<Begin Segment 10>

KN: How did you know when you were going to be leaving the assembly center to go to Minidoka?

EK: Got notice from the government. They went around.

KN: And was that notice, like, in writing, or was it verbal?

EK: Written.

KN: Written notice?

EK: Uh-huh.

KN: And as people were leaving the assembly center, did everyone leave on the same day?

EK: No. My folks went earlier, and they saved us a room close to where they got a room. But we left the day after, I remember.

KN: And what was that like leaving the assembly center, leaving Portland, and did you know where you were going?

EK: Well, I knew where we were going, but I didn't know exactly at that time.

KN: And can you tell me about -- now, did you go from the assembly center to the train station? Did you take a train?

EK: No, the government took us to the train station. We had an old train, I think it was the Union Pacific. It broke down on the way, I remember, and we had to spend the night in the train. The axle broke or something, and they had to get it fixed. And when we went through Pendleton, you know, there's a military base there. We had to pull all the blinds down and keep quiet.

KN: What were your feelings like when you were on the train and going out to Minidoka? Were you thinking about the war and did anyone talk about the war?

EK: No. Only thing is we got separated. My husband got to, they had a regular men's section, and we got an upper deck for my daughter, and we got to sleep. And so Joyce would say, "Where's Daddy? Where's Daddy?"

KN: Was that on the train you're talking about?

EK: Uh-huh.

KN: And was that like that for a lot of families, that they got separated?

EK: Uh-huh, if we had children we got this living section, and, of course they're separated from the husbands.

KN: Do you remember how long it took on train to get out to Minidoka?

EK: I think it was a good two whole days.

KN: And did they make any steps along the way for you to get out and stretch?

EK: Uh-huh. They just let us out where it's remote, where there's no... you know how it is. They didn't want anybody to see us.

KN: And what about eating along the way? Did the government provide food for you to eat?

EK: Lunch, uh-huh.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.