Partial Transcript: Edward goes to Fort Dix, Utah, for his induction into the Army. Many of his friends are inducted at the same time. Two weeks later, he goes to basic training. Basic training is intense, and he is with people he knows.

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Keywords: draft; friendship; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Nisei; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: The war is still happening, and at Camp Fannin, TX, Edwards learns active training. Edward is in good shape. Therefore, he did not have problems with the intense training and marching. Working on the farm helps Edward build his strength and stamina to prepare him for basic.

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Keywords: farming; Japanese American soldiers; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: At Camp Fannin, Edward learns weapons training. He does not know his future assignments until later. After basic training, Edward goes to Fort Snelling, MN, for Military Intelligence Service Language School. He spends six months at the language school. However, he spends most of his time as a truck driver. The First Sergeant is from the same hometown as Edward. Edward drives the First Sergeant every morning for training.

Segment Synopsis:

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

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Partial Transcript: Edwards says his Japanese language skill is poor in comparison to the other Nisei at language school. He is at Fort Snelling for six months. Later Edward goes to training for eight weeks to be a radio operator. He learns the international morse code. Post-war and after his military service, Edward does not use the morse code.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: basic training; Fort Snelling; Japanese American soldiers; Military Intelligence Service Language School; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: At Camp Campbell, Edward is assigned to the Third Infantry Division, Signal Corps Company. He is with the division until his discharge in November 1946. Edward stays in Chicago for a few days before going home by train. From the train station, Edward walks home because there is no one to pick him up. Edward's family did not know he was coming home. Edward comes home at the peak of harvest and helps on the farm.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: basic training; family; farming; homecoming; Japanese American soldiers; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: In the service, Edward did not correspond with his family often. Edward says his older brother is out of service, as he is just starting. Edward does not write to his brother. Edward is proud to be part of the Third Infantry Division as a radio operator. He operates the radio for the Battalion network. There are twelve stations to manage.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Issei parents; Japanese American soldiers; Nisei; siblings; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Edward says there is nothing that hard about his experience during wartime. In comparison to other Nisei soldiers, he does not have funny moments to share. Post-war, Edward is active with the Nisei Veterans Club for 30 years. The Nisei Veterans Club is a service organization. Many of the club's activities are local.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; marching; Nisei; Nisei veterans; post-war; social activities; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Edward summarizes his military career as a good experience. Post-war, being part of the Nisei Veterans Club, there are events for the youth. These events help bond the generations together and get the future generations to participate.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Nisei; Nisei veterans; Sansei; social activities; World War Two; Yonsei

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Partial Transcript: Edward has five brothers. Almost all his brothers served in the military at the same time. Edward says his parents never said anything, but he knows it must have been difficult for his father. His sons are not home to help on the farm. Edward never hears his father complain or make a comment about the situation. Edward feels his parents are proud of him and his brothers.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; Nisei veterans; siblings; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Edward is thankful that his Issei parents receive their US citizenship. He recalls the Japanese Community honoring his parents after getting their citizenship. Edward discusses smelt runs. In 1942, Edward and his family evacuate to the assembly center. That same year is the largest smelt run. Each person is allowed 25 pounds of smelt.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; fishing; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: In 1942 Edward and his family go to camp. The same year, there is a big smelt run. Edward says everyone catches smelt to eat at camp. In 1945, when they leave camp, there is another big smelt run. Edward has only worked on the farm for his career. Edward recruits farm labor daily to help with farming. On the Fujii farm, they harvest fruits and vegetables.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; fishing; Issei; Japanese Americans; Nisei; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Edward discusses the farming industry has grown throughout the years. The fruit and vegetable crops are hand-picked and require more labor even to this day. There is no machinery developed for this task. He gives an example of green beans and berries. On the Fujii farm, Edward says they harvest the popular berries. The farm has approximately 400 acres.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: employment; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Nisei veterans

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Partial Transcript: Edward keeps the farming business for ten years (1980-1990) before selling it. However, the farm business still has Edward's name even to this day, Fujii Produce. Edward says recruiting labor and supervising takes a lot of work. His farming industry can survive weather and insects. They were very successful.

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Keywords: employment; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Nisei veterans; post-war

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Partial Transcript: In 1942, Edward meets Aya Iwasaki, in Nyssa, OR. In 1950, they got married and been married for fifty years. They have three children. When Edward is in the service, he corresponds with Aya when she is attending Oregon State.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: children; correspondence; dating; farming; Japanese Americans; Nisei; post-war; wedding

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Partial Transcript: Aya Iwasaki joins the interview with her husband Edward. She discusses how she meets Edward. Aya is a freshman in high school when her family evacuate to an inactive CCC camp. In 1943, Aya meets Edward and date for several years. In 1950, they get married. Aya says Edward is funny and plays sports. During their time of courtship, Edward is in the service, and she is in college. Therefore, they corresponded with one another as much as possible. Post-war, Edward is living in Troutdale, and Aya is living in Hillsboro.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; correspondence; dating; family; high school; Japanese Americans; living conditions; Nisei; Nisei veterans; sports

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Partial Transcript: Edward discusses when he meets Aya for the first time. They have been together for 59 years. Aya says the success of their marriage is a give and take. When raising their three children (Scott, Becki, and Tami), Aya is the disciplinarian, and Edward is the easy-going parent. Scott graduated from Oregon State and now lives in Honolulu, HI. Scott manages Pearl Ridge Shopping Center.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: child rearing; dating; family; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Sansei

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Partial Transcript: Edward and Aya's daughters are Becki and Tami. Becki was a school teacher in Eugene, OR, and recently retired. Tami lives in Bellevue, WA, and works for TMobile. Edward and Aya have two grandchildren Miyoko Patricelli (Becki's daughter) and Griffin Lew. Edward says he did not share his wartime experience with his children unless they asked. However, they do share their camp experience.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Nisei veterans; Sansei; Yonsei

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Partial Transcript: Aya discusses Hillsboro, OR. There are not that many Japanese American families in that community. At this time, Aya is a freshman in high school. The reality of wartime and evacuation did not hit her as hard as her parents. Currently, Edward and Aya live at a retirement center, and the residences barely know about the camp experience. However, they are sympathetic to the situation.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; discrimination; Executive Order 9066; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Edward and Aya's daughter-in-law is Japanese from Japan. Scott marries Megumi in Japan when he is in service. Aya wants future generations to never forget about the history of the Japanese American experience during World War Two. One of their daughters is more active in sharing the history of World War Two. Aya is sympathetic to other ethnic groups because of what they experienced themselves. Aya has two brothers, Ike, and art, who served during the war in the 442nd.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "evacuation"; 442nd; discrimination; draft; Executive Order 9066; family; front line; Japanese Americans; Lost Battalion; Nisei; Sansei; World War Two

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