POSTON INTERNMENT CAMP

The Library

2011-10-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

     Nine-year-old Katherine Tasaki (Poston 15-3-A) wrote to Clara Breed, a San Diego city librarian, "This time there are more books, but before they didn't have half as much, so the children's books and the juvenile books were all mixed up on the same shelf. Since there are so many books [now], the library is cut in two sections. One half is the adults' books and the other half is used for juvenile and children's books."⁴¹
     By the end of December, 1942, over a year after the events that had led to their internal exile had begun, Fusa Tsumagari (323-11-D) wrote an answering letter to her friend, Clara Breed.
     At the time, Miss Breed was writing an article for the Library Journal on the establishment of libraries in the camps, and had written to her friend Fusa, requesting all the information that all the young Nisei could locate on the Poston libraries at Camps I, II and III.
     With the help of her brother, YukioTsumagari (323-11-D) , Fusa was able to gather a quantity of material which she duly reported.
     She found that the Poston library system was divided into two branches; an Education Department, and the Poston Public Library. Further, each branch functioned as an independent unit, administering the policies, procedures, and regulations laid down by the Poston's Head Librarian, who was usually an evacuee hired by the camp administration.⁴²

The Central School Library for the entire camp complex was located at Poston II, and was supervised by Ethel Manning, a former California State Library worker from Colusa, California. She was employed by the WRA, who funded only the educational component of the Camp library system. Miss Manning supervised the distribution of school supplies including: text books, collateral reading materials, periodicals, and other miscellaneous readings materials. It is interesting to note that there were no maps of Arizona in either the educational or public libraries at Poston.⁴³The Central School Library served all three of the Poston camps.

Sources: http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/96summer/nikkei.htm

http://www.usfbloggers.com/feeds/two-librarians-and-the-internment-of-japanese-americans.html

John Collier's speech 6/27/1942

2011-10-18T23:17:00.000-07:00

Speech of Hon. John Collier

Commissioner of Indian Affairs

June 27, 1942

Fellow citizens and fellow American:

I have to admit to a feeling of rather acute himility in standing before you, and I feel rather tongue-tied. I have been here only a little while. I was here at the very beginning when the first three hundred of you came. This time I have been here for the last two days.

The impression I have now is the same one I had on the terrible two days when the first three hundred of you came--the impression of great physical discomfort, hardship, and of perfectly marvelous human spirit throughout the colony. And it is that impression which give me this feeling of almost being bashful in talking to you. Also, I cannot help talking to you as the representative of more than 100,000 of our fellow people, of whom you are a part, and to who this sudden removal from your homes has come as a shock--even a bitter blow. You have come through, you are passing through, an ordeal. Of course, you are not passing through any greater ordeal endured by people all over the world, but it is a bitter and shocking ordeal.

As I watched the decisions being made--the decisions that there must be this removal of our Japanese people from the Pacific coast, I could not dispute the practical necessity of it. Probably, it was an inevitable thing. None the less, it was action, which, in the nature of it, was loaded with injustice. Thousands and thousands of deep, bitter, individual injustice had to be done and was done in this removal, although, I imagine you agree that it was inescapable by then.

It came about that the organization, of which I am the chief, was requested to administer this, which is the largest of the Relocation Centers, the largest of the colonies.

We agreed to accept the responsibility upon a clear and written understanding that the Administrative authority here would be in us. By which, I mean, in the Department of the Interior, in Secretary Harold Ickes and me. That was because we were determined that if we became involved in this resettlement work, if we became responsible for it, we were determined to carry out certain philosophies and certain principles of motion.

I shall tell you what those philosophies and principles are in a moment. I shall also guard my statement by saying that we are not in a position to do just anything we want to do. What we do here, we will collaborate with you in doing. It will be done within a nation engaged in what is actually a life and death war. It will be done in a great population which in increasingly possessed of war psychology--necessary and desirable that it is that way.

Whatever we do here is within the bounding control of the Army and of the War Relocation Authority. Both of those entities, the Western Division of the Army and the War Relocation Authority have shown that they are broadminded, socially minded and free toward you. Nevertheless, our thinking may not be identical with theirs at every point. In talking to you tonight, I can only do so as if I were speaking to one or two of you. It is because of what is in my mind--in my heart. It is because what I think and feel is what the Secretary of the Interior thinks and feels, and what the whole personnel of the Office of Indian Affairs think and feel, it may have an interest for you.

Here you are, 7500 in number. Tomorrow or the next day five hundred more will come, and groups of five hundred will follow rapidly. Before long there will be 20,000 here. And that number may be increased to 30,000 later. Here in the middle of the huge Mojave Desert area, at the moment of greatest heat, and with a hot season still three months ahead, you have come, most of you to stay here for probably a good while to come. It is anybody's guess, but the best opinion, I am able to make a contact with, does not look for this war to come to an end soon. It thinks in terms of several years of warfare before the peace. And when the peace comes, it is very likely that there will be an interim period--not a sudden, hurriedly improvised peace arrangement such as was represented by the catastrophe of the Treaty of Versailles of the last war. Peace, itself, may require a period of time up to years. It is probable that you here will be looking forward to four, five, or six years of life in this place. A period of life long enough for your children to have had, during that time, nearly all of the experiences for developing character, personality, and bent in life for all the years thereafter. Some of you middle-aged young people will be in your earlier middle age and many older people will end their lives in this colony.

We, who are here to work with you and serve you, will gear our thoughts to that sort of opportunity--to a quasi-permanent setup which might not go on for five or six years, but which should be treated and developed as though it were to go on that long.

We see you gathered here, bringing with you almost every type of occupational ability. People from the country and people from the cities, and people from towns between the country and the cities. People from industries, from mercantile enterprises, from proprietary farming to tenant farming. People unlearned in books and people deeply learned in books and science. Almost the whole range of American life, in its experience and in its equipment, is going to be represented by you who are permanently of us. Fundamentally, we are one people. You are here among us for all time. You will be a growing population here among us in your country.

Here you are assembled, 20,000 or 30,000 of you, uprooted from what you have been dong, from where you have been living and brought together in this huge settlement.

We realize that what can eventuate under these circumstances, in a place like this, could under wrong methods be a very destroying, agonizing, a permanently embittering experience. It could be that. But we are equally certain that if the job here be handled in the right way with the right spirit, then there can come about, here in this Colorado River Colony, a kind and a degree of positive happiness that will be far out and beyond the happiness and experience of most Caucasian communities all over this country.

Our job is to work with you toward making this place a truly happy place where individuals and families will be giving themselves utterly to the community and winning a reward of inward power and inward joy.--Greater than anything external in the whole world.

Now to be more specific. From Wade Head, through all the others, the hope is to help you in the capacity of just doing that--helping you work out your own arrangement here, you own system of human relations, your own municipal government, you own economic enterprise. Our people are not here to tell you how to do these things. Still less to do these things for you. You are here due to a chain of circumstances over which you had not the faintest control. Circumstances due to change all over the world. You are here in the capacity of full citizens of the American commonwealth. Being here in that capacity, it is for you to determine your own fashion of life, you own methods of cooperative action, to make you own life. And our function here is to facilitate your action in any way that we can and then to protect your liberties in so far as we have power. When I say protect your liberties, I mean your liberties--all those liberties as citizens of the United States.

I have to go a little further to convey, not to all of you, but to some of you, what we hope might in retrospect two to five years hence in the future, have meaning. We in this country join with the people of England, the people of Australia, with the Free French, China, etc., in asserting that Democracy is the right way of life. We are waging a war for Democracy. The war is going to be won. There is not the slightest doubt. But when we look around within our own country, whether it be on a national or local scale, we do not find that Democracy had been achieved. It has not been achieved in any of these countries and certainly not in the United States. Our Democracy is an imperfect, embryonic institution as yet.

Democracy means this--that all of the functions of citizens, not only the political functions but also the economic functions, and the social relationships are so organized and carried on that every human being, as he comes up through the years of his childhood, could participate with increased activity in the dominant functions of society. Democracy means that everybody takes an active responsibility.

Life in a Democracy, where we merely enjoy certain privileges such as guarantee of the Bill of Rights, is not a very inspiring thing as compared to the quality of life and challenging experiences in a through and through democracy where the whole local community unites in mutual service and in service to the great society. The outcome of this whole, awful world struggle--this awful travail that has the whole world in its grip--the ultimate outcome of the struggle will be determined, not on the battle field, but in this area of which I speak--whether or not the nations will be moved from behind the mere shadow--the pale promise of democracy and march into creative life which makes real Democracy. Unless we do this, and unless all the countries do this, any peace established will be merely an interlude-a breathing space until the next war.

You are in the middle of a tragedy. You have come through shock, tragedy, and great loss into a situation where the measure of your happiness is determined by your ability to endure what is ahead of you, by your ability to join hands in mutual aid and common enterprise of a useful and helpful nature.

If you come through with flying colors, you will have produced within five years a social demonstration. A demonstration, politically, economically, and socially of a very challenging nature--of a very inspiring and illuminating and challenging nature which will be thrown out to the United States and the whole world. That can be, and there is every indication that it is going to take place here--a flowering of mutuality, of teamwork, of cooperative thinking and cooperative work, and of cooperative education, which may, and I think will, make this community something which five years from now, will be in term of social history twenty-five years ahead of the State of Arizona, of the State of California, and of the bulk of the United States. If it can be done that way, anything that you are doing now will be for a brief moment because such results for post war solutions will be enormous. Anyone in this room will gladly give his life now if could be sure that there will be an emergence of happy humanity out of the present agony and horror.

In this community of yours, you (we) will be not only gaining for yourselves satisfaction, and power, and fame, but will be rendering to this country and to the other countries, including Japan, a momentous sociological human service, lasting peace and a happy humanity. These things are within your power to do and to have. I am moved because thing are happening in that direction. Our own personnel is moved in that way. I am not only speaking my own thought but just as much that of Wade Head's thoughts, Nell Findley's, and those of all the others on the staff of this project.

I am speaking of one more thing. I am satisfied in my own mind, and we of the Government are satisfied that this colony, as the months go on, is going to provide a democracy of the efficiency and the splendor of cooperative living. It is going to provide that for the advantage of the country. That is our belief, and it is our purpose. Believing that, we are also greatly concerned that the development of this great social experiment shall be recorded as it goes ahead. We are very much concerned that we and you shall know what is happening as it unrolls so that we can draw individual, economic, and sociological conclusions by the results obtained here.

With that thought in mind, some three or four weeks ago, I went to see Admiral McIntire, President Roosevelt's personal physician and liaison officer of the Navy. I gave my thought of what should happen here--a scientific record of what is occurring. I found that Mr. McIntire was already thinking the same thoughts. He got the Navy to detail one of its scientists, Dr. Alexander Leighton, allowing him to come down to Parker to make an adequate scientific record of the whole experience in Parker colony. Dr. Leighton is a member of the staff of John Hopkins Medical School--a scientist and sociologist with whom we have had occasion to do work in the past, and profoundly impressed with his human attitude and profundity as a thinker. Dr. Leighton will be here in the capacity of Director of Public Health. He will make studies in order that the whole world will read when the scientific record is done.

Source: http://azmemory.lib.az.us/cgi-bin/showfile.exe?CISOROOT=/ahfreloc&CISOPTR=93&filename=39.pdf

The Voice of the Nisei message

2011-09-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

This is an English translation of the item "Handbill with List of Demands by the Voice of Nisei" (ARC Identifier 2641503) that was posted at the Colorado River Relocation Center in Poston, Arizona. (circa 1944)

TO THE GENTLEMEN OF 17 YEARS TO 38 YEARS OF AGE

As you know fellow Americans, at last they did recognize and realize that we are Americans. We are going to be drafted soon, just like an American outside enjoying the freedom and liberty. But, don't you think they should reconsider the steps that they had taken?

As we believe that Mr. Roosevelt's speech at the Congress was not merely an excuse to draft us to soldier's and die in vain, we are demanding the following as an American Citizen:

(1) Personal apology from Gen Dewitt regarding his statement "Jap is Jap" and be expelled from his office. We also want apology from Major Bowron and Gov. Warren, and American Legion of Cal.

(2) Freedom, Rights and Privilege should not be denied in California, militarily, economically, and politically.

(3) Open the barb-wire and withdraw the Guard-duty of M.P.

(4) Such signs as "No Jap," "You Rat", "No Orientals or Colored admitted" and etc. which were familiar in California, must be taken down throughout the U.S.A.

(5) No discrimination upon Japanese securing occupations.

(6) Every opportunity must be given to the Japanese soldier for advancement in the Air Corps, in the Army, and in the Marine Corps.

(7) Japanese soldier must be mixed with other Caucasian soldier to fight side by side.

VOICE OF NISEI

John Collier vs Dillon Myer

2011-09-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

On 18 March 1942, President Roosevelt created the War Relocation Authority (WRA) and appointed Milton Eisenhower, a minor official in the in the Department of Agriculture, as its director. Earlier that year, Vice President Henry Wallace had recommended at a cabinet meeting that President Roosevelt appoint John Collier director of the War Relocation Authority, in charge of the Japanese-American internment, "because of his expertise in community living". (1)

Collier was Roosevelt's Commissioner of Indian Affairs. When Roosevelt appointed Milton Eisenhower instead of Collier, Collier was placed in charge of 20,000 Japanese-American inmates incarcerated at the Colorado River Indian reservation near Poston, Arizona. Eventually Collier had a falling out with Eisenhower's successor, Dillon Myer, who became director of WRA on 17 June 1942. Myer envisioned the eventual dispersal of all Japanese-American prisoners throughout America to prevent their return to the "Little Tokyos" on the West Coast. (2)

Colier had his own plans to use the Japanese-Americans at Poston in "social experiments." They were to convert 25,000 acres of land into productive farm land that would produce surplus food to feed American troops. Collier told the internees that this experiment in communal living could raise their morale and restore their faith in democracy, and at the same time it would demonstrate to other Americans "the efficiency and splendor of the cooperative way of living". (3)

On another level, Collier envisioned Poston becoming a "social science research laboratory, which might yield "scientific results" which could then be applied to "American administration of former Japanese islands in the Pacific Ocean." (4)

Primary source: Francis Feeley. The Idealogical Uses of JAs in US Concentration Camps".

Available at: http://www.paradigme.com/sources/SOURCES-PDF/Pages%20de%20Sources04-1-3.pdf

References cited:

1. Kenneth Philip. John Collier's Crusade for Indian Reform. (Tucson, AZ., 1977) pp. 208-209.

2. Ibid., p. 209.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

Planning Before the Evacuation Orders

2011-09-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

"As of February 25, 1942, Thomas D. Campbell, a top expert in the Department of Agriculture, had written a letter to Assistant Secretary of War, John J. McCloy encouraging mass evacuation and the use of West Coast Japanese for their "farming wizardry."

The Japanese-Americans, he argued, should not be allowed to live "near any factory, dock, warehouse, public utility, railroad, bridge or reservoir."

He recommended to the Assistant Secretary of War that the Japanese-Americans be used as "seasonal migratory harvesters in sugar beets, cotton, and perishable crops."

Source: Francis Feeley. Francis. The Idealogical Uses of Japanese Americans in U.S. Concentration Camps". See page 53 "Economic Uses", available at: http://www.paradigme.com/sources/SOURCES-PDF/Pages%20de%20Sources04-1-3.pdf

Industry & Manufacturing Mtg Minutes 9/12/1942

2011-07-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

Industry Minutes of the Industry & Manufacturing Meeting

September 12, 1942

Meeting of the Industry and manufacture group held at Block 310 Dining Hall on Saturday, September 12, 1942. The meeting was called to order by Gerald S. Wumino at 8:30 P.M. Mr. Wumino introduced Mr. Susumu Togasaki who acted as chairman for the evening.

"Mr. Burge and Mr. Wumino asked me to explain the industry and manufacture program to you. The main idea of the industry and manufacture is the production of subsistence products, such as tofu, miso, shoyu, moyashi (bean sprouts) noodles within the camp. Other manufactures, production for use, to be considered as possible, are pottery and earthenware, furniture, woodcraft, artistic handicrafts charcoal, home factory products, toys, textile weaving and of course the camouflage net factory. I wish to open this meeting for discussion, ideas, and experiences from all of you and would appreciate your cooperation. This department should be considered a community project not only to produce food and goods, but also as one outlet guiding and encouraging the inhabitants to constructively contribute to the improvement and progress of Poston 3."

