Densho Digital Archive - John Tomita Interview (denshovh-tjohn

<Begin Segment 21>

KP: So, one of the questions I have is, in camp we've got all these different, after segregation, there's all these different factions. Then, in like even between yourself and your father you always knew America would win and your father knew Japan would win. The war is over in August, 1945. Japan has surrendered. What did you see happen in camp? What was, what was the atmosphere in camp at that point?

JT: You know, everybody was scared. I mean, they, they didn't know, they didn't have any place to go. I mean, and here I was goin' in and out. I mean, somehow I was able to move in and out either driving in a truck or driving somebody else's car, and I was able to hitchhike very easily. And so I knew... and then, yeah, that's right. A lot of the "no-no boys," they couldn't get out of the camp. They, the government wasn't releasing them. So, the, just the old people and the babies are the only one that could come out and, and out where we were, our homes are gone so I went to the, the canneries in Isleton. And I went to the canneries to, I was gonna rent one of the cabins that they have in the cannery. And the, they told me I could rent it. So, then I found out that a lot of these family that, that used to live in Isleton couldn't get back because, because their old sons, oldest sons cannot come out. Only the baby could come out and the old family could come out. So I helped them get, rent cabins and these cabins, they didn't have any whatchacall, a sink. It's a... I had to make out of lumber. That's first time I ever made sink for... [laughs]. And it's amazing it worked. And I was making sinks and washing out the cabins inside and, the roof was, it's okay but the, the inside was a mess. I used to, so I don't know, I must have cleaned about half a dozen whatchamacall so the, the family could come out. And when the load came in, I guess the, the government must have been paying them so they could ship the load out. So they would send it to this cannery and I don't have any help 'cause all the guys, older guys are in... only the young kids and the elderly are coming back and they can't do anything, so I must have helped about half a dozen family relocate into those cannery cabin.

RP: What type of cannery was this?

JT: in Isleton they, they canned asparagus and some cannery get the fruit and then they, tomatoes they canned in canneries. And so the people that came out, they, they got the job. And fortunately I was there so the superintendent hired me. Not that I was a carpenter but since I was doing these things he hired me as a carpenter. And I was fixing these cabins up and whatnot. So...

KP: So you decided... what was your decision about going back to finish your college?

JT: I thought I was gonna go right back into the college. I thought I could go right back in. But when the home was gone, then I had to find a place for my family to stay and, and I have my young, I had young brothers and young sisters coming back and I had to rent two of 'em. I mean, one wasn't enough. And so I've, gee you know, I don't remember painting it, but I know washing it down and rebuilding the sink. That's the first time I ever made a sink. And, getting some supplies from the cannery warehouse and...

KP: So you worked for, how long did you work at the cannery?

JT: Maybe half a year or so. I didn't stay there that long.

KP: Where did you go next?

JT: I figured I had to get a job somewhere. And, and I remember working in the, there's a theater in Isleton, only one theater, but I asked, what was his name? Paul Stephanie or something. Anyway, I said, "How about giving me, giving me a job?" And I was cleaning the theater and the, my eighth grade grammar school teacher was, he was a principal then. So I went to him and I say what can I, can she give me a job? So, I had a janitor job there at the school. I had to clean the classroom and do, pickup the yard and whatnot. And then, after that I'd go to the theater and clean the theater and doin' that. So somehow I was able to find jobs like that.