Colorado River Relocation Center
State: Arizona
County: Yuma
Last Post Office Address: Poston
Date First Evacuee Arrived: 5/08/1942
Peak Population: 17,814
Days Center in Operation: 1,301
Date Last Resident Departed: 11/28/1945
State: Arizona
County: Yuma
Last Post Office Address: Poston
Date First Evacuee Arrived: 5/08/1942
Peak Population: 17,814
Days Center in Operation: 1,301
Date Last Resident Departed: 11/28/1945
Vital Statistics
The very process of evacuation made the compilation and analysis of vital statistics for the evacuee population alone extremely difficult.
Those persons who were ill at home (or in hospitals) were placed (or left) in hospitals at government expense immediately after they were registered at a Civil Control Station by some member of their family.
No one was removed from a hospital until the Public Health Service certified that patient might be sent to an Assembly Center without danger to himself of other evacuees.
Also, all Japanese, except those who were ill or who were expectant mothers in the 8th month of pregnancy or later, were removed first to any Assembly Center close to their place of residence and later to a Relocation Center, in some instances far removed from their former residence, during the brief span of 6 months.
The total number of births & deaths occurring in the evacuated population is in the list below.
"Deaths, Births and Stillbirths for Japanese Inducted into an Assembly Center"
March 21-October 30, 1942
CENTER...........................................DEATHS......BIRTHS.......STILLBIRTHS
Fresno, CA........................................12..................32…...........…0
Manzanar, CA.(to 6/1/1942).............4...................11...................0
Marysville, CA....................................1.....................4...................0
Mayer, AZ...........................................0......................0.....................0
Merced, CA.......................................10...................21....................1
Pinedale, CA......................................5......................6....................0
Pomona, CA.......................................3....................31....................0
Portland, OR......................................4.....................32....................0
Puyallup, WA....................................11....................37....................1
Sacramento, CA................................1.....................15....................1
Salinas, CA.........................................2....................13....................0
Santa Anita, CA...............................37...................194....................3
Stockton, CA......................................7....................25.....................0
Tanforan, CA....................................22....................64.....................0
Tulare, CA...........................................5....................18.....................0
Turlock, CA........................................4.....................10.....................0
Source: Final Report: Japanese Evacuation from the West Coast 1942.
United States Government Printing Office, Washington: 1943.
Total WRA Custody by General Source of Original Admission & Assignment: Persons Under Jurisdiction of WRA from Inception to Closing
Total in custody: 15,226
From Wartime Civil Control Administration: 17,977
Assembly Centers: 6,020
Direct Evacuation: 11,738
Institutionalized, total admitted: 69
From Department of Justice Interment Detention: 469
Voluntary Resident: 43
Births: 793
ADMITTED TO CENTER
(From WCCA Assembly Center)
Fresno: 9
Mayer: 247
Pinedale: 693
Pomona: 9
Puyallup: 3
Sacramento: 7
Salinas: 3,459
Santa Anita: 1,573
Stockton: 5
Tanforan: 13
Tulare: 2
Direct Evacuation: 11,738
Institution: 69
Mental: 4
Penal: 3
Other: 62
Seasonal Work: 8
From Dept of Justice Interment & Detention: 469
Voluntary Resident: 27
Births at WRA Center: 793
Transfer from Center: 268
Central Utah (Topaz): 7
Gila River: 67
Granada: 32
Heart Mountain: 40
Jerome: 13
Minidoka: 11
Rohwer: 7
Tule Lake: 31
Children transferred to Manzanar’s Children’s Home (orphaned)-camp 1
Assigned to Center: 64
From WCCA via Seasonal Work: 142
Some were "paroled" from the federal detention prisons located at:
-Crystal City, Texas
-Fort Lincoln, North Dakota
-Lordsburg, New Mexico
-Missoula, Montana
-Santa Fe, New Mexico
-Tuna Canyon in Tujunga, California
Live Births from Inception to Closing
1942........159
1943........298
1944........207
1945........129
TOTAL.....793 babies
Certificate of Stillbirths from Inception to Closing
Stillbirths occurring to evacuee mothers in residence at Poston and away from Poston on short-term and seasonal leave.
1942-.....1
1943.....4
1944.....4
1945.....2
TOTAL....11
Deaths from Inception to Closing
Deaths occurring to evacuees in residence at Poston and away from Poston on short-term and seasonal leave.
1942.....51
1943.....91
1944.....93
1945.....65
TOTAL.....300
Marriages from Inception to Closing
Marriages involving evacuees in residence at Poston or temporarily away from Poston which were reported to the Poston Administration.
1942.....11
1943.....167
1944.....71
1945.....36
TOTAL.....285
Divorce-None
Evacuees left the custody of WRA for the last time in one of three ways:
1. Indefinite leave granted by the center July 20,1942 to Dec. 19, 1944
2. Terminal departure Dec. 20, 1944 to March 20, 1946
3. Death from inception to closing of centers.
1. Indefinite leave granted by the center July 20,1942 to Dec. 19, 1944
2. Terminal departure Dec. 20, 1944 to March 20, 1946
3. Death from inception to closing of centers.
Total WRA Custody By General Type of Final Departure & Leave Status
Total Custody 17,707
Indefinite Leave & Terminal Departures
Total: 17,407
Relocation: 16,530
Armed Forces: 433
Institution: 49
Department of Justice
Total: 358
Internment: 104
Voluntary Internment: 254
Went to Japan: 34
(Approved for repatriation --Gripsholm exchange ship to Japan-camp 1,2,3)
Other: 3
Deaths: 300
Population Accountability by Specific Type of Original Admission (Including Transfer from Center) and Assignment
TOTAL CUSTODY (WRA Center & Other)
Including Transfer from Center: 19,534
Excluding Transfer from Center: 19,266
Released with inter-marriage permit-camp 1, 3
Pets (dog)-camp 1, 2
