Densho Digital Archive - Ann Sugimoto Interview (denshovh-sann-01-0021)

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RP: Now the soldiers, that brings up another topic, and that's some of the soldiers who were sent to Manzanar actually knew your brother from Fort Ord.

AS: Yeah, uh-huh, that's why they came along and they brought them out to guard us, so he came along the fence and wanted to know of the family, so my mom and dad, and we saw them, and they said, "You know, we should have the gun turn, turning the other way," because those people in the town, you know off limits, they could not go on the, they, off to Lone Pine... they didn't want them to come in town there, people in town.

RP: Military police? People in town didn't want the military police there?

AS: Yeah, isn't that something? It's kind of sad, they treat us... I don't know. I think they, this military was kind of... but I bet you didn't know that on the other side they had the black soldiers. They were in tents. We didn't, I don't know what they did, but they were in tents, and they... I don't know. My husband got to talk to some of them, I guess, and he said, "Listen, how you think you're in barrack. We're in tents." And with the hundred and fifty degree heat and that sand dust. He said, "Look where we are." The black soldiers were in the tents. Can you imagine that? I don't know, I think my husband got to talk to some of those fellows. But can you imagine? He said, "You think you're bad off. Heck, we're in the tents." They, they didn't... I don't think too many people know about that. [Laughs] But you wouldn't think that, either, huh? I don't know. That's... "You think you're bad off. Look where we're at." But they were segregated. I'm telling you.

RP: That was, was that early on in the camp?

AS: Yeah, oh, yeah. They were at... early, they were there.

RP: You saw the tents?

AS: I don't know what they were doing. I don't think they were guarding us, 'cause I didn't see any black soldiers.

RP: Along the perimeter?

AS: I don't know what they did. Yeah, kept all...

RP: Well, that's, that's a mystery.

AS: I don't know what they did. I don't...

RP: Did you, did you see them, or did your, was it your husband that saw them?

AS: Well, my husband... yeah, they were out there. He, he talked to them. I never talked to -- in fact, I never talked to any of the soldiers -- he said, and, like, they would be in the post office, and so when my brother-in-law was gonna send a camera, so he told the -- all the Japanese fellows worked -- and, "You get a, you get a box from Sergeant, I mean from Sugimoto, just put it under the counter. It's a camera. I'm gonna come and get it." They didn't, and what could we do? Even the soldiers in there, they weren't... well, like you know, my brother was in Monterey with them, so they were not...

RP: What were the, what were the soldiers doing in the post office?

AS: Oh, they had a station there to watch over, watch over us. And at the gate, too, to watch. As if anybody's gonna run off. If they're gonna go fishing they're gonna go the other way. [Laughs]