Permission had already been given through Mr. Stults to manufacture tofu in Poston 3 and expectations are that such work will begin about the end of September or possibly at early part of October.

The point brought to the attention of the meeting is that industry and manufacture cannot expect to make products which would compete with commercial firms outside of this camp. Due to scarcity of materials for certain types of manufacture, we must use what is on hand.

Although the prevailing salary scale of $12.00, $16.00 and $19.00 per month would enable us to compete with outside commercial firms, political expediency dooms this type of enterprise. Instead it is more important to bear in mind that industry and manufacture in Poston 3 for the benefit of the community would be more practical and fruitful

Mr. T. Teruoka, head of the Art Department, stated that Mr. J. Ocllier make the suggestion that Japanese at Poston be given the opportunity to make various handicraft manufactures, such as potteries, weaving, wood-carving, and others. The Smithsonian Institute has a special fund which might be available for the manufacture of such articles. He wished to announce that Mr. Shirazawa of the Adult Education wishes to hold a Fair about the middle of September in which entries will be of various products made by the residents of Poston.

Mr. K. Harada raised the question: "I would like to know what is to happen to the manufactured pottery and handicraft. Can they be sold in any way?" The W.R.A. will sell such manufactured goods and would like to have the community we the funds for various beneficial activities, such as for recreation and other projects.

Mr. Yutani: "I find that working with mesquite in making small curios and handicrafts, there is not much need for tools and equipment of which there is a great shortage at the present time. There is also a possibility of using some of the waste wood for making charcoal."

Mr. Z. Ota: "I feel that more wages would be the best incentive toward better production of goods. Also better wages would help a great deal toward the purchasing of tools and equipment necessary for production."

QUESTION: Is it permissible to cut mesquite trees?

According to Mr. Wumino, permission is not granted as yet to cut mesquite trees until a survey has been completed. It has been decided that 150 ft. of mesquite border will be left around the camp site to act as windbreak and also as park when the trees have been trimmed and the dead and unnecessary underbrush cleared away.

QUESTION: How would the camp benefit by manufacturing such food products as shoyu, tofu, miso and others, when the army can purchase such goods for us?

The army is paying at prevailing market price for such goods, and even if purchased in large quantities, the manufactured goods by ourselves in camp would be of less cost. Therefore, if we can manufacture such foodstuffs at less cost, we would benefit greatly in that only a certain allocated sum is allowed for food per person. For example if tofu cost the army 5¢ per person, and we can manufacture for 4¢ per person, then we would benefit 1¢ and thus be able to obtain that much additional allowance for other foodstuffs upon the suggestion of the administration.

It was decided at this meeting that industry and manufacturing group is to have one chairman, one vice-chairman, and 6 assistant chairman to supervise, carry on and to administer various projects relative to subsistence and production for use. It is understood that this committee is on a temporary basis. Mr. Susumu Togasaki has been elected by the various members to act as temporary chairman for the Industry and Manufacturing projects in Poston 3. Mr. Togasaki is to select a committee of 6 members and to submit such names to the group for approval at the next meeting.

The meeting was then adjourned.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

There will be a meeting of the Agricultural group, Tuesday, September 15 at Block 310 Dining Hall at 8:30 P.M. subject to change or postponement.

INDUSTRY AND MANUFACTURE SUGGESTIONS

"Hardwood" furniture from mesquites
Pottery and earthenware
Subsistence products--tofu, miso, shoyu, udon, moyashi, char shu, tsukemono, etc.
Woodcraft and artistic carvings
Toys
Weaving and handiwork
Charcoal
Novelty ornaments

I. SUBSISTENCE GOODS

Tofu
Miso
Shoyu
Bean Sprouts
Noodles Soba
Tsukemono

II. DURABLE GOODS

Coolers
Household Furniture
Office Furniture

III. MANUFACTURING FOR RECREATIONAL USE

Playground Equipment
Slides
Swing
Sand box
Trapeze

IV. MANUFACTURING OF WAR PRODUCTION GOODS

Charcoal

V. MANUFACTURING FOR RELOCATION CENTER EXCHANGE

Pottery
Earthenware
Wood carvings
Toys
Chopsticks
Novelty Ornaments
Weaving
Hardwood ware

VI. ACCOUNTING & DISTRIBUTION

Cost Accounting
Distribution of Foodstuff
Distribution of Recreational Equipment

PERSONS AT INDUSTRY & MANUFACTURING MEETING

E. Matsumura 307-9-A Toy Industry
T. Yutani 326-13-A Industry & Manufacturing
M. Harada 316-14-A Industry & Manufacturing
R. T. Hara 309-4-B Tofu Manufacture
H. Iwata 307-3-A Industry & Manufacturing
S. Togasaki 307-5-A Industry & Manufacturing
T. Tsuruoka, Advisor 308-9-B Handicraft
Ben Yamaguchi 326-8-D Industry--Noodles, etc.
Sam Uyeno 309-9-B Block printing---Farming
Mr. Arikawa 307-4-D Industry& Manufacturing
Leslie Abe 330-13-A Industry
Sam Rokutani 308-6-D Accounting
Moto Asakawa 330-14-B Industry Management & Manufacturing
Otokichi Kushino 330-9-D Agriculture
Reo Abe 309-1-B Farming
Y. Kobayashi 309-2-C Farming
K. Shiba 309-12-A Farming
K. Togioka 309-2-D Farming
G. Morikawa 309-13-H Farming
N. Kawaguchi 309-5-D Farming
D. Uyeno 309-9-B Farming
S. Fuchiwaki 316-14-F Observer---Farming
H. Kiritani 309-1-A Farming
E. T. Takahashi 309-3-B Farming
Z. Ota 309-14-D Farming
S. Shiba 309-9-D Farming
M. Kadsmam (?) 306-6-_ Farming
G. Rokutani 308-6-D Observer
K. Suyemoto 309-8-D Farming
K. Yamane 309-8-A Nurseries
H. Fujimoto 309-2-A Farming
T. Sekishiro 309-2-B Farming
E. Endo 309-3-A Farming
K. Watanabe 309-3-A Farming
G. Shiozaki 309-9-A Farming
T. Umeda 309-12-D Farming
J. Fujimoto 309-2-A Farming
B. Sekishiro 309-2-B Farming

* Persons misunderstood announcement. Farm group were present at this meeting.

"Porter Please" Show

2011-06-16T23:32:00.000-07:00

Written and Produced

MASQUERADERS--

Hospital Auditorium

December 10-11, 1943

8 o'clock

PROGRAM

SCENE I
Parker, Arizona

"Moonlight On The River Colorado"

Quintet- Pauline Takahashi, Tomiko Fukuda, Rita Otsuki,

Mary Nagata, and Chizuko Akiyama

Quartet- Kaye Kokubun, Haruto Shimizu,
Yasuo Yoshida, and Edwin Hiroto

SCENE II

Nogales, Arizona

Spanish Dance...Mitsey Ohye

Spanish Songs and Dance...Chiyeko Sato, Misao Nimura, Rinko Fujimi, Kazue Abe, Kazuko Sato, Terry Masuda, Haruko Kobashi, Peggy Tanaka, Yayeko Baba, Yayeko Hosokawa, Rose Yamada, and Ruby Yoshida.

SCENE III

Albuqerque, New Mexico

"Indian Love Call"
Duet....Kaye Kokubun, and Kay Awaya.

Indian Dance...Haruko Fujii, Kaz Kawanuma, Yas Yoshida, and Willie Manada

Indian Squaws...Mary Tanaka, and Yayeko Sawabe

SCENE IV
Fort Worth, Texas

"Pistol Packin' Mama"

"Home On The Range"

Quartet....Kaye Kokubun, Edwin Hiroto, Haruto Shimizu, and Yas Yoshida.

Cowboy Dance.

SCENE V
Arkansas

Arkansas Traveler...Haruto Shimizu

SCENE VI
Chicago, Illinois

Ballroom Dancing...Yas Yoshida, and Yuriko Morikawa

SCENE VII

Mobile, Alabama

"Old Back Joe"....Lily Endo, Terry Masuda

Skit......Haruto Shimizu, Edwin Hiroto

SCENE VIII

Miami, Florida

Hula.......Sally Maeda

Duet.......Terry Masuda, Lily Endo

SCENE IX
Richmond, Virginia

"Carry Me Back To Ole Virginia"

Quintet...Pauline Takahashi, Tomiko Fukuda,
Rita Otsuki, Mary Nagata,
Chizuko Akiyama.

"Paper Doll"....Terry Masuda, Lily Endo

SCENE X
Boston, Massachusetts

"Billy Boy-"Virginia Reel"

Quintet-Pasuline Takahashi, Tomiko Fukuda,
Chizuko Akiyama, Mary Nagata, Rita Otsuki

Quartet-Kaye Kokubun, Edwin Hiroto,
Haruto Shimizu, Yas Yoshida

SCENE XI
New York

Jitterbug.....Haruko Fujii, Willie Manaka,
Kaz Kawanuma, Yas Yoshida

"Put Your Arms Around Me".....
Terry Masuda, Lily Endo

Tap Dance..... Terry Masuda, Lily Endo

SCENE X
Washington, D.C.

Finale.....Entire Cast

******************************

Tom....Gene Takahashi

Betty...Ruth Anne Yamaguchi

Porters...Roy Otsuka

George Yamaguchi

*****************************

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Make-Up....Toshi Sato, Linda Sakai, Judy Nosaka

Stage Crew....Takeo Ushiyama, Joe Sugiura,
Joe Murakami, Jimmy Sakai, Richard Shindo,
Yoshiaki Tsugimoto, Kiyoshi Shoda, Peter Hayashi,

Ushers...Mie Nagareda, Aiko Oku, Yoshiko Yokota,
Toshiko Kawai, Etsuko Kikumoto, Toshiko Nakamura,
Helen Ito, Nobuko Suzuki, Kimiko Okanishi,
Reiko Tamura, Nancy Sakamoto, Ruby Tamura.

Miss Geilser's Art Class for the stage sets;

Mr. Anderson and Mr. Sugita, and
Construction Workers for the stage;

Mr. Anderson, Mr. Schultz for the lights;

Miss Geisler, Mr. Tomi and Taffee Tanimoto,
and Mr. Robert Montgomery for the music;

Hospital for the Auditorium;

Christian Church for the Chairs and Curtains;

Mr. Tad Ochiai and Mr. Ben Sanematsu.

Publicity Chairman....Bernice Setsuda

Ticket Chairman.....Miyoko Sunago

Program Chairman....Frances Nishioka

*************

Bureau of Sociological Research (BSR)

2011-06-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

After the War Relocation Authority (WRA) was established, Director Dillon Myer hired John Provinse, an anthropologist, as Chief of Community Management in Washington D.C. He was the first (of 21) anthropologists employed by the WRA to research the internment camp life and help advise the camp administrators.

Poston Community Analysts

The Community Analysts were instructed to study the "causes of resistance" to the camp administration. The Community Analysts who were at Poston:

1. Lieutenant Commander Alexander H. Leighton, Medical Corps, USNR. In August 1942, Lt Cmdr Alexander H. Leighton, consultant with the Indian Personality and Research Project, headed a laboratory, which was established at the Bureau of Sociological Research.

He recruited 2 anthropologists, Spicer and Colson, and 15 Japanese Americans, and conducted research on the life within the Poston internment camp. Up until 1945, he was employed as a Special Research Physician for the U.S. Indian Service. In 1945, he worked as a Social Science Analyst for the U.S. Office of War Information. His book, "The Governing of Men", 1945 is based on his research at the Poston, Arizona internment camp.

2. Edward Holland Spicer. In 1942, he began work as a Community Analyst at the Poston, Arizona internment camp. He taught introduction to anthropology to the interested internees. In 1943, became Head of the Community Analysis Section of the War Relocation Authority, and moved to Washington, D.C.

3. Elizabeth Colson. From November 1942- September, 1943, she was an Assistant Social Science Analyst, for the War Relocation Authority on the relocation and the internee response at Poston, Arizona.

4. David Heath French and his wife, Katherine (Story) French, served as Relocation Advisers and Community Analysts with the War Relocation Authority, monitoring the conditions at the Japanese internment camps as part of a program to relieve abuses.

The Japanese American Evacuation and Resettlement Study (JERS)

The Japanese American Evacuation and Resettlement Study (JERS) was established at the University of California, Berkeley in early 1942 and was directed by Dorothy Swaine Thomas. JERS monitored the sociological, political, economic, and legal issues of the forced mass relocation. The internees who were hired documented their own and others' experiences, and reported on certain events and everyday life during the stay in the assembly and relocation centers. The extensive reports about camp life was recorded in journals, diaries, and field reports. In addition, the internees compiled case histories, conducted interviews with other internees and the WRA staff, studied group behavior, and performed statistical surveys.

The JERS staff workers at Poston were:

1. Tamie Tsuchiyama, UC Berkeley doctorate student, who agreed to join the mainlanders evacuated to Poston block 31. The authorities had prior notice that she was a JERS researcher, officially employed by the University of California, Berkeley.

NOTE: For more information on TamieTsuchiyama, visit:

<http://postoninterneeobituaries.blogspot.com/2011/06/tamie-tsuchiyama-581915-5141984.html>

2. Richard S. Nishimoto, a bi-lingual Issei educated at Stanford University, who was interned with his family at Poston block 45-2-C. Initially, he worked with JERS as an assistant to Tamie Tsuchiyama, and about 6 months later, his assignment was enlarged by JERS director, Dorothy S. Thomas.

NOTE: For more detailed information about Richard S. Nishimoto, visit:

<http://postoninterneeobituaries.blogspot.com/2011/06/richard-shigeaki-nishimoto-1904-1956.html>

Other (internee) employees: Tom Sasaki, Chica Sugino, Hisako Fujii, Misao Furuta, Iwao Ishino, Mary Kinoshita, June Kushino, Yoshiharu Matsumoto, Florence Mohri, Akiko Nishimoto, Jyuichi Sato, James Sera, Gene Sogioka, George Yamaguchi, Toshio Yatsushiro, and Kazue Uyeno.

Consultants:

1. Conrad M. Arensberg. He spent one month in the Poston internment camp community conducting field work, with most of the time spent with various council members.

2. Laura Thompson, financial consultant to the community analysts.

3. Henry W. Smith, fiscal officer.

Sources:

1. Starn, Orin. Engineering Internment: Anthropologists and the War Relocation Authority. American Ethnologist, Vol. 13, No. 4. (Nov., 1986), pp. 700-720. Available at: http://www.little-yeti.com/violence/readings/Engineering%20Internment%20-%20Anthropologists%20and%20the%20War%20Relocation%20Authority.pdf

2. http://cdn.calisphere.org/data/13030/kh/tf5j49n8kh/files/tf5j49n8kh.pdf

3. Niiya, Brian. Japanese American history: an A-to-Z reference from 1868 to the present.

4. Hirabayashi, Lane Ryo, editor. Inside an American Concentration Camp: Japanese American Resistance at. Poston, Arizona. Richard S. Nishimoto. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press. 1995.

