<Begin Segment 12>
KN: When the "loyalty questionnaire" starting going through camp, what kind of emotions and what were people talking about when they started, when the "loyalty questionnaire" went?
EK: Well, "When are we gonna get out? When are we gonna get out?" But a lot of the young people went back east, went to school or got jobs. We were encouraged to leave, but of course, we had those two children and I wasn't gonna leave, so of course, only place we can go back is the coast. But back east, you could.
KN: Did you see a lot of your friends leave and go back east that were single?
EK: Well, I knew several that went back to school, got in.
KN: Did you communicate with them and did they...
EK: No, I never did. But the one thing I was going to say is when I went to Summer Place, people that came from Mideast, "You went to camp? What kind of camp is it?" They didn't know we even went to camp.
KN: What was it like when you started to see people, or see young men start leaving when they enlisted?
EK: Well, I thought, well, I just figured I don't think any of them would come back. But luckily my brothers all came back. Kenny -- maybe you know -- Kenny got really hurt then.
KN: And what was that like for your parents when they found out that their boys were going to be leaving?
EK: Well, they thought it was their duty, they didn't have any complaints.
KN: And when your brother Kenny got hurt, how did you guys found out about that?
EK: I think it was through the military. We got a yellow notice if a person died or got hurt. And so if you see that person carrying that and come to your door, you know something was wrong, and that's what we found out about Kenny.
KN: And what was it like after your parents found out?
EK: Well, we just figured he'll be safe is all, and we prayed for. I don't think Tom was hurt, but Kenny was really... of course, Aki went after the war, occupational force.
KN: When you had heard about the ending of the war in Europe, did you think that you guys, that you would be getting to go home soon?
EK: Uh-huh.
KN: What kind of feelings and what kind of conversations were happening in Minidoka?
EK: Well, one thing, maybe I told you about Joyce going to this one-room school, and I thought this was no place for her. So that's the reason we made the decision to go back to Fairview, and then these Italian people were real good to us, so they took us in.
[Interruption]
KN: So right before we stopped, you were talking about Joyce and her blanket. Can you tell me that story again?
EK: Well, it's a security blanket, she carried it from home. And when we got there, she wouldn't let go, and the first thing she said, "Mom, I want to go home, I want go home." And I said, "This is your home." "When are we going home?" Every night, I don't know how many nights.
[Interruption]
KN: Can you also talk a little bit about what it was like at Minidoka for your father, being a farmer? Were there farms at Minidoka and did he do any farming at Minidoka?
EK: No, he just worked at the farm. They had pigs, chicken, and whatever extra we had, they sent it to the other relocation places. And then outside he used to work for the, as a carpentry.
KN: When you were getting ready to leave Minidoka after you had heard the war was over, what were your feelings like?
EK: Well, I don't know. I didn't have much feeling, I just thought, well, kind of glad to get out of here is all. [Laughs]
KN: And how did you hear about the war being over and you being able to go?
EK: Well, I don't know. I didn't know how safe I was, for one thing.
KN: Why were you concerned about safety?
EK: Well, still, there was... you know how people were still feeling.
KN: Had you heard of any stories that made you feel unsafe?
EK: There wasn't much. I didn't feel unsafe, I felt safe around the neighbors where we lived, so they were real good neighbors.
KN: And are those neighbors, are you talking about the neighbors when you came back to Fairview?
EK: Uh-huh.
<End Segment 12> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.