Ray Shiiki oral history interview, part 2 of 3, September 9, 2008

Files

Dublin Core

Description

Before the war, Ray Shiiki's parents buy land in Damascus, OR. However, due to the alien land law, the property is under Ray's sister's name. Later Ray's parents discover they have been taken advantage of by a cannery worker.

When evacuation orders are announced, Ray and his family go to the assembly center and then to Minidoka. Ray describes the living conditions and job opportunities.

In camp, Ray plays baseball and makes several friends. Ray values the friendships he developed and maintains in contact with his friends. Ray recalls the loyalty questionnaire and says he is proud to be an American.

When Ray is drafted into the Army, he goes to Camp Hood and then to Fort Snelling. On furlough, he experiences discrimination and shares his feelings of being called a "Jap."

Post-war, Ray and his brother go into farming. Ray says Bob Wilson, Don Schneider, and Carl Graff are influential to his success in the farming industry. In 1990, Ray retired from farming and started herb gardening with his wife and son until 2000.

Identifier

2008OH0931_02_Shiiki

Oral History Item Type Metadata

Date of Birth

1927 Jan 07

Location of Birth

War or Conflict

Branch of Service

Entrance into Service

Citation

Shiiki, Ray: narrator, Nakaishi, Russell: interviewer, and Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher, “Ray Shiiki oral history interview, part 2 of 3, September 9, 2008,” Japanese American Military History Collective, accessed March 29, 2024, https://ndajams.omeka.net/items/show/1055479.