Incarceration
Chiz's Friends and Colleagues in the Camp Hospital in Topaz.
To see a collection of images and documents from file at Topaz Incarceration Camp.
War Relocation Authority Camps Maps.
After staying at Tanforan for the months of May through September, the Yamashita Family was moved on train along with the rest of the internees in Tanforan to Utah with the shades of the pullman cars pulled down. They arrived in a dusty arid land that the Mormans had been unable to turn into farm land when they had settled the area. The permanent camp was notably better furnished-- hot running water and meat served at meals. But the improvements in living could not outweigh the reality that the removal from the rest of society was becoming more permanent with a more permanent encampment. The weather and the landscape would prove trying, dust storms pouring dust into barracks, hot heat in the summer and freezing temperatures in the winter.
Some detainees were ordered leave Tanforan to help set up the permanent camp in Utah--Topaz. Chiz, who had worked at the makeshift hospital at Tanforan, left early to set up the hospital at Topaz. She left with her husband, Ed and her son, Kix to Utah on September 9th. The rest of the family followed on September 15th, arriving two days later.
Some detainees were ordered leave Tanforan to help set up the permanent camp in Utah--Topaz. Chiz, who had worked at the makeshift hospital at Tanforan, left early to set up the hospital at Topaz. She left with her husband, Ed and her son, Kix to Utah on September 9th. The rest of the family followed on September 15th, arriving two days later.
Letter from Kay to Tom, Oct 18, 1942.
Request from Tomi to the Camp Administration to allow Kimi, Bob and Martha to be moved to Utah from Arkansas. October 1942.
On October 18, 1942, Kay wrote a letter to Tom in Nebraska, detailing the conditions in camp. "Food consists of boiled turnips and potatoes with rice. Occasional egg omelet with cheese. Temperature as low as 28. Some without double walls. Coal only available at night." There was a "Mad scramble" for showers. Kay had to wait two and a half hours in a shower line. Camp began showing movies and propaganda shorts, in attempt to convince Japanese American men to work picking beets for 70 cents a day after food and shelter costs. Some go work for the freedom. Kay bemoans inequality between menial jobs JA's are forced to take (bus-boys, janitors, bell-hops) and the higher-paying defense jobs offered the average American. Kay worries that the Japanese American is "just replacing the Negro" in the American social order, with only sub-standard jobs available.