California Govenor Earl Warren's Memoirs

2011-05-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

From The Journal of Historical Review, Spring 1980 (Vol. 16, No. 1)

(Slightly revised, August 2010)¹

A liberal Republican, Earl Warren was elected California Attorney General in 1938^{. 3} As Attorney General of California, he cultivated the popular racist feeling in an apparent effort to further his political career. He was an outstanding member of the xenophobia "Native Sons of the Golden West," an organization dedicated to keeping California "as it has always been and God Himself intended it shall always be -- the White Man's Paradise." The "Native Sons" worked "to save California from the yellow-Jap peaceful invaders and their White-Jap co-conspirators."¹

In February 1942, Earl Warren testified before a special Congressional committee on the Japanese question. He would be running for Governor of California that year, and would be elected. Warren testified, falsely, that the Japanese had "infiltrated themselves into every strategic spot in our coastal and valley counties." In one of the most amazing feats of logic ever performed by a lawyer, Warren next claimed that the very fact that no Japanese had so far committed any disloyal act was proof that they intended to do so in the future.¹ Earl Warren played to popular racism to further his political career^{. 2}

California Governor Earl Warren

Though he helped to modernize the office during his term as Governor of California, Warren's record was tarnished by the fact that he was a key player in the demand that people of Japanese ancestry be removed from the West Coast during World War II. Warren and others justified their actions by insisting that it was a matter of national security, and that California was vulnerable to Japanese spies^{. 1}Later, when the government began to release Japanese whose loyalty was above suspicion, Governor Warren protested that every citizen so released had to be kept out of California as a potential saboteur.¹

Thousands of Japanese Americans lost their property and businesses, and were moved to concentration camps for the remainder of the war. Warren defended his actions throughout his public career, but in retirement, he admitted the relocation was a terrible mistake based on unsubstantiated fears^.2,3

The Unacknowledged Lesson: Earl Warren and the Japanese Relocation Controversy⁴

The Virginia Quarterly Review, Autumn 1979.

Essay by G. Edward White

... In 1971 Earl Warren , having retired as chief justice of the Supreme Court two years earlier, began writing his memoirs. I was a law clerk to Warren at the time, and he asked for my reactions to drafts of the memoirs as they were prepared. Warren's memoirs, anonymously edited, eventually were published in 1977, three years after his death. For the most part, they were the conventional reminiscences of a public figure. Warren revealed almost no information that was not already available, and in some instances, such as his account of the Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the famous 1954 case invalidating racial segregation in the public schools, he gave a less than full description of events....

...One episode of Warren's career, however, received significant, although sparse, attention in his memoirs—the Japanese relocation decision. Warren said that he had "since deeply regretted the removal order and my own testimony advocating it, because it was not in keeping with our American concept of freedom and the rights of citizens." He then articulated his guilt feelings in terms that, for a father of six and a devoted family man, were vividly personal: "Whenever I thought of the innocent little children who were torn from home, school friends, and congenial surroundings, I was conscience stricken." On reflection, Warren believed that "[i]t was wrong to react so impulsively, without positive evidence of disloyalty. . . ."⁴

Sources:

1. http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v02/v02p-45_Weber.html

2. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3834.html

3.http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=980a224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD

4. http://www.vqronline.org/articles/1979/autumn/white-unacknowledged-lesson/

Albert Einstein's Letter to President Roosevelt 1939

2011-05-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

[Click on the letter 2 times to ENLARGE.]

This letter dated August 2, 1939, was personally delivered to the President on October 11, 1939 by Alexander Sachs, a longtime economic adviser to FDR.

Albert Einstein was acquainted with the Roosevelts and was internationally recognized for his expertise when wrote this letter telling the President about the dangers of a nuclear chain reaction bomb.

After reading the letter, President Roosevelt told his military adviser General Edwin M. Watson, “This requires action.” This later evolved into the "Manhattan Project".

Source: http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/pdfs/docsworldwar.pdf

Press Release: Executive Order 9066

2011-05-04T22:35:00.000-07:00

[Click on the document 2 times to ENLARGE.]

February 20, 1942. This press release contains the text of Executive Order 9066 which was issued on the day after Roosevelt signed the order.

Source: http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/pdfs/internment.pdf

Senator Kilgore's Letter to President Roosevelt 2/19/1942

2011-05-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

[Click on the letter 2 times to ENLARGE.]

February 19, 1942. Letter from Sen. Harley Kilgore, Democrat, member of the powerful Senate Committee on Military Affairs. Tells of the political pressure with the issue of Japanese-Americans on the West Coast.

The letter was received by the White House the day after Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066.

Source: http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/pdfs/internment.pdf

Attorney General's Memo to the President (Roosevelt) 2/17/1942

2011-05-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

February 17, 1942. Memorandum from Attorney General Biddle to President Roosevelt was Biddle’s last, best attempt to steer the President away from the massive, immediate evacuation and internment of Japanese-Americans being proposed by the military.
[Click on the memo 2 times to ENLARGE.]

In this memo, Biddle clearly tries to limit the Justice Department’s involvement in relocating American citizens, while at the same time warning Roosevelt not to bend to pressure from Congress and from the public outcry being created by outspoken columnists Walter Lippmann and Westbrook Pegler. Lipmmann had recently written that “Nobody’s constitutional rights include the right to reside and do business on a battlefield”, and in a widely read column, Pegler had declared “The Japanese in California should be under armed guard to the last man and woman right now, and to hell with habeus corpus until the danger is over.”

Source:

http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/pdfs/internment.pdf

Grace Tully, FDR's private secretary

2011-05-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

February 2, 1942 Memorandum to the President’s private secretary Grace Tully from Assistant to the Attorney General James H. Rowe, Jr. This memo warns the President of the growing public pressure and the constitutional issues involved.

[Click on the memo 2 times to ENLARGE.]
Source:http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/pdfs/internment.pdf

FBI REPORTS

2011-04-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

FBI SEATTLE 2-15-1942 4-45 PM KB

DIRECTOR

PEPE. RE ENEMY ALIEN CONTROL. THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY IS ECLUSIVE OF THE ORIGINAL APPREHENSIONS AND SEARCHES MADE IN CONNECTION WITH THE ORIGINAL CUSTODIAL DETENTION LIST. IT INCLUDES THOSE SEARCHES AND APPREHENSIONS CONDUCTED AND MADE AS AN OUTGROWTH OF INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINTS CONCERNING INDIVIDUAL ENEMY ALIENS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS CONSIDERED AS SUBVERSIVE AND ORGANIZED FOR THE BENEFIT OF A FOREIGN POWER AND TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE U.S. THESE FIGURES INCLUDE ALL ACTIVITIES IN THE OFFICES WITHIN THE WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND AND ARE CURRENT TO AND INCLUDING TWELVE O CLOCK NOON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15.

TOTAL JAPANESE RESIDENCES SEARCHED 1190

TOTAL ALIEN JAPANESE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY 813

TOTAL GERMAN RESIDENCES SEARCHED 99

TOTAL ALIEN GERMANS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY 79

TOTAL ITALIAN RESIDENCES SEARCHED 42

TOTAL ALIEN ITALIANS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY 18

GRAND TOTAL SEARCHES MADE 1331

ALL ALIENS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY DELIVERED TO THE IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE FOR FUTURE HEARINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING INSTRUCTIONS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FBI SAN FRANCISCO FEB. 17,1942 5-30 PM GWS

DIRECTOR

INSPECTOR GURNEA, SEATTLE

PIPE

ALIEN ENEMY CONTROL, INTERNAL SECURITY J. THE FOLLOWING JAPANESE ALIENS WERE APPREHENDED FEB. SIXTEEN, ON AUTHORITY OF US ATTORNEY.

KANICHI AATAO, SACRAMENTO, PRES. OF TOGO KAI, A MILITARY ORGANIZATION, ELDER IN THE BUDDHIST CHURCH, HAS CONTRIBUTED TO HEIMUSHA KAI, PURCHASED TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS JAPANESE GOVT. BONDS, MEMBER OF KENDO CLUB AND DIRECTOR JAPANESE ASSOC. MAS ITANO, SACRAMENTO, FOUND IN POSSESSION OF CAMERA, SHORT WAVE RADIO, PORTRAIT LENS, SPOT LIGHT AND BOOK OF INSTRUCTION ON WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY, MEMBER OF HEIMUSHA KAI. MASAE KITAGAWA, SACRAMENTO, RESIDED WITH ITANO AND HAD ACCESS TO ABOVE CONTRABAND. SUBJECT ALSO RESIDING WITH T. ODA AND HAD ACCESS TO TWENTY GAUGE SHOT GUN AND AMMUNITION, ALSO CAMERA AND SWORD. SUBJECT IS OFFICIAL OF NYK LINES AND ADMITTED IT TO BE SUBSIDIZED BY JAPANESE GOVT. IN INTERVIEW STATED THAT HE BEING CITIZEN OF JAPAN OWED ALLEGIANCE AND CERTAIN THINGS TO THAT GOVT. KIJU SATU, SACRAMENTO, SECTY. OF JAPANESE ASSOC., QUESTIONED AND INTERVIEW REVEAL SUBJECT VERY PRO JAPANESE AND LOYALTY TO US GOVT QUESTIONED. SHOEI ODA, RESERVE HF JWCER IN JAPANESE NAVY, MEMBER OF KANJA-KAI, NAVAL RESERVE ORGANIZATION AND HAD IN POSSESSION NUMEROUS PHOTOGRAPHS OF OTHER MEMBERS OF KANJA KAI. DOSABURO TAKEMOTO AND HIRONOSUKI MORIMOTO, SACRAMENTO, EQUIPMENT FOUND IN POSSESSION AT RESIDENCE OF BOTH, SIX CAMERAS, FIFTYONE ROLLS OF FILM, ONE FLASHLIGHT AND REFLECTOR, ONE CAMERA TRIPOD, FIFTY ROUNDS TWENTY TWO CALIBER AMUNITION, ONE TELEGRAPH KEY, THREE PAIRS BINOCULARS, NINETEEN FLASHLIGHTS, ONE HUNTING KNIFE. TAKAE HAMADA, SACRAMENTO, FOUND IN POSSESSION OF SIX SHOTGUN SHELLS AND ONE DAGGER, COLLECTOR FOR HEIMUSHA KAI AND DIRECTOR OF TOGO KAI. SUBJECTS LOYALTY TO U.S. QUESTIONED. ASIKI OKASAIKI, MILLS, CALIF., FOUND IN POSSESSION OF CAMERA, LANTERN, HEADLIGHT USABLE FOR SIGNALLING PURPOSES AND ONE LARGE KNIFE. TEITSUKE TAKSHOSHI, SACRAMENTO, FOUND IN POSSESSION OF FIVE REVOLVERS, SEVENTYONE ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION, TWO AERIAL BOMBS, THIRTEEN KNIVES, TWO SWORDS, A FENCING FOIL AND SIX MILITARY UNIFORMS. JIRO OKADA, SACRAMENTO, FOUND IN POSSESSION OF ONE HUNDRED TWO ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION, ONE PAIR BINOCULARS, LARGE KNIFE, DIRECTOR OF BUTOKU KAI, JAPANESE NAVAL ORGANIZATION, VERY PRO JAPANESE IN ATTITUDE. SEIGO TAKAI, RFD TWO, SACRAMENTO COUNTY, FOUND IN POSSESSION OF FIVE LARGE KNIVES, INSTRUCTOR FOR BUTOKA KAI, VERY PRO JAPANESE IN ATTITUDE. MANKI KUSAKABE, MILLS, CALIF., FOUND IN POSSESSION OF TWENTY TWO CALIBER REPEATING RIFLE. TOYOKICHI SADURADA, SACRAMENTO, STATED THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD HE FIGHT FOR U.S. AND WOULD DO NOTHING TO IMPEDE JAPANESE CONQUEST. ABOVE SUBJECTS BOOKED AT SACRAMENTO CITY JAIL ENROUTE TO I. AND N. SERVICE.

PIEPER

END ACK

WASH 8-42 PM OK FBI WASH DC MLS

The First Christmas

2011-04-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

7,000 POSTON CHILDREN IN YULETIDE REMEMBRANCE BY CHRISTIAN CHURCHES, JACL; GIFTS TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT BLOCK PARTIES TONITE, TOMORROW

The children will not be forgotten! With that as their Yuletide theme, the Christian Churches thruout the Nation have cooperated with the National Japanese American Citizens League in making Christmas, 1942, more merry and more memorable for approximately 7000 Poston children, as well as about 30,000 more in the other nine relocation centers.

According to Nell Findley, chief of the local Community Services, over 7,000 presents, many of them already beautifully wrapped, have been received from churches situated in the smallest villages to as large as Philadelphia, Pa., where the express charges ranges to as much as $208 for a single package.

"There won't be a child who will not be made happier," state Miss Findley yesterday as she revealed that the gifts are to be presented to "the tiniest tot to those who are 15 years old!" Every block is scheduled to sponsor a children's party either tonite or tomorrow evening.

It was disclosed that the packages "were not only beautifully wrapped but were also useful and practical," besides being accompanied with written messages of good cheer. "The gifts were sent with messages denoting of real appreciation of the Christmas spirit," said Miss Findley.

Source: Poston Chronicles, Vol. 8 No. 10, Thursday, December 24, 1942

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MCKINLEY HI SENDS $500 GIFT

LARGEST SINGLE CHRISTMAS GIFT IN POSTON RECEIVED BY THREE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS FROM 4,000 STUDENT OF HONOLULU HIGH SCHOOL.

Poston's largest single Christmas gift arrived late yesterday afternoon from the Student Body of the McKinley High School, Honolulu, T.H., in the form of a $500.00 check. The check was made out to the three Poston High Schools. In this liberal handshake of yuletide Cheer from across the ocean (Nell Findley, head of community services and formerly of Hawaii, "That's the meaning of aloha"), the wish was expressed that the $500 be spent for purchase of athletic equipment.

The gift was accompanied by a letter from Edward "Pop" Kendall to Miles Carey, Superintendent of the Poston schools. Mr. Carey was formerly principal of McKinley High School which has a student body of approximately 4,000.

Source: Poston II City News, Friday, December 25, 1942

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

Sunday School Classes of the Poston Christian Church will observe Christmas tonight with a program to be presented by the Intermediate and Young People's Classes. The Chairman for the night is Haruo Tashiro.

Prelude--Florence Wake

Hymn--O Come All Ye Faithful--Congregation

Invocation--Rev. Okimoto

Greetings--Rev. Asano

Scripture--Luke 2: 8-14--David Arata

Song--Joy To The World--Congregation

Christmas Skit--Intermediate Girls

Holy Night--Young People's Class

Song In Japanese--Adult Class

Guiding Star--Play by Intermediate Girls

Choir Selection-Crusaders

The Lost Carol--Play by Intermediate Sr. Boys and Girls

Benediction--Paul Nagano

Source: Poston Chronicles, Vol. 8 No. 10, Thursday, December 24, 1942

Q & A Asked By New Poston Residents

2011-04-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

OFFICIAL INFORMATION BULLETIN

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO ALL RESIDENTS

Information based on questions asked by Poston residents.

Q-Where can I post letters?

A-A temporary Post Office has been located in the block manager's office in Block 6.

Q-Is it possible to receive mail at the present time?

A-Mail is received via Parker and will be ready for distribution at 9:30 A.M. each day.

Q-Will there be a post office to each block?

A-This is not definite yet. There will be a central post office and provisions will be made to distribute mail as quickly as possible.

Q-I am from Riverside, Cal. My brothers and other members of my family will follow me here soon. Can I arrange for their quarters now?

A-No, we will make every attempt to locate you and all members of your family together when they arrive.

Q-What is the proper mail address for this camp?

A-Poston, Arizona. The name honors Charles D. Poston, pioneer Indian trader and hero of the old west and Arizona's first delegate to the congress of the United States.

Q-Can I subscribe to outside papers, San Francisco and Los Angeles, or any home town paper?

A-Yes, you may.

Q-I have a monthly income derived from property rentals and stocks and bonds. May I have that sent to camp?

A-Yes, for the time being, it is advisable to have that sent in cash until money order facilities are available.

Q-May I order mail such supplies as furniture, household goods or materials?

A-Yes, Provided none of the items are on the contraband lists.

Source: OFFICIAL INFORMATION BULLETIN, Relocation Center-Poston, Arizona, Thursday, May 14, 1942 Vol.1, No. 2

CBS Broadcast

2011-04-07T21:58:00.000-07:00

Chet Huntley (CBS) with W. Wade Head (Project Director)

Kay Nishimura with Chet Huntley (CBS)

Mrs Lyle Kurisaki with James Norris (WRA)

Chet Huntley (CBS) with Florence Mori

AMERICANS FROM COAST TO COAST WILL HEAR RADIO BROADCAST FROM POSTON THIS EVENING.

Community Leaders Will Speak to Nation Over CBS at 7:30

Millions of Americans residing from Maine to California, tonight, will hear through their radios how Issei and Nisei of Poston propose to conquer this section of the Arizona desert as their contribution to our War effort.

