<Begin Segment 7>

LT: Well, let's move to December 7, 1941. And that was the day that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Where were you and how did you learn the news?

JH: I was across the street with this family that, it was McIsaac's hired helper. And I knew when I was there, they were very quiet, and I never gave it a thought. And then I heard the radio in the background that Japan had bombed Pearl Harbor, so then I left and told my folks. And, of course, then we turned our radio on, and that's how they found out. Because, you know, I guess we just didn't have the radio on. Of course, my folks, they didn't understand, my mother, especially, didn't understand English. My dad did, but we never turned the radio on. And so that's how we found out.

LT: Well, you said your neighbors didn't say anything.

JH: No.

LT: What did your father and your mother say once they learned the news?

JH: They didn't think that was very nice of Nihon doing that, but they just figured we'll just have to see what's gonna happen now to us.

LT: What worries did they have? Did they share with you?

JH: They didn't show any. They really didn't show any worries towards us, the kids, I guess they kept it to themselves.

LT: What thoughts went through your mind?

JH: Being at that age, you never gave it, you never registered that. "Oh, well, they bombed the United States. So? Now what?

LT: And at that time, you were just fourteen.

JH: Uh-huh.

LT: So you were going to school. After that, how did your, what happened, how did your family carry on? Did you go to school, were there any other cautions in the community?

JH: I don't think so. But no, we went to school as usual, and our friends never mentioned at all, did you know that we were bombed, or anything. So we just carried on like normally.

LT: Did neighbors say anything or do anything?

JH: No, uh-uh.

LT: Okay. And you said no one searched your house?

JH: No.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.