James Fujii oral history interview, part 2 of 3, September 10, 2008
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James Fujii grows up in a rural area. After the war, the community doubled in size. James felt everyone got along after they knew one another. In his opinion, the Japanese American community did not rebel against racism after the war. They are happy to start their lives over again. He discusses the racism and prejudices the Japanese Americans and African Americans faced.
When Pearl Harbor was attacked, James was a sophomore in high school. He recalls evacuation and going to the Portland Stockyards. Later the family volunteers to work on a farm in Nyssa, OR, pulling sugar beets.
In Nyssa, James was on a boxing team in high school, and he also played baseball. James's boxing class was 120, and his record was five draws and five wins (within two years).
The Farming Servicing Administration (FSA) ran the tent camp in Nyssa. James recalls the housing was awful. However, his mother took the responsibility of cooking the meals and making the tent space livable for the family. The Fujii family lived at the tent camp for two years, and James recalled the winter months being cold.
At Nyssa, there were many people from Troutdale and Gresham area. Ten miles away from Nyssa, there was a CCC camp. The families from Nyssa were supposed to move there in the third year. However, the war ended. The CCC camp was an upgrade from Nyssa's tent camp.
While the Fujii family was at Nyssa, James' brother, Kazuo, went into service and visited the family on furlough. James recalls that wartime changed Kazuo's personality.
When Pearl Harbor was attacked, James was a sophomore in high school. He recalls evacuation and going to the Portland Stockyards. Later the family volunteers to work on a farm in Nyssa, OR, pulling sugar beets.
In Nyssa, James was on a boxing team in high school, and he also played baseball. James's boxing class was 120, and his record was five draws and five wins (within two years).
The Farming Servicing Administration (FSA) ran the tent camp in Nyssa. James recalls the housing was awful. However, his mother took the responsibility of cooking the meals and making the tent space livable for the family. The Fujii family lived at the tent camp for two years, and James recalled the winter months being cold.
At Nyssa, there were many people from Troutdale and Gresham area. Ten miles away from Nyssa, there was a CCC camp. The families from Nyssa were supposed to move there in the third year. However, the war ended. The CCC camp was an upgrade from Nyssa's tent camp.
While the Fujii family was at Nyssa, James' brother, Kazuo, went into service and visited the family on furlough. James recalls that wartime changed Kazuo's personality.
Identifier
2008OH0933_02_Fujii
Oral History Item Type Metadata
Date of Birth
1926 May 28
Location of Birth
War or Conflict
Branch of Service
Entrance into Service
Nickname
Location of Basic Training
Campaigns/Battles
Citation
Fujii, James: narrator, Horsting, Robert: interviewer, and Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher, “James Fujii oral history interview, part 2 of 3, September 10, 2008,” Japanese American Military History Collective, accessed April 19, 2024, https://ndajams.omeka.net/items/show/1055486.