In a direct radio hookup to Los Angeles, Poston will occupy the second half of the official government program, "Report to America," in a coast-to-coast broadcast starting at 7:30 p.m. The first half of the program will be broadcast from Washington, D.C.

While colonists cannot attend the actual broadcast, owing to limitations of seating space in the Administrative Building, all are invited to tune-in to CBS Station KOY, Phoenix, or KNX, Los Angeles. KOY is located at 550 Kilo on your dial.

Source: Daily Bulletin, Tuesday, May 26, 1942

Camp Newspaper

2011-04-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

James Norris

Bulletin Office

The Official Information Bulletin in now located in Apt. 8-A, Block 36. Miss Ruth Ogawa is acting secretary to Mr. Norris James, Press Official. Miss Grace Watanabe is acting Chief of the Documentary Section, and Miss Rosie Nishimoto is Acting Chief of Production, with Mitchell Nakagawa as Superintendant of Mimeograph Section.

The Daily Bulletin is the predecessor of the Official Bulletin which will be issued shortly. Official items for the Bulletin should be delivered to the bulletin couriers or the bulletin office not later than 7:30 P.M. of the day prior to publication.

Due to the scarcity of mimeograph paper, the number of copies of the Daily Bulletin is limited, but few will be on hand in your Block Manager's office each morning.

Source: Daily Bulletin, Saturday, May 23, 1942

Post Office

2011-04-07T20:25:00.000-07:00

P.O. "Flooded" with Catalogs

Poston Post Office

Approximately 2,500 Sears-Roebuck and Montgomery-Ward catalogs have come into Poston, according to Erlon Gardner, head of the Poston Post Office. It was reported that anyone who purchases ten dollars or more of merchandise from either of these two firms automatically receives a book.
Source: Poston Chronicles 9/15/1942
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Air Coolers Available for Hot Postonians

The heat still bothering you? Interested in purchasing an air cooler? If so, the Parker Lumber and Supply Company is reported to have an estimated 350 air coolers on hand from the Sears, Roebuck Co.

According to James D. Crawford, administrator of Poston 2, the prices on the various types are as follows:

Fan type, 1250 model, $35.00; blower types, 2500 model, $90; 3500 model, $110; and 1800 model, $70.

Interested parties may contact Administrator Crawford, for further information.

Source: Poston Chronicles 9/15/1942

Golf in Poston

2011-04-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

Work Started on New Gold Driving Range

A new golf driving range was being arranged at the location in front of the main canteen of Poston III, it was disclosed yesterday by K. Fujinaka, head gold instructor.

The work on the driving range, which started Wednesday, is expected to continue for several days. Additional workers were sought by the Employment Office.

Source: 9/11/1942 Poston Chronicles

Senate Report: UnAmerican Activities

2011-04-06T23:58:00.000-07:00

Report of the Joint Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities in California

The Relocation Center at Poston
Committee representatives undertook to investigate reliable reports of Japanese evacuees coming into California across the Arizona border at Parker, Arizona, despite the order of General De Witt barring all persons of Japanese descent from most of the California area for the duration of the war. The only exception to this rule was by permission of the Army.
The War Relocation Center at Poston is near Parker, Arizona. The committee learned that parties of evacuees were in the habit of driving Government trucks and were observed on picnic parties at points from 14-22 miles from the center. It was not unusual for parties of evacuees, driving Government trucks from Poston, to visit cocktail lounges.

Large slabs of laminated rock covered with century-old Indian hieroglyphics, were pried loose with crowbars and hammers in the Arizona desert and transported to Poston for Japanese fish ponds.

     Parties of Japanese evacuees journeyed by Government truck to the town of Parker on shopping tours. Government trucks from Poston, driven by evacuees, came to Parker daily to pick up hundreds of railway-express packages at the platform of the Santa Fe railway station. The packages were taken back to the center and distributed to the addressees without inspection by the center authorities.
     Committee investigators met the trains that stop at the Santa Fe station at Parker and on several occasions took photographs of Japanese who were visiting friends in the Relocation Center. Japanese evacuees boarded the train at Parker and rode into California, either to points within the State or for destinations out of the State via some California junction point. The railroad followed a route on the California side through a large area of desert country where American tank forces were holding dress rehearsals for battle.
     The committee had been informed, prior to this investigation, that Japanese evacuees had been coming into California by walking across the sand-bars at a low point in the Colorado River.

The citizenry of Parker, Arizona, and witnesses on the California side of the river laughed when their report was repeated to them. The committee learned that the Japanese merely drove across the bridge from the Arizona side to the California side and made no attempt whatever to conceal their movements. They were never accompanied by civilian employees of the Relocation Center or by Caucasian guards.

Respectfully submitted.

Jack B. Tenney, Chairman
Hugh M. Burns
Nelson S. Dilworth
Jesse Randolph Kellems, Ph.D
Randal F. Dickey

Source: Senate Journal of April 16, 1945. Part of the Report of the Committee on Un-American Activities; "Japanese Problems in California"; published by the Senate of the State of California

Gardening

2011-04-06T23:23:00.000-07:00

Block Gardeners Get Flower Seeds

Residents will soon be able to inhale the beautiful scent of lowers, when all the Blk. gardeners get their seeds planted, given by the Agr. Dept. at the recent meeting.

Distributed flower seeds were Calendula, Gaillardia, Kochia, and Sweet Peas. They will bloom next spring.
Source: Poston Chronicles, September 9, 1942.

Flower photos:

Calendula

Gaillardia

Kochia

Water

2011-04-06T23:18:00.000-07:00

New Well Ready for Poston III

Drilling fresh water well

A 20-hour test Tuesday night proved Poston III's second well for domestic use to be an exceptionally fine one, producing 800 gallons per minute.

Although an analysis of the water was not available, the quality of the water was considered very good.

The new well is 260 feet deep with a pumping level fo 73 feet. A 14" casing was used, according to a foreman of the E. Brockman Drilling Constructor, which put in the well.

Source: Poston Chronicles September 10, 1942.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Violence Report

2011-04-06T23:06:00.000-07:00

There have been numerous acts of violence at the Colorado River Center, which are set out chronologically.

1943 Report

September 12, 1942

[Kay Nishimura] was attacked by an unknown group of 6 or 7 men. Several of Nishimura's friends were near the scene of the attack, which occurred at night, and intervened, and he escaped serious injury.

XXX formerly worked closely with the El Centro, California, Police Department, the Imperial County, California, Sheriff's Office, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service as an Interpreter, and for other Federal agencies.

October 17, 1942
      [XXX] was attacked by 3 men at 11:45 PM while walking to his barracks. XXX had incurred the ill will of a number of persons at Poston by virtue of his known desire to enlist in the United States Army and serve in the Japanese Language School at Fort Savage, Minnesota. XXX was warned through his parents that if he persisted in his desire to enlist, he should expect to be beaten up as it was coming to him.
      The United States Army has been interested in recruiting Japanese for the Japanese Language School at Fort Savage, Minnesota, and a number of rumors have persisted that all Japanese to enlist in the Army have been threatened with beatings.

October 18, 1942
      At about midnight on this date a group of men broke into the room of [Francis XXX] and proceeded to beat him up. XXX was hospitalized for 5 days.
     Reportedly XXX had taken some kind of correspondence work in criminology and had made numerous remarks that he was working for the Government. XXX was later released from the camp, and is now residing in Glendale, Arizona.

November 1, 1942
      XXX together with his wife and son, was attacked by 5 men who came to their barracks at night. XXX is a member of the American Legion and served in the United States Army during the last war. He was hit over the head by what was believed to have been a lead pipe, and was hospitalized for several days.

Kay Nishimura

XXX had been very active in the Department of Agriculture of the camp, was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Poston Community Enterprises, and had been exceedingly active in efforts to promote and carry out various work policies of the administration.

Source: Memorandum RE: War Relocation Authority-Riots, Strikes, and Disturbances in Japanese Relocation Centers. 1943.

Violence against Saburo Kido

2011-04-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

Saburo Kido

September 10, 1942
[Saburo Kido] of the Japanese-American Citizens League, was attacked by 5 assailants while en route to his home in Unit No. 2. He partially identified one of his assailants as XXX, a former Watsonville, California, high school athlete. XXX had been a member of the Poston Fire Department, and when questioned assumed full responsibility for beating up [Kido] and said that he had suggested the attack to 4 other Nisei.

Source: FBI Memorandum RE: War Relocation authority-Riots, Strikes, and Disturbances in Japanese Relocation Centers. 1943

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At Poston, National JACL President Saburo Kido was beaten a second time in retaliation for his role in advocating the opening the draft to the Nikkei. On the night of January 31, 1943, a group of 8 assailants carried out a well planned and coordinated attack on Kido. The attackers first wedged shut the doors of Kido's neighbors so that they could not assist him. They then removed the hinges from the door of the JACL President's quarters and stormed in. In front of his wife and child, Kido was beaten with wooden clubs so severely that he had to be hospitalized for 3 weeks.⁵³

In response to the attack, the Poston II police arrested 8 suspects who were later described by the Poston Chronicle, as "Kibei trouble-makers." Those involved in the assault were all residents of Camp II, and ranged in age from 18-37. George Inouye, James Tanaka, Tadao Hasegawa, Tetsuo Inokuchi, Mitsuto Kurimoto, Miyoshi Matsuda, Kataru Urabe and James Toya were all found guilty of the attack by the Poston Judicial Committee, and were removed to Yuma under provisions of WRA Administrative Instruction Number 34, to stand trial. All of the attackers, except for Urabe, pled guilty to the charge of assault with a deadly weapon. Receiving 4-year sentences the attackers served their time at the Arizona State Penitentiary at Florence.

The charges against Kataru Urabe were eventually dropped due to a lack of evidence. One of the major reasons Urabe was released was that the 41 year old Kido refused to testify against him or any other of his assailants claiming, "they were just mixed-up kids."

Sources: Hot Enough to Melt Iron. The San Diego Nikkei Experience 1942-1946

by Matthew T. and Donald H. Estes; 53. The Pacific Citizen, 4 February 1943, Salt Lake City, Utah. 54. Poston Chronicle, 2 and 4 February 1943; The Pacific Citizen, 4 February 1943, Salt Lake City, Utah; The Pacific Citizen, 12 December 1955, Los Angeles, California

Sugar Beets, Seasonal Work

2011-04-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

The Movement into the Beet Fields

..... the general pattern for the great majority of west coast people of Japanese descent in the spring of 1942 was one of closely controlled movement, first from their homes into assembly centers, and then into the barracks communities of the War Relocation Authority (WRA).

The first major break in this pattern came on May 13, (1942) when the WRA and the WCCA (Wartime Civilian Control Agency) acceded to the persistent demands of the sugar beet producers (following a suggestion directly from the White House) and agreed on a joint plan for permitting immediate recruitment of seasonal farm workers at the assembly centers. Under the plan, WRA undertook to handle negotiations with the employers while the WCCA assumed at least a nominal responsibility for keeping track of the evacuee workers and assuring their ultimate return to government control. This latter objective was accomplished without the use of troops by the somewhat ingenious devise of establishing each county of group of counties where the evacuees were to work as a restricted area under the term of Executive Order 9066 and forbidding any person of Japanese ancestry to leave the designated area without specific permission from WRA. These orders were enforceable under the provisions of Public Law 503. In addition, the WRA-WCCA agreement set forth 5 minimum requirements that had to be met before any employer's application for permission to recruit evacuee workers could be accepted: (1) payment of prevailing wages, (2) provision of adequate living quarters (without cost to the evacuee) at or near the place of employment, (3) assurances from State or local officials that law and order would be maintained, (4) provision of transportation for the workers from the center to the place of employment and back to the appropriate center, and (5) assurances that employment of the evacuees would not result in displacement of local labor.

Actual movement of evacuees into the beet fields started on May 21 (1942) when a small contingent of 15 somewhat uncertain recruits from the Portland Assembly Center arrived on farm lands controlled by Amalgamated Sugar Company near Nyssa, Oregon, in the extreme eastern part of the State. It extended through the rest of May and June, slacked off slightly in midsummer, and then was resumed and greatly intensified in preparation for the fall harvest. Altogether approximately 10,000 evacuees left WCCA or WRA centers during 1942 for seasonal agricultural work, principally in Idaho, Utah, Montana, Colorado, and eastern Oregon. Although many of them had occasional unpleasant experiences because of the widespread public misapprehensions regarding their status and a few actually ran into situations which appeared momentarily ominous, none reported suffering any bodily harm or any really serious difficulties. By conservative estimates, they probably saved enough beets to make nearly a quarter of a billion pounds of sugar.

Source: WRA. A Story of Human Conservation. U.S. Department of the Interior. J.A. Krug, Secretary. War Relocation Authority D.S. Myer, Director. 1946
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inspection Troupe Returns

A committee of 5 local men who spent 2 weeks studying the beet fields in Idaho and Montana returned Wednesday. They were Joe Matsushita, Tak Takeuchi, Mako Yamamoto, Jitsuo Fukuhara and George Fukunaga. The trip was sponsored by the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company.

Source: Poston Chronicle, Friday, Mar. 26, 1943

Camouflage Net Project memos

2011-04-05T23:29:00.000-07:00

Feb. 19, 1943

Dillon S. Myer
WRA
Barr Building
Washington, D.C.

Present Instructions requiring charges for subsistence of camouflage workers at rate of twenty-five dollars per month or six dollars for a week or a portion of a week works hardships in many cases. One worker who was granted indefinite leave had worked eight days and will be charged twelve dollars for subsistence.

Workers who become ill or enter military service after having worked part of a week will be penalized. Expect other similar cases. Is it satisfactory to require deductions of twelve dollars and fifty cents for semi monthly pay periods and deductions of one dollar for each day of periods less than half month. This proposal is acceptable to workers. Please reply at your earliest convenience.

Wade Head
Project Director

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft5c60062z/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

COLORADO RIVER WAR RELOCATION PROJECT
Temporary Community Council, Unit I
Law Department, Division I
Poston, Arizona

February 20, 1943

MEMORANDUM TO: Mr. John Stahl
2035 Bay Street
Los Angeles, California

Mr. Rosenbloom
Camouflage Factory

FROM: Franklyn S. Sugiyama, Chairman of TCC, I

SUBJECT: Payment of camouflage workers

This letter will authorize you to make payments to the camouflage workers on the following basis:

After deductions for subsistence, victory tax, social security, and other expenses are subtracted, you are to pay the individual worker 65% of the net proceeds. The remaining 35% of the worker's wages are to be paid by certified check to the order of `Franklyn Sugiyama, Community Council.'

The above-mentioned division of the worker's wages was presented in a regularly held assemblage of the councilmen. It was unanimously approved.

Very truly yours,
Franklyn S. Sugiyama, Chairman
Temporary Community Council, Unit I
APPROVED:
John Stahl
W. Wade Head, Head, Project Director

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft2d5nb08j/?brand=oac4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

INCOMING TELETYPE

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

FEBRUARY 22, 1943

WADE HEAD, WRA
COLORADO RIVER WAR RELOCATION CENTER

STATE DEPARTMENT REQUESTS INFORMATION ON WHETHER NON-CITIZENS EVACUEES ARE EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURE OF CAMOUFLAGE NETS. OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ONLY AMERICAN CITIZEN EVACUEES ARE SO EMPLOYED BUT WE DESIRE CONFIRMATION BY RETURN WIRE FROM YOU BEFORE REPLYING TO STATE DEPARTMENT

M E SCHEIDT
WRA WASHINGTON
GELVIN
KENNEDY

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft238nb0ps/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EMPLOYMENT DIVISION
COLORADO RIVER WAR RELOCATION PROJ.
POSTON, ARIZONA

FEBRUARY 23, 1943

MR. M. E. SCHEIDT
WAR RELOCATION AUTHORITY
BARR BUILDING
WASHINGTON, D. C.

ALL EMPLOYEES GARNISH NET FACTORY SIGN WRITTEN APPLICATION FOR POSITION STATING BIRTH PLACE. ALL APPLICATIONS CHECK AGAINST PROJECT RECORDS. YOU MAY ASSURE STATE DEPARTMENT NO ALIENS EMPLOYED ON GARNISH NET PROJECT.

