As a youth, Taira is aware of world events from the LA Times. He reads about land leasing and the war overseas. However, Taira thinks poverty is more important news in those days. On December 7, Taira is playing football with the Japanese American kids. He recalls Charlie Chaplin is filming the movie The Great Dictator across the street.

The following day after the Pearl Harbor attack, Taira goes to school on the bus. The school has an assembly and shows support for the Japanese Americans. He discusses the treatment after December 7, and he does not realize the severity of the situation until the evacuation.

Besides evacuation, there are curfew hours. Taira says he only goes to school and straight comes home. Moreover, He recalls neighbors coming and taking the plants from the front yard and asking low prices for their belongings.

Taira believes his family is the first to go to camp because his relatives volunteer to help build Manzanar. Taira's brother loses his job after Pearl Harbor and decides to help with the construction of Manzanar.

Taira describes the living condition at Manzanar. Briefly, He leaves camp to work on a farm in Idaho and attends Idaho Falls High School. However, working and going to school is tough. He returns to Manzanar and finishes high school in the camp. He studies journalism and is the senior editor.

In camp, Taira answers the loyalty questionnaire and explains the different possibilities of answering the questionnaire. In 1944, he is drafted into the Army with his brother Jim. Taira and Jim, go to Fort Douglas, and the other Nisei go to Camp Blanding or Camp Hood.

Camp Hood is for the anti-tank unit. However, Taira is a rife replacement for the 442nd. Taira is assigned to Company A 140th Battalion, and their unit is known as the Flying A. He describes life in basic training. His training is cut from 18 weeks to 16 weeks due to the Battle of Bulge.
]]> Fukushima, Taira: narrator]]> Horsting, Robert: interviewer]]> Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher]]> Go For Broke National Education Center]]>
Thomas and his family live at Castle Estate Kindergarten, where his father works. His family maintains their Japanese values and morals at home. Besides attending primary school, Thomas attends the Japanese Language School. In his free time, his childhood activities include diving for squid, fishing, movies, and barefoot football.

After graduating high school, Thomas works at a few places before receiving his draft notice to join the Army. He describes Army life and the attack on Pearl Harbor. He also shares who are influential role models in his early upbringing. ]]> Wozumi, Thomas Ukichi: narrator]]> Yuge, Tim: interviewer]]> Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher]]> Go For Broke National Education Center]]> Oral Histories]]>
Don is in holding a position in France for four months. This period is called the "Champagne Campaign." Don explains how the name originates. After the hold, Don goes to Italy to the front lines for the Gothic Line.

In Po Valley, Don recalls squad members that are wounded in action and killed in action and his assignment.]]> Miyada, Don: narrator]]> Horsting, Robert: interviewer]]> Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher]]> Go For Broke National Education Center]]> World War II--European Theater]]> World War II--Military service]]> Japanese Americans--Post-World War II]]> Kawakami, Takeshi: narrator]]> Hawkins, Richard: interviewer]]> Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher]]> Go For Broke National Education Center]]> 2010 October 10]]> eng]]> Oral Histories]]> Hilo, Hawaii]]>