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.