W. WADE HEAD

PROJECT DIRECTOR
GOV'T. STRAIGHT WIRE
PREPAID
VRK:mk

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WAR RELOCATION AUTHORITY

Washington D.C
Mar. 15, 1943

Mr. Wade Head
Project Director
Colorado River Relocation Center
Poston, Arizona

Dear Mr. Head:

Your telegram of February 19 asks whether it would be satisfactory, in charging subsistence for workers employed on the net project, to require a deduction of $12.50 for each semi-monthly pay period and a deduction of $1.00 per day for each day of any lesser period.

The pay plan that we approved for use at Gila River provides for a deduction of $6.00 per week or fraction thereof for an employment period of less than a half-month. You cite instances in which evacuees leaving the project during the middle of a work week may be charged for more subsistence than they actually used. Persons becoming ill would also have their wages charged with subsistence for the entire work week although they may have worked only a few days.

We have no objection to your negotiating with the contractor and the workers in the manner you suggest, on the basis of a $1.00 per day charge. I should point out that bookkeeping may be more complicated and the removal of the subsistence charge except for days actually worked may encourage malingering. You are closer to the operations, however, and I shall accept your judgment in the matter.

When may we expect to receive the pay plan, agreement with the contractor, and other net project instrument,

Sincerely yours,
Director

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft4r29n90k/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GLASS
CAMOUFLAGE NET DIVISION
POSTON, ARIZONA

March 19, 1943

Mr. Wade Head, Project Director,
Colorado River Relocation Center
Poston, Arizona.

Dear Mr. Head:

Due to the method necessary to be used in making the calculations of the workers and due to the unusual distribution of the earnings, the process through which we must go to make out an individual check requires approximately 2 hours.

We will appreciate very much your cooperation in letting the workers know that it will be necessary to wait till the regular pay day for their checks unless it is an emergency or if they are leaving camp.

I am requesting, in case of necessity, that they furnish a letter from your office showing the date that they are leaving camp in those cases where request for immediate payment is made.

Yours very truly,
Office Manager
JER/r
cc--Mr. Kennedy

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft6j49n9fm/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WAR RELOCATION AUTHORITY
Washington

April 8, 1943

Mr. Wade Head
Project Director
Colorado River Relocation Center
Poston, Arizona

Dear Mr. Head:

I have your letter of March 10, 1943 regarding the part-time employment of evacuees in the camouflage net factory, such evacuees also being full-time employees of the United States.

Inasmuch as the evacuees are rendering full-time service on regular project work, they are entitled to all benefits which any other evacuee would ordinarily receive. Therefore, unless the extra work interferes with the work performed for the project, it will not be necessary that they reimburse the Government for subsistence.

Sincerely,
Director

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft7p300700/?brand=oac4

Camouflage Net Project memos

2011-04-05T22:57:00.000-07:00

WAR DEPARTMENT
U. S. Engineer Office
Parker Reception Center
P.O.Box 1898
Parker, Arizona.

September 11 1942

SUBJECT: Garnish Net Project.

TO: W. Wade Head

Project Director
War Relocation Administration
Parker, Arizona.

Submitted for your information is the following teletype, directed to District Engineer and District Regional Engineer, September 10, 1942:

"Preliminary plan for Garnish Net Buildings placed all units in plot on factory site at southeast corner of Parker Unit No. 1. Relocation of three Garnishing Sheds and necessary Latrine facilities, as agreed upon in conference between W. Wade Head, W.R.A. Project Director, Lt. Phillips and J. A. Forney of L. A. District Office and Area Engineer at Parker Reception Center is as follows:

Unit No. 2. of Garnish Net Project will consist of two Garnish Sheds each 250 Ft. long and necessary Latrine facilities, all located in Block No.25 of Parker Unit No.2 and offset 100 feet south of center line of 10th street to center line of Garnish Shed No.1 and 100 feet east of center line of "C" street to west end of Shed No.1, and Garnish Shed No.2 is located 133 feet south of center line of Shed No.1 to center line of Shed No.2 also 100 feet from west end of building to center line of "C" street. Latrine facilities are being revised for these Units and will be built with materials originally intended for Men's Latrine in plot at Unit No.1.

Unit No.3, consisting of one Garnish Shed, 250 feet in length and suitable Latrine facilities, is located in Block No.21 of Parker Unit No.3 and 100 feet south of center line of 4th street and 40 feet east of center line of "B" street to east end of shed. Latrine to be located adjacent to and west of shed, dimension of building dependent on equipment to be housed.

Garnish Net Buildings, in Unit No.1 at Poston No.1, after relocation of part thereof consist of two Garnish Sheds, 1 Cutting Shed, 1 Warehouse, 1 Combination Men's and Women's Latrine, 4 Storage Platforms and Time Office built on Shed No.1 and these buildings are located as set forth in Drawings PD-YA-1 to 7 inclusive and are not relocated except for slight change in the Women's Latrine which is to be divided by solid partition and made into combined facilities for men and women.

The Men's Latrine in Unit No.1 Garnish Net project is rough plumbed and dimensional foundation is concreted, but, in relocation of part of Project, will be dismantled and appropriate positions installed at Units No.2 and No.3 of Garnish Net Project, using all materials intended for this building and any additional material needed to complete such change.

Drawings in connection with relocation and changes, on Garnish Net Project, are being prepared and prints will be sent to District Regional Office immediately upon completion of drawings.

Tentative layout for sewer, water and electrical extension, was drawn up and now must be changed and additional utilities provided for relocated building units. These tentative plans will be sent Regional Office as soon as completed.

Wm. D. Wagner
Assistant Area Engineer.

c/c to Crawford.
c/c to Burge.

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft2w1003qp/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WAR DEPARTMENT
U. S. Engineer Office
Parker Reception Center
P. O. Box 1898
Parker, Arizona

October 2, 1942

W. Wade Head

Project Director, Parker Relocation Center
Parker, Arizona

SUBJECT: Spotting of Car Loads of Military Materials.

In accordance with requirements governing receipt and storage of Military Materials, it will be necessary that all Camouflage Net Material be spotted on W.R.A. Parker warehouse siding in such a manner as to facilitate immediate unloading, and for establishment of Military Guard at this point.

Wm. D. Wanger
Area Engineer.

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft109n990c/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

COLORADO RIVER WAR RELOCATION PROJECT
Poston, Arizona

October 6, 1942

Mr. Wade Head, Project Director
Colorado River War Relocation Project
Poston, Arizona

Sir:
The Camouflage Factory now nearing completion in Camp One lacks water mains and hydrants. I, therefore, recommend that the water main be extended from the hydrants at the rear of Warehouses No. 40 or 23 into the Camouflage area, and hydrants therein be properly spaced.

Respectfully,
Joseph M. Fien
Assoc. Fire Protection Officer
ef

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft167n99qj/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WAR DEPARTMENT
U. S. Engineer Office
Parker Reception Center
P. O. Box 1898
Parker, Arizona October 11,1942

SUBJECT: Trespass on Restricted Area, by Evacuees.

TO: Mr. W. Wade Head,
Project Director
Parker Reception Center
Parker, Arizona.

Civilian Guards have been established, by U. S. Engineers, at Garnish Net Project, Unit No. 1. This special detail was placed in operation on October 3, 1942.
Several incidents, of Evacuee Trespass, have occurred during the past week, some included attempts, by evacuees, to remove material from project.
The co-operation of your office is requested in preventing further trespass on all Garnish Net Project Areas.

Wm. D. Wagner
Area Engineer
WDW:W

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft4f59n8fv/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE

781 So. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, Calif.
CE-4
October 22, 1942

AIR MAIL
Subject: Supplies for garnished net project
To: Mr. Wade Head

Project Director

War Relocation Authority

Poston, Arizona

Attention: Mr. Kennedy

Dear Sir:

Reference is made to letter from this office, same subject, dated October 6, 1942, regarding materials to be furnished by this office for publicizing the activities of the garnished net project at Poston, Arizona.

It has been reported by Mr. Forney of this office, that the materials referred to above have not been received. Records in this office indicate that shipments were made from Los Angeles, California, as follows: 200 reams news print 8" x 13", by Western Truck Lines on October 8, 1942, consigned to the U. S. Engineer Office, WRA Project Division, Poston Arizona, and received by Mr. James at Poston on October 9, 1942; four quarts of black mimeograph ink and three dozen stencils sent by parcel post on October 13, 1942, addressed to Project Director, War Relocation Authority, Poston, Arizona.

It is requested that if the materials cannot be located this office be notified immediately.

Very truly yours,
Guy S Bebout
Head Engineer.

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft3580041j/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Colorado River War Relocation Project
Poston, Arizona

January 28, 1943

To the Residents of Poston:

Since my return to Poston yesterday. I have been approached by many people regarding the recent vote on the Garnishing Net Factory. From their conversations I am of the opinion that there was a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding among the residents about the Net Factory, and I believe that the light vote and the slim margin indicate that the issue was not clearly defined or understood by the people.

I see in the Net Factory three important benefits which will accrue to the residents of Poston if the factory is put into immediate operation with the support of the people.

First: The Net Factory presents a good opportunity for the evacuees to gain a great amount of good-will from the people and the Government of the United States; and while I realize that any loss of good-will was no fault of yours, I do know that the full and efficient operation of the factory will immensely aid the War Relocation Authority to carry out their program.

Second: If the Net Factory is put into operation at full capacity, it will bring into the community approximately $150,000 per month which means an increased income and a higher standard of living for all the residents. It will also provide a strong economic base for the other projects in Poston.

Third: The Net Factory provides industrial work experience which has been heretofore denied the evacuees. Industrial experience will assist the residents to find and get better jobs on the outside.

The benefits outlined above, it seems to me, heavily outweigh any drawbacks or objections which can be raised in the minds of any of us when the matter is viewed in the light of the common good. I would like to suggest, therefore, in order to facilitate the opening of the factory, that the residents entrust to their Councilmen and to the Community Councils the responsibility and authority to work out the details with the contractors and to initiate the operation of the project.

Very truly yours,
W. Wade Head
Project Director
VRK:mk

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft2000036k/?brand=oac4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Unit III's TCC's response to Head's letter of 1/28 re: net factory (unsigned)

Re: The Garnishing Net Factory. Project Director Wade Head's Communication "To The Residents of Poston", dated, January 28, 1943.

The Unit 3 Community Council is prepared to appoint a Negotiating Committee of _____ consisting of _____ Councilmen and _____ Issei Advisers, on the following conditions, :

The Committee is not to reconsider the plans once submitted to and rejected by the people in the recent election of January 19th, but to offer an alternative plan for the consideration of the Project Director and the contractor.
Any agreement that may be reached between the Committee and the contractor and other interested parties is not binding upon the people, but on the contrary subject to their review and approval. However, the Community Council and its members as well as Issei Advisers will exert their utmost effort for the adoption of the negotiated plan by the people.
This Committee proceeds under the provision of Section 10, WRA Administrative Instruction No. 27.)
This procedure in the present case, where initiative petition seems to be more appropriate, shall not be construed to create a precedent. The people's wishes shall be scrupulously respected, especially when they were expressed at the polls.

This step is taken in deference to the wishes of our good friend Mr. Head contained in his communication to the people of Poston, dated, January 28th, and in the faith that our proposed alternative plan, when adopted, "will immensely aid the War Relocation Authority to carry out their program."

February 1, 1943.

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft0j49n5gb/?brand=oac4

Camouflage Net Project memos

2011-04-05T22:45:00.000-07:00

August 14, 1942

Memorandum to: Mr Wade Head
From: Works Project Committee
Temporary Community Council

Subject: Camouflage Net Project

The temporary Community Council in the August 12 meeting authorized the Works Project Committee to assist the camouflage net project by submitting the following recommendations which were adopted at said meeting:

The question of availability of labor in Poston 1, 2, and 3 should be thoroughly investigated. It is a consensus of opinion that at the present time very few workers are available for this project because almost every citizen is employed. The possible solution to this problem would be to transfer workers between projects.
At least two able residents of Poston should be authorized to view conditions in the Santa Anita Assembly Center and Manzanar Relocation center.
If possible, information should be secured of the compensation paid by the Army to this project for the camouflage net mfg. This will enable us to answer questions which will arise.
Medical examinations should be given to prospective factory workers to enable protection against tuberculosis, asthma, sinus hay fever, catching rash from dust.
Information should be secured as to what clothing and equipment is to be issued.
The question of the factory site should be reconsidered in view of the transportation problems involved. If the project is located in the factory site we may have to install a few mess halls for feeding workers at noon. One solution to overcome the transportation problem may be to scatter the factory buildings around the community.

We hope that you will seriously consider these recommendations If there is any way in which the committee can assist in effecting any of these recommendations which you desire to carry out we shall be glad to cooperate. The committee is already engaged in compiling data regarding the number of available workers and their qualifications.

M. Smoot Katow
Chairman, Works Project Committee.

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft2j49n716/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 7, 1942

Subject: Garnish Net Project, Parker Relocation Center

For the purpose of expediting construction and arriving at a satisfactory agreement in respect to the location and number of Garnishing Sheds at each unit, numbers 1, 2 and 3, there was held this date at the office of the Area Engineer, U. S. Engineers Office, Parker Relocation Authority, Parker, Arizona, discussions by the following persons: Mr. Wade Head, Mr. Burge, and Mr. Crawford of the Parker, Arizona office of the War Relocation Authority, Mr. Ellis Georgia, Area Engineer, Mr. Wagner, Assistant Area Engineer, and Mr. J. A. Forney and Lt. C. W. Phillips of the U. S. Engineers Office, Los Angeles, California.
Pursuant to the above discussion the following considerations were agreed upon:

That the Garnish Net Project would more likely operate to the satisfaction of all concerned if:

Portion of the facilities were located at each of the three units rather than concentrated adjacent to Unit 1 as originally proposed.

That paragraph a above could be accomplished without serious interference to present construction, status of which at Unit 1 is:

Area has been cleared and leveled.
The warehouse foundations are poured and columns partially erected to remain as is.
The cutting shed foundations have been poured and remain as is.
Four storage platforms to remain as is.
Women's latrine foundation, rough plumbing, frame work partially erected, concrete floor not poured, will be made into combination men and women's latrine to serve Unit 1.
Men's latrine foundation and rough plumbing only are completed. No connecting sewers have been installed. Materials installed are to be salvaged for reuse in latrines to be constructed for services of Net Project at Units 2 and 3.
One Garnishing Shed at Unit 1, 250 feet in length as originally planned, foundation poured, partially framed, to remain as is.

That the remaining 1,000 linear feet of Garnishing Sheds will be constructed in one structure at each unit, 1, 2 and 3, at locations agreed upon by all concerned, at lengths of which will be determined to the nearest multiple of 50 feet by Mr. Head and Mr. Georgia on the basis of available workers in each unit indicated by survey to be completed not later than 2:00 PM, September 9, 1942.
Transportation of Garnish Net materials will be provided by the U. S. Engineers Department both within and without the camp.
That the locations of the Garnish Net Project at each unit, 1, 2 and 3, are completely satisfactory (it is understood that the U. S. Public Health Service has sanctioned the present location, Unit 1).

The necessity and provision of housing and transportation of U. S. Engineers Department personnel was discussed. Policy to be followed will be determined at an early date.
The above considerations as stated are satisfactory as indicated by signatures below.

Mr. Wade Head, Project Director
C. W. Phillips, 1st Lt., CE
Ellis G. Georgia, Area Engineer

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft9779p1k7/?brand=oac4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 11, 1942

MEMORANDUM TO: Mr. Wade Head

FROM: WORK PROJECTS COMMITTEE
Members: Smoot Katow
Andrew Sugimoto
Henry Kanegae

SUBJECT: Net Garnishing Project

Organization of Personnel

Concerning the personnel set-up of the net garnishing project, the Committee, after much discussion, felt that we could help by recommending a few points regarding the organization.

We find that under the agreement between the WRA and the U.S. Engineers, the M.S. Engineers are to furnish the factory, materials, instruction, and inspection, and the is to furnish the labor.

We feel that since only labor and no money or material problems need to considered by us as a project, a resident could take charge of the project.

