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Father making shell brooches at Topaz

My dad was an avid fisherman. He was one of the founders of the Nisei fishing club up in San Francisco. So twice a week he would go fishing. Wednesday he would close up his shop and he'd go locally. He’d go to Lake Merced or go to Fisherman’s Wharf or whatever. And then on weekends he’d go for striped bass up in Pittsburgh, that was near Sacramento. That’s where the bass was running. So that was his big hobby.

But he was a very good handy man. I mean, hobbyist. So one of the things that he perfected while in camp was making fine brooches or floral arrangements because Topaz, being on the Utah dry lake, you go and dig up, and you find clam shells that were bleached. So with fingernail polish and paint, he would match the shells and make rosebuds and nice little, cute, beautiful little things. And then the basket would be spun crepe paper, and then he would weave it. And then he would varnish it, and they would make beautiful brooches.

So what he did is, he made a big group of this stuff, and left camp before we did. But first thing he did was, he went to the Chicago, Lake Michigan area. The big, fancy hotels around Lake Michigan. And went to the gift shop there, and sold the little brooches at the gift shop. And he made a few bucks. Then he went back to San Francisco and started barber school.


concentration camps families fathers jewelry Topaz concentration camp United States Utah World War II World War II camps

Date: August 26, 2015

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Willie Ito was born July 17, 1934 in San Francisco, California to nisei parents. Seeing Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the age of five inspired a lifelong love of animation. After his family's incarceration in Topaz, Utah during World War II, Willie returned to California to pursue an art career, attending the Walt Disney favorite Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles (which later became CalArts). Under the mentorship of legendary animator Iwao Takamoto, Willie's passion blossomed into a long career in the animation world through golden ages at Disney, Warner Brothers, and Hanna-Barbera. His credits span from The Lady and the Tramp and What's Opera Doc? to The Flinstones and the Yogi Bear Show. 

Willie continues drawing to this day, including illustration work on multiple children's books about the Japanese American World War II experience. You can also find him signing sketches and greeting fans at San Diego Comic-con. (September 2016)

Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig
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Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig

Institutionalization as a bad aspect of camp

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

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Gene Akutsu
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Gene Akutsu

Reaction of Japanese American community toward draft resistance stance

(b. 1925) Draft resister

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Gene Akutsu
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Gene Akutsu

The role of the media in influencing people's opinions

(b. 1925) Draft resister

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Gene Akutsu
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Gene Akutsu

Living conditions in prison while serving time for resisting the draft

(b. 1925) Draft resister

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Gene Akutsu
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Gene Akutsu

Talking to children about decision to resist the draft during World War II

(b. 1925) Draft resister

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Gene Akutsu
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Gene Akutsu

Deciding whether to answer "yes-yes" on the loyalty questionnaire in order to leave camp

(b. 1925) Draft resister

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Gene Akutsu
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Gene Akutsu

Reflecting on Japanese Americans' response to incarceration

(b. 1925) Draft resister

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Dale Minami
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Dale Minami

Reasons for conformity and competitiveness in Gardena, California

(b. 1946) Lawyer

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Dale Minami
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Dale Minami

Not fully understanding parents' World War II incarceration while growing up

(b. 1946) Lawyer

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Dale Minami
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Dale Minami

Role of the redress movement in helping Nisei to open up about their wartime experiences

(b. 1946) Lawyer

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Mako Nakagawa
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Mako Nakagawa

Not recognizing father after reunion at Crystal City, Texas

(1937 - 2021) Teacher

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George Yamada
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George Yamada

Japanese American railroad workers are fired following the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(b. 1923) Chick sexer

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George Yamada
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George Yamada

A racist encounter at a movie theater following the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(b. 1923) Chick sexer

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George Yamada
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George Yamada

Encountering a train full of Japanese Americans being transported to a concentration camp

(b. 1923) Chick sexer

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Luis Yamada
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Luis Yamada

Suffering in World War II (Spanish)

(b. 1929) Nisei Argentinean

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