Enoch Kanaya oral history interview, part 1 of 3, June 25, 2006

Files

Dublin Core

Description

Enoch Kanaya was born March 14, 1925. His parents are from Okayama-ken, Japan, and immigrated to the United States. Enoch's parents were hard-working and loving parents. When the Great Depression happened, farming became difficult, and the Kanaya family moved to the city. Enoch remembers taking care of the horses and saving his earnings.

At school, there were not many Japanese American students. The first part of Enoch’s school years was at a country school. After moving to the city, he attended a city school district. Enoch also attends Japanese Language School briefly. On the weekends, Enoch helped his father at the family store.

Besides school and helping his father, Enoch had a carefree childhood enjoying cowboy movies and watching sports games. He describes having fun exploring different Naval ships during Navy Week in Portland. Moreover, Enoch was social in the Japanese Community through the Medothist Church.

On December 7, Enoch’s life changed like many other Japanese Americans. Soon after the Declaration of War, restrictions were issued for a curfew and turned in weapons and radios. Enoch was unsure of the future. In April 1942, Enoch and his family arrived at the Assembly Center. Enoch recalls hearing news about the draft and receiving his 4C card from the Draft Board in Minidoka.

Format

video/m4v

Date

Identifier

2006OH0684_01_Kanaya

Oral History Item Type Metadata

Date of Birth

1925-03-15

Citation

Kanaya, Enoch; narrator, Yamagami, Don; interviewer, and Go For Broke National Education Center; publisher, “Enoch Kanaya oral history interview, part 1 of 3, June 25, 2006,” Japanese American Military History Collective, accessed March 28, 2024, https://ndajams.omeka.net/items/show/1058030.