We feel that a capable Japanese resident can be found, one from each unit, to take care of the handling of the people employed in this project. We think, also, that the effect on public opinion would be naturally better if an all-Japanese American citizen group contributed to the war effort of this country.

We hope that you will seriously consider this recommendation. If there is any way our Committee can help, we shall be glad to do so.

Work Projects Committee

Source: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft3199n70q/?brand=oac4

Community Analysis Section of the War Relocation Authority (WRA)

2011-04-05T21:49:00.000-07:00

With the onset of World War II, John H. Provinse was selected by Milton Eisenhower as Chief of the Community Services Division of the War Relocation Authority. The Community Services Division was established as a result of the problems from the evacuation of persons of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast. A major and immediate problem was the lack of understanding of the evacuees by the majority of the men selected to administer their affairs.

John H. Provinse obtained the help of some 25 anthropologists and sociologists, particularly some who had had experience with Japanese and Japanese-Americans. Among those he employed were John F. Embree and his former associate Solon T. Kimball.

John H. Provinse and Solon T. Kimball brought into operation a community government organization that gave the evacuees some participation in the management of their affairs. Provinse and John F. Embree, established a community analysis program. Following somewhat the plan of a "research unit" in the relocation center of Poston, Arizona, where the Bureau of Indian Affairs was in charge, they assigned a social scientist in each of the relocation centers as a "Community

Analyst". The Community Analyst duties were to learn the nature of the developing (imprisoned) communities and to use that knowledge in the better administration of the 10 centers.

After Embree resigned, Edward Spicer replaced him and gathered intelligence data on internees (which other sociologists today felt would have been more appropriate for the FBI to undertake).

The Community Analysis Section became one of the landmarks in the World War II phase of the development of applied anthropology in the United States

Sources:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/aa.1966.68.4.02a00090/pdf

http://dimension.ucsd.edu/CEIMSA-IN-EXILE/publications/Scholars/2008.3.pdf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note on the Net Project at Poston

By John F. Embree
October 12, 1942

A member of the staff at Poston who is in Washington for a few days reports a bad situation arising in regard to the Camouflage Net Project in Poston.

The project is just being opened and a call has gone out for 900 men to work on it at the WRA rate of $16 a month.

The call is not being answered. The most important reason for this is that there is a labor shortage within Poston due to the number of men who have left to pick sugar beets. Two important incentives used in calling men to work on sugar beets are: (a) Patriotic - i.e. it is necessary to pick these beets because they are necessary to the American war effort. (b) Financial. Workers in the sugar beet fields are paid prevailing wages.

Now while work in the camouflage net factory is also supposed to be of a patriotic nature, there is a feeling in Poston that the people are being exploited when asked to work on nets for only $16 a month. It is, after all, an outside industry, not a community enterprise. Work in the net project, in the eyes of the community (and of the Community Council) does not help civic life in Poston as does, say, work on the staff of the school, or the agricultural project or the mess halls. Furthermore, to get 900 men at present in Poston would mean taking men away from Poston jobs such as mess halls which are essential to community welfare.

On the whole the Community Council is opposed to pressures being exerted to suddenly put 900 men on the net project now with the existing labor shortage due to men away harvesting sugar beets. Furthermore, the Poston administration tends to side with the Community Council.

The present situation is a critical one and can lead to a lot of bad blood. For instance, recently a U.S.E.D. truck brought up a load of net materials and there was no one on hand to unload it. Some evacuees and others were discussing the situation when the Army truck driver walked up to one of the evacuees (a good American who was already employed on a Poston job) and, pointing to him, said threateningly, "This is sabotage" and went on to say that if evacuees didn't turn out voluntarily to work on net projects, the Army would force them to do so. This incident sent a wave of indignation over the evacuees since it carried both a false accusation and a threat based on it.

This situation calls for some definite decisions soon. And these decisions involve important issues.

Whether evacuees are to work on non-community projects for $16 a month while other evacuees go off the project to earn prevailing wages. (In the above situation, both jobs are "war" jobs.)
Whether the Army does or does not have authority within a WRA project.
Whether it is wise to start any industrial project in a center on such a large scale as to require 900 employees (and in this case 900 male citizens) which means a high percent from a special group.
Whether outside work or inside work is to have precedence. This involves the whole WRA relocation program of gradually reducing the population of the centers which in turn involves the question of whether we wish to set up permanent Japanese reservations in America, or whether we wish to reabsorb Japanese Americans into American life as an asset rather than a liability.

NOTE: John F. Embree was one of many anthropologists, working for the Community Analysis Section, War Relocation Authority. He also wrote many articles, including:

Embree, John F. “Community Analysis—An Example of Anthropology in Government.”

American Anthropologist. Vol. 46, No. 3, July—September 1944.

Source: http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=ft6580069k&&doc.view=entire_text
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Leighton Treats Staff in Outing

Dr. Leighton, Chief of Public Health and Bureau of Sociological Research of three Poston Centers, treated his entire staff members of Poston I, II, III and their husbands and wives to a Royal Picnic last Wednesday evening down at the vicinity of the Colorado River.

After some 40 people piled in two trucks had experienced their dusty and bumpy "7 mile ride," they sat down to rest on the cool banks of the river.

The main menu, courtesy of Dr. Leighton, was the serving of weiners, buns, coffee, peaches and grapes. Twilight brought in songs, old favorites, college and popular numbers.

Source: 9/11/1942 Poston Chronicles

Boy Scouts

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The Boy Scout organization first developed in camp 2 where James Hirokawa, coordinator of Community Activities, and James Crawford, the Unit Administrator were very interested in the Scout program. By November 1, 1942, troops had been organized under the Arrowhead (California) Council with headquarters at San Bernardino. James Crawford was the District Commissioner and a relatively complete Scout organization was established in camp 2 with over 240 boys enrolled in Scout groups. Camp 3 had 25 organized into 2 troops and camp I had no scout organization as yet. Subsequently, 3 troops were organized in camp I.

The Scouts attempted to follow as closely as possible the general scout program with occasional assistance from the District Commissioner in San Bernardino and the National Director of Inter-racial Scouting. Regular troop and patrol meetings were held, courts of honor were held at which merit badges and other honors were awarded. The Scouts also acted as Color Guards at campwide meetings and celebrations and acted as ushers at send-offs for volunteers.

It was not possible to arrange for the Scouts to attend summer camps, although this was attempted in the summer of 1945.

The Boy Scouts put on several paper drives in 1944-45 in which they cooperated with the Parker Scouts.

Dates in Poston's Past

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February 1, 1942, Kumekuchi Ishibashi was taken to an internment camp for Japanese in Bismarck, North Dakota. The rest of his family moved to central California to start farming again.

April 1942, LCDR Ralph B. Snavely, Medical Advisor to Office of Indian Affairs District 3, on the Colorado River Indian Reservation at Poston, Arizona. He watched a well being drilled to provide fresh water for a Japanese Internment Camp on the reservation.

April 27, 1942, the first group of Watsonville Japanese left for the Salinas Rodeo Grounds (Assembly Center) where they would live until early July when the group was transferred to the permanent camp at Poston, Arizona. In all, 1301 people.

May 8, 1942 - The first "volunteers" arrived at Poston, Arizona (Colorado River).

May, 1942, all citizens of Japanese descent in Bakersfield were sent to internment camps on an Indian Reservation in Poston, Arizona

On May 23, 1942, most of Riverside's Japanese Americans were evacuated to the Colorado River Relocation Center in Poston, Arizona. A few opted to go to other internment camps (eg, Manzanar) in order to be with their extended families.

May 26, 1942 - Chet Huntley reported about one group from Poston, Arizona, on a national CBS radio hookup.

May 29, 1942 - Forced to leave their Sacramento home and farm, Kiyo Sato, the oldest of nine children, and her family were taken to Poston Camp II in Arizona

July 1942, Aiko Yano, from Sanger, was grouped with others in Clovis and sent to Camp #2 in Poston, Arizona, and she stayed in Barrack 22 in Block 222. “We were rounded up onto the trains like cattle.” She remembers that all they served in the barracks was mutton soup and more mutton soup.

July 1942, approximately 4300 students of Japanese ancestry left the 10 relocation centers to attend colleges and universities outside the exclusion areas.

July, 1942, Mas Ishibashi, his wife, Miye, and his brothers, George and Aki Ishibashi were interned at Poston, Arizona. In a little over one year, Kumekichi Ishibashi was able to reunite with his family in Poston. They then moved to Utah to farm for the duration of the war. Mas' brothers, George and Kay, served in the 442nd Regimental Infantry Combat Unit. This unit received more citations than any other outfit of the United States military.

July 4, 1942, after reporting to the Salinas Assembly Center, the Yoshiro and Hisae Aramaki moved to Poston, Arizona on an Indian reservation. She was 5 months pregnant. They were in the desert in the middle of summer. The highest temperatures they had ever encountered in California were between 70 and 80 degrees. Now they were forced to deal with temperatures as high 108 degrees. They perspired so much that they were given salt tablets.

August 1942, everyone being held at Santa Anita Racetrack (Assembly Center) was sent to Arizona's Poston Internment Center, where three camps had been set up. "Poston was so depressing, " Helen Urata said. "It was dust and tar- paper barracks." (Jim Urata: "But we brought in cottonwood trees from the Colorado River, and built a swimming pool and schools out of indigenous rock. After two years, you wouldn't have recognized the place.

Oct 9, 1942 - Dear Miss Breed, "This is the first chance I have had to thank you for sending me the dictionary and also they book "The Person You Want to Be." I certainly do want to thank you for sending me both of them. The book you sent me certainly is essential here because we have a tendency to get "sloppy" and not care about our appearance any more. It certainly is worth reading and trying out some of the things taught in the book." Sent from Poston block 323-11-D

Nov 1, 1942 - Animosity between those who helped camp administrators and their opponents boiled over in Poston, Arizona, on November 1, 1942, when an unidentified group of men beat up a suspected "informer" (that is, a Japanese American who was believed to have informed authorities about supposedly suspicious individuals in the Japanese American community). After two "suspicious individuals" were arrested and interrogated by the FBI.

Mar 28, 1943 - The seventh of nine children born to Japanese immigrant parents, Hideo Chino was born on March 28, 1943 in the wartime relocation camp in Poston, AZ.

March 26, 1943, Helen and Jim Urata were married in camp. In Poston, the San Diegans were mixed with Japanese-Americans from the San Joaquin Valley, so there were -- and are to this day -- a lot of intermarriages among the two communities. Helen and Jim remained in Poston until the end of 1943, when they went to Milwaukee. Jim had gotten a job unloading boxcars. (Japanese-Americans were allowed out of the camps if they got jobs in the interior or on the East Coast of the country, where Japanese- Americans were not interned. )

Dec 1943 - The first Nisei who had lived in a concentration camp inducted into the WAC was Iris Watanabe, a former resident of Poston in Arizona as well as of Amache in Colorado. Her mother and younger sister were still imprisoned in Amache when Iris was inducted in December 1943

Mar 1944 - NishimotoEdward Spicer, an anthropologist on the staff of the WRA's Community Analysis Section, dropped in one evening for an unannounced visit to the barrack of Richard Nishimoto, an influential Issei internee at the Poston Relocation Center in Arizona. Nishimoto was, among other things, a field researcher for the Japanese Evacuation and Resettlement Study (JERS), a major social science.

May 1944 - Harriet Yanaga with her parents, relocated to Kansas City Missouri, where she took a typing class at the Southeast High School. Vice-principal George R. Powell contributed much towards Harriet's happy integration into the student body.

Source: google.com

President Truman's Amnesty Board Proclamation 2762

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Harry S. Truman 1945-1953 Files

PROCLAMATION 2762

GRANTING PARDON TO CERTAIN PERSONS CONVICTED OF VIOLATING THE SELECTIVE TRAINING AND SERVICE ACT OF 1940 AS AMENDED

WHEREAS by Executive Order No. 9814 of December 23, 1946,(1) there was established the President's Amnesty Board, the functions and duties of which were set out in paragraph 2 of the said Executive order as follows:

"The Board, under such regulations as it may prescribe, shall examine and consider the cases of all persons convicted of violation of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 301 ff.), or of any rule or regulation prescribed under or pursuant to that Act, or convicted of a conspiracy to violate that Act or any rule or regulation prescribed under or pursuant thereto. In any case in which it deems it desirable to do so, the Board shall make a report to the Attorney General which shall include its findings and its recommendations as to whether Executive clemency should be granted or denied, and, in any case in which it recommends that Executive clemency be granted, its recommendations with respect to the form that such clemency should take. The Attorney General shall report the findings and recommendations of the Board to the President, with such further recommendations as he may desire to make."

and

WHEREAS the Board, after considering all cases coming within the scope of paragraph 2 of the said Executive order, has made a report to the Attorney General, which includes the findings of the Board and its recommendation that Executive clemency be granted in certain of such cases; and

WHEREAS the Attorney General has submitted such report to me with his approval of the recommendation made by the Board with respect to Executive clemency; and

WHEREAS upon consideration of the report and recommendation of the Board and the recommendation of the Attorney General, it appears that certain persons convicted of violating the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 as amended ought to have restored to them the political, civil, and other rights of which they were deprived by reason of such conviction and which may not be restored to them unless they are pardoned:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, HARRY S. TRUMAN, President of the United States of America, under and by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article II of the Constitution of the United States, do hereby grant a full pardon to those persons convicted of violating the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 as amended whose names are included in the list of names attached hereto and hereby made a part of this proclamation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this 23rd day of December in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and forty-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-second. [SEAL]

HARRY S. TRUMAN

By the President:

ROBERT A. LOVETT,
Acting Secretary of State.

(1) 3 CFR 1946 Supp.

LIST OF NAMES

Name, Date Convicted and U.S. District Court

10. Akim, Alfred, May 29, 1942, Hawaii.
11. Akutsu, Hitoshi Gene, Oct. 2, 1944, Idaho.
12. Akutsu, Jim Hajime, Oct. 2, 1944, Idaho.

22. Amate, Atsushi Archie, Oct. 8, 1945, Colorado.

38. Asai, Dix Takuro, Oct. 31, 1944, Colorado.
39. Asai, Fred Teruo, Oct. 31, 1944, Colorado.

344. Eto, Yukio, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
385. Fujihara, Shiro, Oct. 2, 1944, Idaho.
386. Fujii, John Jiro, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
387. Fujii, Shigeru, May 26, 1944, Wyoming.
388. Fujimoto, Albert Kenji, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.
389. Fujinaka, Tatsuo George, Feb. 21, 1945, So. Idaho.
390. Fujioka, Tom Tamotsu, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.
391. Fujioka, Yasuto, Nov. 8, 1946, Arizona.
392. Fujita, Hideo Frank, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.
393. Fujiwara, Hideyuki Henry, Oct. 2, 1944, Idaho.
394. Fujizawa, Teruo, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.
396. Furusaki, Joseph, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.

413. Get, Lim Sing, Dec. 11, 1943, No. California.

429. Goishi, Kazuto Jimmy, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.

474. Han, Paul Ba Wool Han, Jan. 26, 1945, Hawaii.

487. Hashimoto, Masaru, March 27, 1944, Arizona.
489. Hatakeda, Jimmie Junichi, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.

497. Hayami, Yoshito Smith, Oct.r 2, 1944, Idaho.

520. Heya, James Kenji, June 30, 1944, Colorado.

525. Higuchi, Mutsuo, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.

533. Hino, Bob Riyusho, Oct. 2, 1944, Idaho.
534. Hino, Frank Schinichi, Feb. 22, 1945, So. Idaho.
535. Hirabayashi, Gordon Kiyoshi, Nov. 30, 1944, E. Wash.
536. Hirabayashi, Henry Nobuo, Oct. 2, 1944, Idaho.
537. Hirabayashi, Irvin Masanobu, Nov. 4, 1944, Utah.
538. Hirai, Toru, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.
539. Hiramoto, Shizuto, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.
540. Hirata, Tomoharu Henry, May 20, 1944, E. Arkansas.
541. Hirayama, Susumu Harold, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
542. Hirose, Kazuki, July 9, 1945, Wyoming
543. Hirose, Kazuto, July 26, 1944, Wyoming.
544. Hiroshige, Akira, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

552. Honda, Selichi, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.
553. Hoopai, William Kahalewai, Nov. 9, 1942, Hawaii.

