Partial Transcript: Frank S. Tanabe was born on August 10, 1919. Frank's stepfather, Mr. Kaku Jiro Tanabe, passed away in 1972 in Seattle, WA. Frank's biological father, Mr. Nobisuke Okamoto, passed away in 1977 in Japan.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Issei parents; Japanese American; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Frank's mother, Katsuko Mastani, was from Mikage, Kobe, Japan. She immigrated to the United States in 1960 and passed away in 1993 in Seattle, WA. Frank's stepfather was from Tetori, Japan, and immigrated to Alaska. Later, he settled in Seattle, WA. Frank's biological father immigrated to Seattle, WA. In 1924, Frank's parents divorced, and his father returned to Japan. Frank's biological father opened an American-styled restaurant called Olympics Restaurant. Many Nisei who studies in Japan would gather at the Olympics.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Issei parents; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Frank's biological father immigrated to the United States because he did not want to be the head priest of a temple. The position then was left to his younger brother. Frank's stepfather left Japan because he was the second son and wanted to make a career in the United States. He worked as a cook at a restaurant. After he married Frank's mother, he worked at a few places before leasing a restaurant, Olympic Cafe.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: employment; Issei; Issei parents

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: In 1937, Frank graduated high school, and the family moved to Cut Bank, MT. He returned to University of Washington in the fall of 1938. Frank has a sister and two half brothers. Frank's birth name was Frank S. Okamoto. Later his name changed to Frank S. Tanabe after his mother remarried. Frank changed his Japanese name because his elementary school teacher could not pronounce Japanese.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Issei parents; Japanese American; Nisei; primary school

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: After Frank's mother remarried in 1924, Frank and his sister called Mr. Tanabe, uncle, for a long time. Frank spends the majority of his childhood in the Tanabe household. He recalls his stepfather being lenient. Frank's stepfather had a partnership in a dairy and later started cooking at a restaurant. Frank remembers a brief memory of his biological father giving school supplies.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Issei parents; Japanese American; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: When Frank was a student at a University, he and his friends visited Los Angeles, CA. Frank learned his biological father was looking for him because Frank received a draft from Japan. Frank had dual citizenship in Japan and the United States. When Frank went to Japan during the occupation, Frank looked for his father. Frank saw his biological father for the first time after the war.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: higher education; Issei parents; Japanese American; Nisei; occupation; post war; travel

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Frank's parents taught him to study hard, and education was important. At home, Frank spoke Japanese. Frank attended Japanese language school (Tips School). The Japanese Language was referred to as Tip School because it was similar to a bonus for the family. In Seattle, WA, Frank attended grammar school and Broadway High School. In 1938, Frank was at the University of Washington until Pearl Harbor.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Issei parents; Japanese Language School; Japanese values and morals; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Growing up, Frank lived in Jtown on Main Street. The demographic was Japanese Americans. He attended Bailey Gatzert Elementary School, and the students were mainly Japanese and Chinese Americans. After, Frank attended Washington Junior High School, and the students were more diverse. Later, he attended Broadway High School. Franks recalls a Finnish neighbor and cookies.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: friendship; Japanese American; Japantown; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Growing up, Frank did not feel any discrimination. After Pearl Harbor, Frank recalls a curfew. His Chinese American friends offered to take him to the bar in Chinatown. Moreover, his friends' Caucasian friends invited him to hang out. Frank says he was treated very well. Frank was living in a clubhouse with 20 to 30 Nisei. Frank's parents were living in Montana, and the week before Pearl Harbor, his parents came to Seattle, WA.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: curfew; friendship; higher education; Issei parents; Japanese American; Nisei; Pearl Harbor; social activities

