Partial Transcript: Charles "Charley" Touoji Ijima is born on January 8, 1925, in Makaweli, Kauai, Hawaii. Makaweli is a plantation that produces sugar. The manager of the sugar plantation is Douglas Bowden. The population of Makaweli is approximately 5,000 to 6,000 people.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Hawaii; Hawaiian identity; plantation

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Partial Transcript: The Ijima family consists of two parents and six children. Charley is the middle child. His oldest brother helps provide for the family, and his sister married at an early age. Charley helps with house duties. Charley's dad has a lot of chickens, a vegetable garden, and goes fishing. There is always plenty of food. Charley's attends Makaweli Elementary School for eight years and goes to Waimea High School. In his senior year of High School, World War Two starts.

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Keywords: family; Hawaii; high school; Japanese Americans; Nisei; primary school; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Charley receives his high school diploma early because of the war. During his senior year of high school, he strings barb wire along the coast of the island. In high school, Charley plays basketball. There are only two high schools at that time. Therefore, there were not many competitive sports. All the students on the plantation are placed in a school called Makaweli Annex School. This school is for Caucasian students. There is only one Japanese student in the school.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; childhood activities; Hawaii; sports; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Charley discusses plantation stores versus the main store. At the time, Charley's home is near the sugar mill next to Makaweli Avenue. Supervisors managing the mills are Caucasians, and the supervisors in the field are also Caucasians.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Hawaii; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: After World War in 1946, there are more management opportunities for different ethnicities due to the union movement. Makaweli Avenue expands to other nationalities other than Caucasians. On the plantation, there is electric power and water system. In 1946, Charley works on the construction of the subdivision for the working class on the sugar plantation.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; employment; Hawaii; Nisei; platoon; post-war; prejudices; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Charley recalls growing up the family having a homemade icebox to store food. The plantation provides ice and fuel to the families. The bathwater is heated by coal when it is time to bathe. In 1938, the ownership of the plantation changes, and each family, receive bonuses from the company that lost its lease. Charley's dad buys their first refrigerator from his Mother and radio for himself.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Hawaii; homemaking; Nisei; plantation

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Partial Transcript: Other sources to heat the bathwater are logs and bails of compressed sugar cane pulp. There is no indoor plumbing, but there is an outhouse. In certain areas, there is a community outhouse. Charley's first family house has an outhouse close to the residence. Postwar, the Ijima family moves further from the mill, and that residence has an outhouse close by as well.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; family; Japanese Americans; Nisei; plantation; post-war

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Partial Transcript: Charley says, growing up, rent and water are free. The water source comes from a river and filtered to the camps. At home, Charley's mother cooks Japanese style dishes. For dinner meals, a lot of food is cooked because there is no refrigeration to preserve the food. Charley describes a unit that stores food similar to a refrigerator called "safe."

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; family; Hawaii; plantation

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Partial Transcript: Charley says his father is a better cook than his mother. The leftover food from the night before is eaten the next day for lunch. For breakfast, Charley describes how he makes his oatmeal. The staple food in the household is eggs and fish. The family cooks their food on an open fire. Later on, the kerosene stove is available. The plantation distributes gallons of fuel depending on the number of children in the household.

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Keywords: family; Hawaii; Japanese Americans; plantation

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Partial Transcript: Charley's parents work from Monday to Saturday, and their only day off is Sunday. Therefore, the family seldom have family outings. In the house, there is no television and radio. Charley's father mainly listens to the radio. On the plantation, there is a sports program. Each plantations have a baseball team and compete with one another. Same with the basketball, swimming, and barefoot football teams. However, baseball is the most popular.

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Keywords: childhood activities; children; employment; family; Hawaii; Japanese Americans; plantation

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Partial Transcript: Charley describes his siblings. His oldest brother has more responsibilities. After high school, Charley leaves his home and corresponds more with his mother. Both of his parents are from Niigata Prefecture of Japan. Charley's father, Shozo Ijima, comes to Hawaii by himself first. Later Charley's mother, Haru Asato, immigrates to the United States when she is seventeen years old as a picture bride.

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Keywords: Hawaii; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; picture brides

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Partial Transcript: Charley is the first to go into the war. His three brothers later join the service as well. Charley's brother below him is stationed in Japan. Since being station in Japan, he visits their parents' hometown Niigata. His parents' immediate family has passed away. Before the war, Charley's father goes to Japan by himself. Postwar, the kids decide to send their mother to Japan since she did not have the opportunity to travel before. In Japan, she visits with some of the relatives.

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Keywords: family; Hawaii; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; post-war; travel; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Charley describes his mother's feelings of Japan after traveling. After the European war, Charley receives 52/20 (50 weeks receives $20.00 a week). After some leisure time, he goes to work at Amfac part-time.

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Keywords: European Theater; Hawaii; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Nisei veterans; post-war; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Charley discusses working part-time and not being part of the union. He works for Amfac for a few months. After high school, Charley volunteers to join the 442nd. When the war starts, there are rations. School is nonexistent because of the war, blackouts at night, gas rations, no movies/entertainment.

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Keywords: blackouts in war; employment; Hawaii; high school; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Pearl Harbor; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: December 7, 1942, Charley is suppose to go watch a movie when Pearl Harbor is attack. Charley discusses the restriction and ration. Especially alcohol ration.

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Keywords: Hawaii; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Pearl Harbor; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Charley discusses volunteering and the draft board. He says there are others from the plantation that also volunteer. However, the plantation can hold you back if you are an essential worker.

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Keywords: 442nd; Nisei; Pearl Harbor; plantation; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Charley recalls being in the first group for 442nd. He says others volunteered but are replacements. All the Kauai volunteers go to Schofield Barracks to be sworn in.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; Japanese American soldiers; Nisei; World War Two

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