“…our family was sent to Tule Lake in Northern California, a ‘segregation center’ for those deemed ‘disloyal.'”
We were in Topaz for about a year. Then came the “loyalty questionnaire.” My two older brothers, who were Kibei, responded “No” to questions 27 (Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the US on combat duty?) and 28 (Do you forswear allegiance to the Emperor of Japan?) to protest to the US government for putting American citizens into these so-called “camps.” So our family was sent to Tule Lake in Northern California, a “segregation center” for those deemed “disloyal.” We remained there until the end of the war.
Because our Topaz audiences were mostly the Issei, who are no longer with us, I’m not sure that there are people who still remember those performances in the mess halls. But for me, it was quite an experience, and made me feel, as I grew older, like I could do many things without fearing or being ashamed or bashful.
About the contributor: Ben Takeshita was born in Alameda, CA, but grew up in San Mateo, where his father ran the family landscape gardening business. The family was sent to Topaz, but was later transferred to Tule Lake. After the War, Ben graduated from San Mateo High School, then served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. With a degree from UC Berkeley, he worked for the State Department of Employment until retirement. He lives in Richmond, CA with his wife Fumiko.
Copyright 2019, Ben Takeshita. All rights reserved.