WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:03.873 And got shipped to Camp Grant, Illinois, 2 00:00:05.460 --> 00:00:08.433 which was a medical replacement training center. 3 00:00:09.540 --> 00:00:11.753 And, of course, there was not a gun in the camp, 4 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:14.640 which I don't know whether it was intentional, 5 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:16.640 from the standpoint of us Japanese guys. 6 00:00:17.670 --> 00:00:21.390 'Cause I don't think no Japanese fellows would be trusted 7 00:00:21.390 --> 00:00:22.923 with firearms in those days. 8 00:00:24.210 --> 00:00:27.363 But we began basic training. 9 00:00:29.520 --> 00:00:32.943 But during my basic training, two major developments. 10 00:00:34.890 --> 00:00:38.130 First was that the draft 11 00:00:38.130 --> 00:00:41.043 and all enlistments into the military were cut off. 12 00:00:41.970 --> 00:00:45.003 The draft was no longer operable for Japanese Americans. 13 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:48.900 The second was that I found out 14 00:00:48.900 --> 00:00:51.690 that an order had been signed 15 00:00:51.690 --> 00:00:55.470 that evacuated all Japanese 16 00:00:55.470 --> 00:00:57.933 from a certain portion of the West Coast. 17 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:02.220 And suddenly found out that my oldest brother had been put 18 00:01:02.220 --> 00:01:04.263 into a camp in rural Arkansas. 19 00:01:05.220 --> 00:01:07.200 That my second oldest brother into a camp 20 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:09.660 in Manzanar on Eastern California. 21 00:01:09.660 --> 00:01:12.030 And my mother and the rest of the family 22 00:01:12.030 --> 00:01:15.423 into the Poston Camp in the middle of the Arizona desert. 23 00:01:16.410 --> 00:01:21.410 So there was my family in three separate camps 24 00:01:21.450 --> 00:01:23.400 behind barbed wire. 25 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:24.903 And I was in a camp too, but different kind of camp. 26 00:01:24.903 --> 00:01:26.461 Camp there too. 27 00:01:26.461 --> 00:01:27.833 It was a slightly different kind of camp. 28 00:01:29.010 --> 00:01:31.150 How was it that happened 29 00:01:31.150 --> 00:01:34.650 that your brothers went to different camps from your family? 30 00:01:34.650 --> 00:01:36.360 Oh, simply 'cause they lived in different places. 31 00:01:36.360 --> 00:01:37.193 Oh. 32 00:01:37.193 --> 00:01:39.540 My two older brothers of course were, 33 00:01:39.540 --> 00:01:40.500 lived in different places. 34 00:01:40.500 --> 00:01:41.520 I see. Yeah. 35 00:01:41.520 --> 00:01:42.810 Yeah. 36 00:01:42.810 --> 00:01:45.210 The only part of my family 37 00:01:45.210 --> 00:01:48.993 that did not get evacuated was my youngest kid brother. 38 00:01:50.040 --> 00:01:52.740 And he didn't because he had a girlfriend in Colorado. 39 00:01:53.700 --> 00:01:56.760 So when the evacuation notice either came out 40 00:01:56.760 --> 00:01:57.753 or just before, 41 00:02:00.330 --> 00:02:03.690 he took the car that I had left behind 42 00:02:03.690 --> 00:02:07.080 and drove to Colorado to join his girlfriend and family. 43 00:02:07.080 --> 00:02:09.750 Oh, so he was never interned? 44 00:02:09.750 --> 00:02:11.392 He was never- Evacuated. 45 00:02:11.392 --> 00:02:12.900 Never evacuated. I see. 46 00:02:12.900 --> 00:02:14.266 The only one in the family. 47 00:02:14.266 --> 00:02:16.773 Oh. 48 00:02:17.760 --> 00:02:19.560 Did you have occasion to visit any 49 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:24.560 of your brothers or your mother and sister? 50 00:02:24.930 --> 00:02:26.190 Yes. Just coming to that. 51 00:02:26.190 --> 00:02:27.300 Okay. 52 00:02:27.300 --> 00:02:29.490 So I finished my basic training 53 00:02:29.490 --> 00:02:31.930 and when I finished I asked for a pass to visit 54 00:02:33.570 --> 00:02:34.680 and there's no way in the world 55 00:02:34.680 --> 00:02:36.720 I could visit three different camps. 