Homecoming


In Visalia, California, three shots from a high-powered rifle were fired in the house occupied by Sam Uyeno (Poston 309-9-B) and 10 other Japanese on February 27, 1945 Sheriff S. Sherman disclosed. Investigating the shooting, the sheriff discovered a small unoccupied building near Uyeno's place had been burned by trespassers later the following night. The building was owned by Frank Sakaguchi, (Poston 309-6-A) who is at the Poston, Arizona camp.  Two bullets entered the living room and one in the bedroom of the Uyeno home. Although bullets passed near some of the 11 occupants, none were injured.  Uyeno relocated from the Poston Relocation Center and returned with 10 of his family and relatives, including his elderly parents and several children. 
John Shiokari
 John Shiokari, 22, (Poston 19-11-B) who recently returned to his alfalfa ranch near Lancaster, reported shots were fired into his home and pump house on February 23. Six rifle shells, purportedly bearing Army markings, were found near his house.
Shoikari was evacuated to the Poston Relocation Camp and returned to his ranch on February 15.

 Reported in the Topaz Times, June 8, 1945.
     Sheriff S.B. Sherman of Kings County revealed last week that someone had fired two rifle shots into the home of Kaudy Mimura, 32, of Orosi, California (Poston 309-13-C) . No one was injured by the shots.
Kaudy Mimura
 Reported in the  The July 9 edition of the Gila News-Courier; story originally from the Arizona Daily Star of June 3, 1945.
     In the town of Parlier, California,  the law abdicated in favor of community opinion, in the case of the farmer who fired a shotgun into the home of Charles Iwasaki, (Poston 308-3-B) a Japanese American. The guilty an was given a six-month sentence—suspended.  

Charles K. Iwasaki
  L.B. Crosby, the justice of peace, defended his leniency with the plea that feeling in the community was such that he did not feel that public opinion would support any other sentence. The community decided that if he was lenient with the guilty man, there would be no more shootings.  "It will be our national shame, and not merely a matter of one state, if this situation is not corrected. These Nisei were removed from their homes and business due to an army order under the stress of military necessity. Most of them have behaved in a manner which displayed exceptional poise and dignity under extreme stress. Now, the government which ordered them removed, has issued orders for their return. It is up to the government to see that they are permitted to return to their homes and businesses without being met with gun fire and arson at the hands of some super-patriots. It is equally a task for the government which moved them to see to it that they have the protection, under the law to which they are entitled. They obeyed the law when they were moved. the law should insure them safety as they return."