Ken Tamura oral history interview, part 6 of 7, May 1, 2000

Files

Dublin Core

Description

Ken Tamura discusses his friendship with other translators. In Japan, there is a shortage of food, and the locals did not have money to buy anything. The locals sometimes will befriend the GIs to get supplies to survive.

Ken returns to Chicago in 1948, after his two-year contract. Ken has aspirations of going to college to repair watches. He attends school on his GI Bill. Also, Ken and his father decide to purchase a building in a diverse neighborhood. In Chicago, Ken is surprised there is interracial discrimination. He shares a story about his greek neighbor.

Ken continues his education with his GI Bill and takes classes in accounting and business law. While going to school for a year, Ken gets a part-time job at Brunswick Bowling Company as interoffice mail distribution. Later he is promoted to an accountant position.

On January 10, 1953, Ken gets married to Betty Toda. Ken decides on his plans to open a watch store after saving some money. He is in the watchmaker business for 12 years.

Identifier

2000OH0118_06_Tamura

Oral History Item Type Metadata

URL

http://www.goforbroke.org/oral_histories/mp4/118-Tamura-Ken-6.m4v

Date of Birth

1923 Mar 27

Location of Birth

War or Conflict

Branch of Service

Entrance into Service

Location of Basic Training

Citation

Tamura, Ken: narrator, Lim, Reuben: interviewer, and Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher, “Ken Tamura oral history interview, part 6 of 7, May 1, 2000,” Japanese American Military History Collective, accessed December 22, 2024, https://ndajams.omeka.net/items/show/1050875.