557. Hora, Sadao, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.
558. Hori, Takeshi, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
559. Horino, George Minoru, July 9, 1945, Wyoming
560. Hoshizaki, Takashi, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

573. Ide, Takao Grant, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
574. Ikemiya, Joe Yoshikazi, March 27, 1944, Arizona.
575. Ikemiya, Masaru Jim, March 27, 1944, Arizona.
576. Ikemoto, Harry Yoshiaki, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
577. Imai, Masefumi, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
578. Inaba, Hitoshi, Oct. 31, 1944, Colorado.
580. Ino, Toru, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
581. Inoue, Chozo, Jan. 2, 1943, Hawaii.
582. Inouye, George Washington, Oct. 7, 1946, Arizona.
583. Ioka, Harry Schuichi, Oct. 31, 1944, Colorado.
585. Ishikawa, George, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
586. Ishikawa, Kiyoshi, June 26, 1944.
587. Ishikawa, Suetsugu, June 26, 1944, Wyoming
588. Ishikawa, Takeo, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
589. Ishikawa, Yoshimitsu, Oct. 31, 1944, Colorado.
590. Ishimaru, Junichi, June 26, 1944, Wyoming
591. Ishimaru, Yutaka, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
592. Ishimoto, George Kenichi, Oct. 8, 1945, Colorado.
593. Ishimoto, Harry Kenji, Oct 8, 1945, Colorado.
594. Ishimoto, Takao, Oct 8, 1945, Colorado.
595. Ishizaki, Sam Isamu, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
596. Isomura, Iwaharu, Oct 28, 1944, Colorado
597. Ito, Hideo, June 30, 1944, Colorado
599. Izuno, Masaichi, June 30, 1944, Colorado.

648. Kado, James Yoshio, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
649. Kajimura, Hareo, Sept 25, 1944, Idaho.
650. Kajimura, Tsutomu, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.
651. Kaminaka, Joe, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
652. Kaminaka, Tamotsu, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
653. Kanaga, Keith C., Dec 2, 1940, Mass.
654. Kariya, Masashi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
655. Kariya, Yoneo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.

658. Kasahara, George Shigaki, Dec 29, 1944, Idaho.
659. Kashiwagi, Joe, Oct 31, 1944, Colorado.

664. Katayama, Shigeru, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.

667. Kauwe, John Pohuwe, May 12, 1942, Hawaii.
668. Kawahara, Katsuyoshi, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
669. Kawakami, Frank Masao, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
670. Kawaki, Mosayuki, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.
671. Kawamoto, David Tetsutaro, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
672. Kawamoto, James Takao, April 1, 1946, Arizona.
673. Kawamoto, Kiyoshi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
674. Kawasaki, Jimmie, Oct 28, 1944, Colorado.
675. Kawasaki, Kiyoto, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
676. Kawasaki, Thomas Tomeji, Oct 28, 1944, Colorado.
677. Kawato, Yukio, Sept 29, 1944, Idaho.
678. Kaya, Larry Yoshio, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
680. Keawe, Daniel, Aug 18, 1942, Hawaii.

688. Kelwyma, George, Aug 12, 1943, Arizona.
689. Kenmotsu, Shigeo, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

698. Kimura, Frank Yoshimatsu, Oct 2, 1944, Iowa.
699. Kimura, Hideo, July 21, 1942, Hawaii.
700. Kimura, Jim Tatsuya, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

703. Kinoshita, Teruo, March 27, 1944, Arizona.
705. Kishi, Masakiyo Michael, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
706. Kitasaki, Kiyoshi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
707. Kitauchi, Masaichi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
708. Kitayama, Kaoru, Feb 22, 1945, Idaho.
710. Kiyomizu, Shozo, Sept 29, 1944, Idaho.

717. Kodama, George Katsumi, Feb 21, 1945, Idaho.
718. Kodama, Lui Ikuyo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
719. Kofuksado, Mitsugi, Oct 17, 1942, Hawaii.
720. Koga, Dix K., Feb 6, 1942, No. California.
721. Kojima, Masao, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.

726. Koshiyama, Mitsuru, June 26, 1944, Wyoming

733. Kubo, Tomeo, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
734. Kubo, Yoshi, Oct 30, 1944, Colorado.
736. Kujawa, Anthony, July 20, 1944, Eastern New York.
738. Kumada, Kazuo, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
739. Kuramoto, Yutaka Ted, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.
740. Kuranaga, Heruytuki, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
741. Kurasaki, George Noboru, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
742. Kuromiya, Yoshita, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
743. Kuroye, Kenneth, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
744. Kuwada, Makoto Jim, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
745. Kuwahara, John Takashi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.

761. Lausa, Philip, Jan 12, 1943, Hawaii.

817. Maruhashi, Hutaka Frank, Sept 29, 1944, Idaho.
818. Maruyama, Kenichi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
819. Maruyama, Shigeo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
820. Maruyama, Yukio, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
822. Masukawa, Kitashi John, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
823. Masukawa, Tsutomu Tom, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
825. Matsuba, George Kazuo, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
826. Matsubara, Sadao, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona
827. Matsumoto, Akira, June 26, 144, Wyoming.
828. Matsumoto, Minoru Corky, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
829. Matsumoto, Teruo, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
830. Matsumoto, Toshimitsu, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
831. Matsushita, Kikuji, Oct 9, 1945, Wyoming.
832. Matsuura, Frank Morikazu, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
833. Matsuzaki, Frank T., Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.

837. Mayekawa, Masao, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

864. Meng, Charles Joseph, June 2, 1943, Western Penn..

873. Minatani, James Masaichi, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
874. Minato, Kiyoshi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
875. Minoura, Halley, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

879. Mitsuoka, Mitsuru, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
880. Miyahara, Tamio Tom, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
881. Miyamura, Koyoshi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
882. Miyasaki, James Goro, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
883. Miyasaki, Masanobo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
884. Miyasaki, Thomas Shiro, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.

896. Mori, Hiroyoshi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
897. Mori, Chigeo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
898. Mori, Sutio Bill, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
899. Morikawa, Hiroshi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
901. Morine, Robert Harold, Feb 17, 1943, Hawaii.
902. Morita, Ichiro, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

906. Motonaga, Ray Yoshio, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

910. Murata, George Matsuji, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
911. Murata, Paul Selichi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
922. Nagahara, Masao, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
923. Nagakura, Hiroshi Nakamura, Jan 18, 1943, Hawaii.
924. Nagasugi, Hiroto, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.
925. Nagata, Kunio, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
926. Naha, Lewis Kooyouhema, Aug 12, 1943, Arizona.
927. Naito, Takashi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
928. Nakada, Carl Koaru, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
929. Nakagawa, George, Sept 29, 1944, Idaho.
930. Nakagawa, George, April 28, 1945, No. California.
931. Nakaguma, Yoshitatusu, June 30, 1944, Colorado.
932. Nakahira, Satoru Joseph, Nov 18, 1944, Utah.
933. Nakamura, Jerry Masao, Jan 19, 1943, Hawaii.
934. Nakamura, Migaki, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
935. Nakamuri, Kazumi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
936. Nakasaki, William Harumi, May 22, 1944, Arizona.
937. Nakashiki, Kaiso Fred, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
938. Nakashima, Yoneo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
939. Nakashina, Isao, Sept 29, 1944, Idaho.
940. Nakatsu, George, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
941. Nakayama, Iwao James, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
942. Nakayama, Masakaz, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
944. Naruto, Tochiharu Frank, Jan 19, 1945, Colorado.

956. Nii, Harry, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
957. Niino, George Schigehi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
959. Nimura, Takanori, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
960. Nishi, Itaro, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
961. Nishimura, Robert Nubuo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
963. Nobuhiro, Ben Tsutomu, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
965. Noel, Bernard Woodrow, Aug 3, 1942, Arizona.
966. Noguchi, Tsutomu Ben, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
968. Norikane, Joe Hajime, Oct 31, 1944, Colorado.

972. Nosaka Kanichi, March 27, 1944, Arizona.
974. Nozawa, George Goro, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
976. Numoto, Saburo, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.

980. Ogata, Ben Tsutomi, March 27, 1944, Arizona.
981. Ogata, Hisashi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
982. Okada, Masao Ted, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.
983. Okawa, Ichiro, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
984. Okazaki, Kiyoshi, July 6, 1942, Hawaii.
985. Okazaki, Satoru Fred, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
986. Oki, Tadashi, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
987. Oki, Yoshio Tom, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
988. Okuma, Toru Fred, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
989. Okumura, Hideo, March 27, 1944, Arizona.

999. Omori, John Takashi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1000. Omoto, Nubuo, Sept 29, 1944, Idaho.
1001. Omoto, Roy Yasuo, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.

1004. Otsu, Ninoru, March 27, 1944, Arizona.
1007. Oye, Hiromu, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1008. Ozawa, Yoshikazu, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.

1145. Sakaguchi, Kunichika, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.
1146. Sakaguchi, Sumio, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.
1148. Sakamoto, Hisanari, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1149. Sakamoto, Hisatoshi Harry, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1150. Sakaniwa, Michio, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1151. Sakata, Tom Minoru, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1152. Sako, James Satoru, June 16, 1944, Wyoming.
1153. Sako, Tamotsu Tom, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
1184. Segura, John Frank, June 2, 1942, Colorado.

1199. Shibata, Takeo, June 20, 1944, E. Arkansas.
1200. Shigemasa, George Takeshi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1201. Shimada, Harry Masao, Jan 9, 1943, Hawaii.
1202. Shimane, Chester Toru, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1203. Shimane, Fred Katsumi, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1204. Shimane, George Fujio, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1205. Shimane, Isamu, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1206. Shimane, June, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
1207. Shimizu, Mineto, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1208. Shimizu, Sunao Mike, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1209. Shimpo, Toshio Tom, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1211. Shinta, Kengi, June 26, 1941, Wyoming.
1212. Shinzu, Osamu Sam, June 20, 1944, E. Arkansas.

1293. Sugihara, George Jiro, Jan 25, 1946, Utah.
1294. Sugita, George, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1295. Sugita, Toyoji, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
1296. Suko, Shoji, Oct 23, 1944, Idaho.

1299. Sumi, Noboru, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1300. Sumi, Sachio Bill, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1301. Sumida, ken Kenroku, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1302. Sumida, Robert Masashi, June 22, 1945, Montana.
1303. Suzuki, Attushi, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1304. Suzuki, Masayo, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
1305. Suzuki, Shizumi, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
1312. Taege, Everett Clarence, Sept 21, 1942, Nebraska.
1313. Taguma, Norboru, June 30, 1944, Colorado.
1314. Tainaka, Kenichi Ken, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1315. Tajii, Gengo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1316. Tajii, Kingo, June 11, 1945, Arizona.
1317. Takahashi, George Toshiharu, June 30, 1944, Colorado.
1318. Takhashi, Teruo Slim, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1319. Takamoto, George Shihio, June 30, 1944, Colorado.
1320. Takamoto, Yoshio, June 30, 1944, Colorado.
1321. Takasaki, Noboru, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1322. Takashima, Mamoru, Feb 20, 1945, Idaho.
1323. Takeguma, Hideichi, June 11, 1945, Arizona.
1324. Takeuchi, Hideo, Oct 30, 1944, Colorado.
1325. Tamashiro, Masanobu, Dec 21, 1942, Hawaii.
1326. Tamashiro, Shunsho, Oct 24, 1942, Hawaii.
1327. Tamesa, Minola, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1328. Tanabe, George Naoichi, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1329. Tanabe, Shigeharu, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1330. Tanahara, Deo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1331. Tanaka, Leo Riniche, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1333. Tashiro, Frank Kiyoshi, Sept 29, 1944, Idaho.

1356. Tono, Jack Kiyoto, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

1365. Tsunoda, Ken, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1366. Tsuyuki, Sumio, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

1375. Uyechi, Joe Kejo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1376. Uyeda, George Susumu, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1377. Uyeda, James Tsutomu, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
1378. Uyeda, Riyuo, June 30, 1944, Colorado.
1379. Uyeda, Roy Masao, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
1380. Uyemoto, Terry Teruo, Oct 28, 1944, Colorado.
1381. Uyenura, Torao, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1382. Uyeno, Shigero, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.

1418. Watanabe, Hirom, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
1479. Yamada, Fumio Bill, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1480. Yamada, Samuel, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1481. Yamakawa, Toyoji, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1482. Yamakido, Joe Atsumi, Oct 24, 1944, Eastern Ark.
1483. Yamamato, Yukio, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1484. Yamamoto, Yutaka, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1485. Yamamura, Masakazu, Sept 25, 1944, Idaho.
1486. Yamasaki, Hedio Frank, Sept 29, 1944, Idaho.
1487. Yamasaki, Junichi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1488. Yamauchi, Hiroshi, Oct 28, 1944, Colorado.
1489. Yamauchi, Sosuki, Dec 27, 1944, Hawaii.
1490. Yamazumi, George Katamori, July 18, 1944, Colorado.
1491. Yanagisako, Edward Hiromu, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1492. Yano, Ben, March 27, 1944, Arizona.
1493. Yasuda, Kentaro, Oct 2, 1944, Idaho.
1494. Yasuda, Minoru, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1495. Yenokida, Susumu, June 30-, 19044, Colorado.
1496. Yenokida, Tsutumo Ben, Oct 28, 1944, Colorado.
1498. Yokoyama, Harry Shoji, Oct 20, 1941, Hawaii.
1499. Yoneo, Domon, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1500. Yoshida, George Maseo, June 26, 1944, Wyoming.
1501. Yoshida, Kei, July 9, 1945, Wyoming.
1502. Yoshida, Kenichiro Mike, Nov 4, 1944, Utah.
1503. Yoshida, Sakaye, Nov 4, 1944, Utah.
1504. Yoshida, Shingo, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1505. Yoshimura, Fumio, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1506. Yoshimura, John Yoshikiko, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.
1507. Yoshimura, Niro Dick, Sept 30, 1944, Idaho.

1510. Young, Lee Daniel, Aug 15, 1944, So. California.

1513. Yumen, Ben Tsutomi, Oct 7, 1946, Arizona.

Source: http://www.trumanlibrary.org/proclamations/index.php

Army Enlistment and Leave Clearance Registration and Question 28

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On January 28, 1943, Secretary of War Stimson announced that the War Department would soon create an all Nisei combat team to be composed of volunteer Japanese-Americans including many from relocation centers. In connection with the call for volunteers, it was decided to conduct a special registration of male Nisei, 17 years of age and over, at all relocation centers, and to use the forms obtained as a basis for determining eligibility of volunteers for service in the combat team, for certifying individuals as eligible for work in defense industries, to facilitate WRA leave clearance, and to facilitate the possible future drafting of Nisei. For this purpose the War Department, in cooperation with WRA, devised a special 4-page questionnaire, Statement of United States Citizen of Japanese Ancestry, DSS Form 304A.

Using as a model the questionaire worked out by the Army, WRA revised a form previously in use, Application for Leave Clearance, for the leave clearance registration of all other center residents. This form was known as WRA-126 Rev., War Relocation Authority Application for Leave Clearance.

Although there were 28 questions on DSS Form 304A and 33 on WRA-126 Rev., the question which is summarized in this section, the so-called loyalty question, is number 28 on both forms. Soon after registration began, a substitute question for aliens was sent to all centers.

Question 28 on Form DSS 304A for male citizens 17 years of age and over is as follows:

"Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States of America and faithfully defend the United States from any or all attack by foreign or domestic forces, and forswear any form of allegiance or obedience to the Japanese emperor, or any other foreign government, power, or organization?"

Question 28 on form WRA-126 Rev. for female citizens 17 years of age and over is as follows:

" Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States of America and forswear any form of allegiance or obedience to the Japanese emperor, or any other foreign government, power or organization?"

Revised Question 28 on Form WRA-126 Rev. for all aliens 17 years of age and over is as follows:

"Will you swear to abide by the laws of the United States and to take no action which would in any way interfere with the war effort of the United States?"

