Father's business partner operated their farming business during WWII

His family's migration to Salinas, California Father created a partnership to grow and ship vegetables Father's business partner operated their farming business during WWII Father was convinced the constitution would protect him Japanese were not welcomed back to Salinas Felt no hostility in Los Gatos, California after the war Able to settle easily in Los Gatos with foresight and luck Requested assignment in Europe to avoid combat in the Korean War Taking over his father's business after father's accident Mochitsuki tradition Feelings about redress Mr. Hirasaki brought World Fair Japanese pavilion to Gilroy

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In 1940 when the war started of course we went to camp, but fortunately Tom Bunn continued to operate the business, and my father and Tom Bunn continued to correspond back and forth by telephone by telegram while we were in the Salinas Assembly Center. And I remember Tom Bunn coming to visit us in the Relocation Camp in Salinas, Rodeo Ground, and my father would get permission to go to the camp headquarters to meet with Tom Bunn. I went with him. Tom Bunn would bring me a stick of salami and my sister a doll. I don’t know how my father communicated with Tom Bunn while we were relocated to Arizona—Poston, Arizona—but somehow they did.

Date: March 22, 2018
Location: California, US
Interviewer: John Esaki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

business camp farming world war II