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: When Frank attended the University of Washington, he was living at a clubhouse for Nisei. There was a clubhouse manager who handled the finances of the household. Everyone who lived at the club had chores to do. The club was also used by other students who lived in Seattle, and Frank got to know many people. When Frank was a junior, he spent his summer (June to September) working in Alaska at a cannery. In 1937, Frank graduated high school, and his family moved to Montana. Frank recalls moving to a different friend's home before staying at the Japanese student clubhouse. Since 1938, Frank started to live on this own.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; higher education; Japanese American; living conditions; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: In Seattle, the evacuation was by streets, and Frank was the last to evacuate in the University district. Franks said many students returned home to their families after Pearl Harbor or when evacuation started. Therefore, only five students (including Frank) at the University district went to Tule Lake. When Frank and the other four Nisei go to the Assembly Center, they are sent to Tule Lake to set up the camp. Frank's assignment was to coordinate the construction of the barracks with Puyallup authorities. As a result, Frank started working on the newsletter. When Tule Lake was completed, Japanese Americans from San Francisco and Sacramento moved in. The people from Puyallup moved to Minidoka.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: assembly centers; barracks; Executive Order 9066; forced removal; Japanese American; Minidoka; Nisei; Pearl Harbor; Puyallup; Tule; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: In September, Frank went to Idaho to help harvest the crops on a farm. Then he returned to Tule Lake. Later in February, he asked for a transfer to Minidoka. Frank recalls his youth activities. He was in Boy Scouts and YMCA. In grade school, he spent a summer at the Salvation Army Fresh Air Camp for two weeks. The camp leaders were the older Nisei. The camp needed funds to continue operating. Therefore, they would go to the farm in the morning to pick berries and have camp activities in the afternoon. The following summer, Frank started to work at the salmon cannery in Alaska. Frank recalls some of the students from the students club.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: childhood activites; Executive Order 9066; farm; farming; Japanese American; living conditions; Minidoka; Nisei; Tule; World War Two; youth organizations

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Frank did not feel discriminated against growing up in Seattle, WA. He did not feel like he was different from anyone else. Frank recalls going to Los Angeles, CA, and his biological father was looking for him. Frank learned he has dual citizenship. Being American with Japanese ancestry did not bother him. When he went to the assembly camps, living there was no different from living by himself. At Tule Lake, Frank helped organize the newspaper, dances, and a softball league for the internees.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; forced removal; Japanese American; Minidoka; Nisei; social activities; sports

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Frank discusses the Issei experience at Tule Lake. The Issei did not have to worry about paying for shelter or putting food on the table. However, Frank recalls attending a panel discussion, and the Issei described having a bad experience in camp. In Minidoka, Frank made friends with the Chaplain, and he would take Frank into town sometimes. Frank said everyone's perspective is different and how we view the situation. Frank recalls having the largest productive farm at Tule Lake.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Executive Order 9066; farm; farming; Issei; Issei paretns; Minidoka; Nisei; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Frank recalls his parents wanting him to learn Japanese. Therefore, after Bailey Gatzert Elementary School, he would go to a private Japanese Language School. The teachers at the Japanese language school were family friends. Frank learned kanji, and he spoke Japanese and English at home.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: childhood activities; education; Japanese American; Japanese Language School; Nisei; primary school

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: In 1943, Frank volunteered for the Army and took his physical exam. After passing his exam, Frank went to the Marine table and took a test but did not pass. Then he went to the Navy, and the Navy accepted him. However, the Army has a directive from the War Department stating all Japanese Americans will be sent to the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). Frank has one month's leave before reporting to Fort Sheridan.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Fort Sheridan; Japanese American soliders; Military Intelligence Service; Military Intelligence Service Language School; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: In 1937, Frank graduated High School and went to Alaska summer of 1938. When he returned from Alaska, Frank enrolled at the University of Washington for three years until evacuation orders. In the last month, before going to Puyallup Assembly Center, Frank got his honorary degree from the University. On February 1, 1944, Frank reported to Fort Sheridan and had latrine duties. Several days later, Frank and another Nisei go to Camp Savage.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: assembly centers; basic training; Executive Order 9066; higher education; Japanese American; Japanese American soldiers; Nisei; Pearl Harbor; Puyallup; Tule; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: After Pearl Harbor, the President of the University of Washington wrote letters of recommendation to other institutions to accept Japanese American students. Franks said the school tried everything to relocate the Japanese American students. For the Japanese American students who would have graduated in June, there was a graduation ceremony at Puyallup Assembly Center.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation'; assembly centers; higher education; Japanese American; Nisei; Pearl Harbor; Puyallup; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: On December 7, Frank was at the University of Washington. Frank learned about the Pearl Harbor attack. The students were listening to the news broadcast quietly and having their thoughts. Some students packed their belongings and went home, and some students continued to live as normal. Frank stopped attending classes after December 7. When the evacuation order was announced, Frank and four other Nisei went to Tule Lake as the advance crew. Frank discusses the experiment of social living.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; discrimination; family; forced removal; higher education; Japanese American; living conditions; Nisei; Pearl Harbor; Tule

Subjects: