<Begin Segment 19>

RP: Jun, just to go back to camp a little bit. Do you recall anything about your experience working in the camouflage net factory at Manzanar?

JO: Well, I used to go by it all the time. So, I think my sister worked in there for... once sometime. But it wasn't really a hard job. They had, they had a pattern and you just go and you start weaving those in between all the different strips and things like that. But it was a job and that's all, that's all I can remember. And I know a lot of people who are mentioning, they said why were we doing it while we're in, got thrown in that camp and things. It didn't come to my mind. So, but I didn't have any problem with it.

RP: And you mentioned earlier that your mom was very explicit in telling you that this is your country, America...

JO: Yeah.

RP: ... and you should support and be loyal to your country. And your country put you in a camp like Manzanar. Did it, did it affect you later on in life? How did that experience impact you later?

JO: Well, as far as I'm concerned it was an experience but I don't really... it's, it happened and that's the way it is. Maybe it won't happen anymore, but it's something that at that time is... I don't have any animosity or anything like that. It's something that... decisions and stuff that were made at the time and that's... some of the things that are happening right now I don't care for because the time when I come in... most of the people all came in were legal. And now they... and they're giving all the stuff to illegals. And well, in those days we didn't have welfare and all that other stuff. And then now to give the legal people welfare and stuff, I have nothing against that. But to keep... yet people that are illegal, then I'm not really for that at all. I mean, it's... because in our days we worked for everything. And most of the... even if you come over legal... because a lot of the restraining things that are in, comin' over here as a legal, legally, says that you gotta be able to do this and do that and that you're not gonna be a burden on the government and all that. So, that... what happened in those days, I don't regret any of it.

RP: Do you recall getting an apology letter and a check for twenty thousand dollars?

JO: Oh yeah. I got that in 1992. I wasn't... the younger ones got, got it later. The older persons got it I think in 1990 or something like that. There was a lot of, some of the people I knew didn't anything about it and I was telling them about it.

RP: How did you feel about that?

JO: Well, it's something that happened. I don't know. If you talk about today's age and stuff like that, it wasn't enough. But you know, at that time, well, all I could say is better than nothin'. That's... but that's the way. You got to, there's certain things that they do and things and I have very, quite a bit of respect for President Reagan. And there's a lot of things that I think he was a great president. So...

RP: Have anything to add? Okay. All right, well Jun, thank you on behalf of Kirk and myself for your, for sharing your stories and your...

JO: Well you're very welcome.

RP: ...your camp experiences.

JO: If there is anything I can... you know, I don't know, you might think of something that you need, anything later, you could just give me a call.

RP: Okay.

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 2010 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.