All "qualified" answers have been combined inasmuch as the intent sees to be the same: "No, unless...", or "Yes, if....."

TABLE 74. FINAL REGISTRATION RESULTS ON DSS FORM 304A AND FORM WRA-126 REV.

NOTE: Refers to final replies to Question 28 for all evacuees 17 years of age and over who resided in Colorado River WRA Center during February and March of 1943 when the Army Enlistment and WRA Leave Clearance Registration program was carried out. Final replies reflect changes from original answers submitted between date of registration and Sept 1943. Also included in tables are evacuees who were registered between March and Sept 1943 as they reached the age of 17.

Colorado River Center (Poston) Total Eligible to Register: 12,644

Male citizens...................................... 3,474

Female citizens................................. 3,274

Male aliens........................................ 3,496

Female aliens................................... 2,400

Did Not Register: ..................................... 0

Answer to Question # 28

Male citizens:

Yes.................................................... 2,858

Qualified Answer............................... 115

No........................................................ 501

Did not answer ...................................... 0

Unknown................................................. 0

Female citizens:

Yes..................................................... 3,119

Qualified Answer .................................22

No.......................................................... 117

Did not answer ....................................16

Unknown ................................................0

Male aliens
Yes.....................................................3,478

Qualified Answer.................................. 0

No ..........................................................12

Did not answer...................................... 6

Unknown ................................................0

Female aliens
Yes .................................................. 2,388

Qualified Answer................................. 3

No............................................................ 4

Did not answer..................................... 5

Unknown................................................0

Source: The Evacuated People A Quantitative Description. U.S. Department of the Interior, J.A. Krug, Secretary, War Relocation Authority D.S. Myer, Director. 1946

Reportable Diseases at the Centers

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NOTE: "Colorado River" (also called Poston) was the name frequently used by the WRA.

Selected reportable diseases are compiled from monthly Public Health Reports, Form WRA-242, submitted by centers. While most of the material is taken from a section called Communicable Diseases, additional information for such diseases as syphilis, tuberculosis, coccidiomycosis and food poisoning has been obtained from a section on hospitalization and from the narrative section; this has not been attempted for such diseases as pneumonia and influenza. Additional information for typhoid fever, dysentery and cerebrospinal meningitis has been collected from causes of death on death certificates. No information except number of cases, center, and date of report is available.

The first center reports cover the month of Oct 1942 for all centers except Gila River which series begins with Nov, and Colorado River, which did not submit a report until it came under the exclusive jurisdiction of WRA in July 1943. For centers other than Colorado River, the time uncovered prior to submission of the first report ranges from 0 months to 4. Last reports for 2 of the centers and one 6 months (Tule Lake). Exclusive of Jerome whose last report covers the month of closure, 4 of the last reports are for Sept 1945 (Central Utah, Heart Mountain, Minidoka and Tule Lake), and 5 are for Oct (Colorado River, Gila River, Granada, Manzanar and Rohwer).

Variation in which diseases were reported and in the completeness of reporting is evident here as it is country-wide. The following examples are cited:

Syphilis: All 412 cases were reported by 7 centers.

Gonococcus Infection: Of the 52 cases, 44 were reported by Minidoka.

Tuberculosis: The number of cases reported ranged from 153 from Colorado River to 10 from Tule Lake.

Influenza: Minidoka and Tule Lake did not report cases and of the 2,197 reported in 1943, 1,146 were from Central Utah and 888 from Jerome.

Pneumonia: Manzanar and Minidoka did not report cases.

Conjunctivitis: Jerome reported 394 cases with only 3 other centers reporting any cases (Colorado River 145, Minidoka 3, Rohwer 10, and Tule Lake 6).

Dermatophytosis: All 109 cases reported in 1944 were from Colorado River.

Coccidiomycosis: The 30 cases were hospitalized at Gila River in 1942.

Trachoma: Heart Mountain did not report any cases and Colorado River reported 30.

Typhoid fever: 2 cases were reported from Jerome (Aug & Sept 1943) and Gila River (Sept 1942 and Aug 1943), and 1 case from Heart Mountain (Aug 1945).

Diptheria: 5 cases of diphtheria were reported from Heart Mountain, 2 from Gila River and 1 each from Jerome and Minidoka.

Malaria: 12 of the 14 cases came from Jerome with 1 each from Granada and Tule Lake.

Meningococcus meningitis: The 5 cases were reported from Gila River, Granada, Heart Mountain, Jerome and Tule Lake (2).

Poliomyelitis: 13 of the 19 cases came from Gila River, 5 from Granada and 1 from Colorado River.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: 1 case was reported from Minidoka

Actinomycosis: 1 case of actinomycosis from Manzanar.

Food Poisoning: 199 cases in 1942 were persons hospitalized at Minidoka during Sept and Oct with the causative organism traced to the salmonella group; 53 cases at Granada in 1943 were reported to be caused by contaminated shrimp.

Source: The Evacuated People A Quantitative Description. U.S. Department of the Interior, J.A. Krug, Secretary, War Relocation Authority D.S. Myer, Director. 1946

Student Relocation

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Beginnings of Student Relocation

The rather special problem represented by the Nisei college students was noted as early as March 8 (1942) by a small group of educators and YMCA and YWCA people in the San Francisco Bay area and was brought more sharply into focus on March 19 (1942) by the preliminary report of the Congressional Committee investigating the evacuation under the chairmanship of Representative John H. Tolan. At least a week before the freeze order became effective, a Student Relocation Committee was formed on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley and rough plans were drawn up for facilitating the transfer of Nisei student to midwestern and eastern institutions. On the very day of the Salt Lake City conference this movement was given further impetus when President Robert G. Sprout of the University of California wrote to Representative Tolan calling attention to the problem and indicating that he planned to submit proposals for solving it to the government agencies concerned.

Meanwhile, the Wartime Civil Control Administration (WCCA) had been receiving requests for exemptions for a number of mixed Caucasian and Japanese families who wished to remain in the evacuated area and from the number of other Nisei who wanted to leave the area at once and join family members or continue their higher education father east. At a conference in San Francisco on April 11, (1942) this whole question was discussed by representatives of the War Relocation Authority (WRA) and WCCA, and a tentative plan for handling the exemption requests was agreed upon. Although WCCA was mainly concerned about the mixed family cases, it also felt--and WRA concurred--that permits should be given in a few especially deserving cases to students and others for immediate travel eastward.

On May 5, (1942) Director (Milton) Eisenhower, who had been seriously concerned about the plight of the Nisei students from the beginning of the program, wrote a letter to Mr. Clarence Pickett of the American Friends Service Committee recommending the formation of a nongovernmental agency to deal with the problem of student relocation. Eleven days later Mr. Pickett responded favorable, and on May 29, (1942) the National Student Relocation Council was formed at a meeting in Chicago attended by college and university officials from almost every section of the country. The council, organized practically on the verge of June commencement at most institutions, was to concern itself throughout the summer primarily with the problem of facilitating Nisei student transfers in time for the opening of the academic term in the fall. But throughout April and early May its predecessor organization, the West Coast Student Relocation Committee, had already helped about 75 Nisei students to move out and resume their studies, almost without a break, at school and colleges lying east of the exclusion zone.

Relocation Advisor at Poston

Source: WRA. A Story of Human Conservation. U.S. Department of the Interior. J. A. Krug, Secretary. War Relocation Authority, D.S. Myer, Director. 1946

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Julia A. Goto (Poston 222-6-B), former Fresno State sophomore, majoring in pre-nursing, was the first to leave Poston to attend (Colorado) College. 7/1942

Helen K. Kazato (Poston block 227), left to attend Smith College at North Hampton, Mass. 10/1942

Kiyo Sato (Poston 229-11-AB), left to attend college at Hillsdale, Michigan 10/1942

Grace Watanabe (Poston block 215) formerly of the Novel Hut (Library) staff, left to continue school in Evanston, Illinois. 3/26/1943

Chizu Nagareda (Poston block 32), formerly pre-school instructor at block 17, left to enroll at the University of Colorado, Denver. 9/9/1942

George Matsumoto (Poston block 306), formerly of San Francisco, left to attend George Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, majoring in Architecture. 9/9/1942

Girl Scouts

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Camp 1 Girl Scouts

Camp 2 Girls Scouts. March 1945. First row, (L-R): Teiko Oka, Emie Yuki, Kuni Ohara, Mayumi Yasumoto, Nancy Inokuchi. Back row (L-R): Akiko Nakagawa, Marion Nakamura, Sally Endo, May Gyotoku, and Leader Momo Iwakiri.

(Photo credit: M. Nakamura Masada.)

The Girl Scouts were organized in 1942 with Poston camp 2 taking the lead. By December 12, 1942, 12 troops were active. Eventually, 4 troops were established in camp 3 and 11 in camp I.

There were 18 leaders and 10 other adults, both evacuee and appointed personnel who volunteered to work with the Girl Scout groups.

The Girl Scouts of Poston were affiliated with the Regional Girl Scout Headquarters in Palo Alto, California. Miss Vaal Stark, Regional Director of Girl Scouts, visited the center on at least one occasion. A Girl Scout representative took part in the Youth Conference in April, 1945. She worked directly with the leaders and troops and provided a very much needed stimulus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Girl Scouts

Yone Yamaguchi was selected leader of Poston III's Girl Scout troop of 20 members. Next meeting will be Sept. 26, 4 p.m. and alternating Saturdays thereafter.

Source: Poston Chronicles, September 15, 1942

Selective Service Violations by Disposition & Reported Casualties

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Table 50. Selective Service Violations by Disposition: Japanese Americans at WRA Center Who Refused to Report for Physical Examination or for Induction.
1/20/1944-11/30/1945

Colorado River Center Total: 112 violations

Charges Dismissed: 0

Awaiting Trial

-In Jail: 1

-Released on bond: 0

Volunteered prior indictment: 6

TO TRIAL

-Convicted: 106

-Released: 0

Table 50 reflects in part evacuee reaction against the reestablishment of Selective Service resulting from a feeling that Japanese Americans had been denied many of their constitutional rights and that, if inducted, certain discriminations would still be practiced against them. Of the 315 total arrests from all 10 WRA Centers Selective Service violations, 263 resulted in convictions and 28 releases.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table 51. Reported Casualties by Location of Next of Kin: Japanese American Soldiers Who Resided in or Whose Next of Kin Resided in a WRA Center, November 30, 1945

NOTE: This report is limited to (1) casualties reported to center administrative personnel as having occurred to soldier members of evacuee families; and (2) casualties carried in War Department Releases and identified as having occurred to soldiers who resided in or whose next of kin resided in a WRA Center. Numbers in this report refer to individuals suffering casualties. i.e., a soldier wounded two or more times is carried as one casualty.

Location of Next of Kin: Colorado River

TOTAL: 104 casualties

Killed: 16

Wounded: 86

Missing: 2

Source: War Department Casualty Releases and Reports from WRA Centers.

Source: "The Evacuated People A Quantitative Description. U.S. Department of the Interior. J.A. Krug, Secretary. War Relocation Authority D.S. Myer, Director. 1946

Inductions into Armed Forces

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Table 49. Inductions into Armed Forces: Japanese Americans Inducted From WRA Centers. From Inception to Closing

NOTE: This report is limited to those WRA center residents and relocated evacuees visiting at centers who were inducted directly from centers, and excludes (1) evacuees inducted prior to evacuation, (2) relocated evacuees volunteering and called by Selective Services who did not return to a center for induction.

(War Department Releases indicate that between November 1940 and December 1945, 25,778 Japanese Americans were inducted into the Armed Forces--436 officers, and 25,340 enlisted men--with the estimated 13,528 from the mainland and 12,250 from Hawaii.)

Colorado River Center Total.......... 611

Volunteered prior to1/20/1944.......116....(1)

Inducted after 1/20/1944................. 495.....(2)

(1) Does not include volunteers not accepted for service.

(2) Includes volunteers and Selective Service inductions (Selective Service was re-established for Japanese Americans on 1/20/1944)

Source: Reports from WRA Centers

Table 49 presents the number of Nisei volunteers who were accepted for service prior to the reestablishment of Selective Service on 1/20/1944, and the number inducted from the WRA center after the reestablishment of Selective Service. The first category is limited to those evacuees whose final departure from a relocation center was for evacuees who entered the services after they had relocated. The latter category refers to actual inductions from the WRA center and includes a limited number of relocated evacuees visiting at centers who were inducted directly from the center.

Source: "The Evacuated People A Quantitative Description. U.S. Department of the Interior. J.A. Krug, Secretary. War Relocation authority D.S. Myer, Director. 1946

Section VI Nisei in the Armed Forces

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On June 17, 1942, the War Department discontinued the induction of Japanese Americans, commonly called Nisei, into the armed forces, and accordingly all Nisei were classified IV-C (not acceptable for service because of ancestry). However, at that time there were several thousand citizens of Japanese descent from Hawaii and the mainland who were already in the Army.

It soon became apparent that there was a need for citizens of Japanese descent for teaching the fundamentals of the Japanese language to officers of Military Intelligence, and in other capacities as translators and interpreters. The policy adopted in June 1942 was modified in the late fall of the same year, and about 160 Nisei volunteers were recruited from the various WRA centers.

With the announcement by the Secretary of War that the Army had decided to form a special Nisei combat team, a recruitment program was conducted in February and March under Army supervision at all relocation centers resulting in 1,208 volunteers from the ten centers. The Nisei accepted from these volunteers joined with several thousand volunteers simultaneously recruited from the Hawaiian Islands and with several hundred who enlisted on the mainland outside of the WRA centers to form the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in April 1943.

The Secretary of War announced that American citizens of Japanese descent were again subject to involuntary induction through the Selective Service system effective January 20, 1944. It was later ruled that Japanese Americans at the Tule Lake Segregation Center would not be subject to Selective Service. It was not until November 18, 1944, that Selective Service set up procedures permitting voluntary induction of Japanese nationals.

WRA had little to do with the actual administration of the Selective Service in the relocation centers. For the most part it was handled according to Selective Service procedure with WRA officials acting as liaison with local draft boards, supplying information to the evacuees when needed, and sometimes furnishing transportation.

An attempt was made to keep as accurate records as possible on the disposition of all persons called or volunteering after January 20, 1944, including only those called or volunteering at a WRA center or persons returning to a center prior to reporting for physical examination or induction. As a result, records were collected for some 6,173 persons called or volunteering, 2,795 of whom were inducted from WRA centers, 852 were placed in Class 1-A who left the center before their final status was determined, 1,446 were rejected, 315 were arrested for refusal to report for induction or physical examination, and the remainder represented those who were unable to report for pre-induction physical examinations or for induction or active duty because they had relocated before their status was determined or because of illness, etc. No report was received from the local Selective Service boards on some 241 persons who were called.

The publication, "442nd Combat Team", complied by members of the 442nd and published by the Information and Education Section of the War Department, summarized casualties to the 442nd (which included the famous 100th Battalion) in the summer of 1945 as follows:

Killed in action...................569

Died of wounds.................. 81

Wounded or injured.....3,713

Missing in action.................67

______

TOTAL............................ 4,430

This is not a complete report on Japanese American casualties in the European theater inasmuch as Nisei soldiers served with many groups other than the 442nd. Neither does it include Nisei casualties in the Pacific Theater which must have been considerable as War Department figures indicated that there were some 3,000 Nisei serving in the Pacific on V-J Day.

The publication, "442nd Combat Team" referred to above, lists decorations and citations presented up to August 7, 1945, as follows:

Distinguished Unit Citation.................... 3

Distinguished Service Cross................42

Distinguished Service Medal .................1

Legion of Merit..........................................13

Silver Star ...............................................249

Oak Leaf Cluster to Silver Star............. 5

Soldiers Medal ........................................ 11

Bronze Star ............................................579

Oak Leaf Cluster to Bronze Star ........ 24

Army Commendation ............................13

Division Commendation ...................... 62

TOTAL ............................1,002

Since that time the Combat Team has been awarded four more Distinguished Unit Citations, one Congressional Medal of Honor, and numerous other citations, including Silver and Bronze Stars.

Source: "The Evacuated People A Quantitative Description. U.S. Department of the Interior. J.A. Krug, Secretary. War Relocation authority D.S. Myer, Director. 1946