56 00:02:36.720 --> 00:02:37.707 Correct. 57 00:02:37.707 --> 00:02:38.540 Scattered all over the United States. 58 00:02:38.540 --> 00:02:41.613 So I thought I'd better visit my mother in Poston, Arizona. 59 00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:44.790 I was granted that pass. 60 00:02:44.790 --> 00:02:47.489 I understand that some of the guys that were in, 61 00:02:47.489 --> 00:02:48.540 Nisei guys that were in the Army 62 00:02:48.540 --> 00:02:53.100 at that time were not allowed passes to Manzanar 63 00:02:53.100 --> 00:02:54.930 because Manzanar was still in California. 64 00:02:54.930 --> 00:02:56.220 All those in the eastern part. 65 00:02:56.220 --> 00:02:57.900 Right. 66 00:02:57.900 --> 00:03:00.730 But I was granted this past to Poston 67 00:03:02.760 --> 00:03:05.253 and it was a very unpleasant trip. 68 00:03:07.170 --> 00:03:11.493 Even during the time I was in transit to get to Poston, 69 00:03:12.660 --> 00:03:15.660 I had a bad experience in Parker, Arizona, at lunch counter. 70 00:03:17.250 --> 00:03:18.870 I had a bad experience trying to get 71 00:03:18.870 --> 00:03:20.763 to the gates at Poston Camp. 72 00:03:23.070 --> 00:03:24.330 But I did. 73 00:03:24.330 --> 00:03:27.120 I was able to visit with my mother. 74 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:28.393 You were in uniform at that point? 75 00:03:28.393 --> 00:03:29.520 I was in uniform. 76 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:30.453 Yes. Yeah. 77 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:33.420 I got challenged on the bus going to Parker. 78 00:03:33.420 --> 00:03:35.220 You know, this MP stuck his head 79 00:03:35.220 --> 00:03:37.470 and asked if all you Japs got passes. 80 00:03:37.470 --> 00:03:42.064 And I thought, "I need a pass to visit my mother?" 81 00:03:42.064 --> 00:03:43.563 You know, I was in Florida. 82 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:50.973 After we visited for a couple of days, 83 00:03:53.433 --> 00:03:55.650 my brother's young wife decided 84 00:03:55.650 --> 00:03:57.900 that they ought to have a celebration for me. 85 00:03:59.700 --> 00:04:03.330 So there was another Nisei GI that was also visiting. 86 00:04:03.330 --> 00:04:05.490 And we decided to go into Parker, 87 00:04:05.490 --> 00:04:08.613 get a case of beer, which was a huge mistake. 88 00:04:09.510 --> 00:04:11.200 We walked into the nearest saloon 89 00:04:12.060 --> 00:04:13.770 and we no sooner got through the door 90 00:04:13.770 --> 00:04:18.770 than the bartender waved us out, "No Japs." 91 00:04:18.990 --> 00:04:21.121 And he called for his bouncer. 92 00:04:21.121 --> 00:04:21.954 Whoa. 93 00:04:21.954 --> 00:04:24.420 And two big bouncers came out from the back. 94 00:04:24.420 --> 00:04:26.850 So he and I decided, "Well, we're not gonna do this." 95 00:04:26.850 --> 00:04:31.850 I think we'll kind of exit gracefully as possible. 96 00:04:33.390 --> 00:04:35.280 Soon as we got out the door, we were confronted 97 00:04:35.280 --> 00:04:39.660 by this Indian fellow who was also in Army uniform. 98 00:04:39.660 --> 00:04:41.710 He was in that Timberwolf division 99 00:04:42.935 --> 00:04:46.027 and he made the remark to us, says, 100 00:04:46.027 --> 00:04:47.610 "You know, guys like you and I, 101 00:04:47.610 --> 00:04:49.660 we should never go in a place like this." 102 00:04:50.580 --> 00:04:54.859 And so we essentially got kicked out of the place. 103 00:04:54.859 --> 00:04:55.931 I see. 104 00:04:55.931 --> 00:04:57.540 I had shouted, "Bartender, we just want a case of beer. 105 00:04:57.540 --> 00:04:59.160 We're not gonna drink it here." 106 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:00.390 He wouldn't even listen to me. 107 00:05:00.390 --> 00:05:01.263 I see. Yeah. 108 00:05:02.310 --> 00:05:05.520 So I don't know whether our celebration 109 00:05:05.520 --> 00:05:09.961 took place non-alcoholically or not. 110 00:05:09.961 --> 00:05:13.443 I don't remember. I don't remember.