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Authors: Vincent Yee
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traitors and “Jap lovers.” Their views, no
matter how correct, became overshadowed by the growing hate for the Japanese.
If you weren’t anti-Jap, then you weren’t American, and no one wanted to be
labeled that.
It was on a Saturday when a
letter came. Minami came rushing in through the front door after checking the
mailbox waving a letter in her hand. “Mom!” she shouted in the hallway. Her
mother appeared at the end of the hallway. “It’s a letter from Dad!”
When the word “Dad” echoed
throughout the house, Minami’s mother and Miho quickly came down the hallway
from the kitchen, with Yuka and Yoshi bounding down the stairs. Minami eagerly
handed the letter to her anxious mother. Minami’s mother quickly sat down at
the end of the stairs as her children gathered around. “What does it say,
Mommy?” Yoshi asked.
Her mother looked at the
letter. It was indeed her husband’s handwriting. His name appeared in the upper
left-hand corner with a strange address in North Dakota. Minami’s mother stared
at it. It was the first communication from her husband in weeks. It was awful
to deny a wife the whereabouts of her own husband. She wasn’t sure if she
wanted to open it, fearing its contents. Minami sat to her mother’s left and
saw her concerned expression. She gently lent a reassuring touch with her right
hand on her mother’s shoulder. “Go on Mom, Dad would want you to open it.”
Mrs. Ito looked at her
oldest daughter, and saw her husband’s strength in her eyes. She was young,
vibrant and had just barely begun her life. But she was caught up in the whole
mess simply because she was Japanese. Mrs. Ito nodded in agreement as she
looked down merrily at the letter and began to open it. “Let’s see what your
father has to say!” exclaimed Mrs. Ito as she glanced into the eyes of each of
her children.
The letter itself was only
one blue lined sheet of paper folded into thirds. Mrs. Ito started to read the
letter aloud.
My
dearest wife, my wonderful children,
It’s been so long since I’ve seen all of
you. I don’t know if you’ve been told of my whereabouts. I can only wonder how
scared you might be if no one has told you. First, let me just say that I’m ok.
I’m in North Dakota right now along with many other men. We’re being treated
well here. I can’t write much now, but I wanted to tell you how much I miss you
all and that I hope we will be reunited soon as one family. Be strong and be
there for each other until my return.
Your
father
The Ito family fell into a
silence when Mrs. Ito finished the letter. They didn’t know what to think. They
didn’t know what to say until Mrs. Ito simply said, with a cautious smile,
“He’s okay.” Minami smiled too and looked up at her mother and verbally echoed
the same thought “He’s okay, he’s okay.” Then the rest of the family chimed in,
“Dad’s okay!” and they all laughed as they hugged their mother. It seemed odd
for them to revel in the knowledge of their father’s incarceration, but at
least the weight of fearing the worst was lifted. Their father was okay.
The next bit of news was
received with less enthusiasm. President Roosevelt had signed Executive Order
9066 on Feb 19, 1942, which ordered the detainment of all Japanese Americans
into relocation centers. Minami’s family, like many others, only had a few
painful days to decide what to take with them. While her mother and siblings
were sorting through their own things, Minami stood in the middle of her room
as two suitcases laid on top of her bed, half filled. Several piles of clothes
and personal items, along with the family items she salvaged from the attic
were still on the floor. There was no hope of it all fitting into the two
suitcases. She had to make some tough decisions but gave into indignant
frustration instead. Again, she felt like she had to make choices that she had no
control over.
Minami brushed her hand
through her hair and found to her surprise
matter how correct, became overshadowed by the growing hate for the Japanese.
If you weren’t anti-Jap, then you weren’t American, and no one wanted to be
labeled that.
It was on a Saturday when a
letter came. Minami came rushing in through the front door after checking the
mailbox waving a letter in her hand. “Mom!” she shouted in the hallway. Her
mother appeared at the end of the hallway. “It’s a letter from Dad!”
When the word “Dad” echoed
throughout the house, Minami’s mother and Miho quickly came down the hallway
from the kitchen, with Yuka and Yoshi bounding down the stairs. Minami eagerly
handed the letter to her anxious mother. Minami’s mother quickly sat down at
the end of the stairs as her children gathered around. “What does it say,
Mommy?” Yoshi asked.
Her mother looked at the
letter. It was indeed her husband’s handwriting. His name appeared in the upper
left-hand corner with a strange address in North Dakota. Minami’s mother stared
at it. It was the first communication from her husband in weeks. It was awful
to deny a wife the whereabouts of her own husband. She wasn’t sure if she
wanted to open it, fearing its contents. Minami sat to her mother’s left and
saw her concerned expression. She gently lent a reassuring touch with her right
hand on her mother’s shoulder. “Go on Mom, Dad would want you to open it.”
Mrs. Ito looked at her
oldest daughter, and saw her husband’s strength in her eyes. She was young,
vibrant and had just barely begun her life. But she was caught up in the whole
mess simply because she was Japanese. Mrs. Ito nodded in agreement as she
looked down merrily at the letter and began to open it. “Let’s see what your
father has to say!” exclaimed Mrs. Ito as she glanced into the eyes of each of
her children.
The letter itself was only
one blue lined sheet of paper folded into thirds. Mrs. Ito started to read the
letter aloud.
My
dearest wife, my wonderful children,
It’s been so long since I’ve seen all of
you. I don’t know if you’ve been told of my whereabouts. I can only wonder how
scared you might be if no one has told you. First, let me just say that I’m ok.
I’m in North Dakota right now along with many other men. We’re being treated
well here. I can’t write much now, but I wanted to tell you how much I miss you
all and that I hope we will be reunited soon as one family. Be strong and be
there for each other until my return.
Your
father
The Ito family fell into a
silence when Mrs. Ito finished the letter. They didn’t know what to think. They
didn’t know what to say until Mrs. Ito simply said, with a cautious smile,
“He’s okay.” Minami smiled too and looked up at her mother and verbally echoed
the same thought “He’s okay, he’s okay.” Then the rest of the family chimed in,
“Dad’s okay!” and they all laughed as they hugged their mother. It seemed odd
for them to revel in the knowledge of their father’s incarceration, but at
least the weight of fearing the worst was lifted. Their father was okay.
The next bit of news was
received with less enthusiasm. President Roosevelt had signed Executive Order
9066 on Feb 19, 1942, which ordered the detainment of all Japanese Americans
into relocation centers. Minami’s family, like many others, only had a few
painful days to decide what to take with them. While her mother and siblings
were sorting through their own things, Minami stood in the middle of her room
as two suitcases laid on top of her bed, half filled. Several piles of clothes
and personal items, along with the family items she salvaged from the attic
were still on the floor. There was no hope of it all fitting into the two
suitcases. She had to make some tough decisions but gave into indignant
frustration instead. Again, she felt like she had to make choices that she had no
control over.
Minami brushed her hand
through her hair and found to her surprise
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