Jan Muto Diary- Japanese-American Relocation, World War II

Yesterday at 11AM Jan Muto gave a reading from her diary of her experience as a young girl of 7 with her family at a Japanese Interment Camp in Lake Tulare, CA.  Her talk was clearly delivered with personal emotion but controlled. During some parts of her reading Jan appeared to cry, but was able to finish her talk that was very much appreciated by a standing room only audience at the Cinema. 

The Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941  launched a rash of fear about national security, especially on the West Coast. In February 1942, just two months later, President Roosevelt, as commander-in-chief, issued Executive Order 9066 that resulted in the internment of Japanese Americans.

The United States, by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, forcibly relocated and incarcerated at least 125,284 people of Japanese descent in 75 identified incarceration sites. Most lived on the Pacific Coast, in concentration camps in the western interior of the country.

  

Jan's Family is one of those that were forcibly located from their farm land in Loomis, California.

Internees lived in uninsulated barracks furnished only with cots and coal-burning stoves. Residents used common bathroom and laundry facilities, but hot water was usually limited. The camps were surrounded by barbed-wire fences patrolled by armed guards who had instructions to shoot anyone who tried to leave.

Jan's talk was supplemented by a video presentation of Dorothy Lange photographs recording of this interment saga. Here's a review of Lange Book titled " Impounded".  

"Unflinchingly illustrates the reality of life during this extraordinary moment in American history."―Dinitia Smith, The New York Times

Censored by the U.S. Army, Dorothea Lange's unseen photographs are the extraordinary photographic record of the Japanese American internment saga. This indelible work of visual and social history confirms Dorothea Lange's stature as one of the twentieth century's greatest American photographers. Presenting 119 images originally censored by the U.S. Army―the majority of which have never been published―Impounded evokes the horror of a community uprooted in the early 1940s and the stark reality of the internment camps. With poignancy and sage insight, nationally known historians Linda Gordon and Gary Okihiro illuminate the saga of Japanese American internment: from life before Executive Order 9066 to the abrupt roundups and the marginal existence in the bleak, sandswept camps. In the tradition of Roman Vishniac's A Vanished World, Impounded, with the immediacy of its photographs, tells the story of the thousands of lives unalterably shattered by racial hatred brought on by the passions of war. A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2006.  For Details visit:

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/japanese-american-incarceration#:~:text=the%20United%20States.-,Following%20the%20Pearl%20Harbor%20attack%2C%20however%2C%20a%20wave%20of%20antiJapanese,for%20most%20of%20the%20war.

However in 1988 President Reagan admitted the US mistake of this event in the US history and approved House Resolution 442, called  "An Act to implement recommendations of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians," awarded restitution payments of $20,000 to Japanese-American survivors of World War II civilian internment camps. It was assigned Public Law No. 100 - 383.

*******************************************************************************

The Bombing of Pearl Harbor also affected the lives of all Filipinos. About 260,000 Filipino Veterans who fought with the United States Arm Forces in the Philippines against the Japanese were recognized only in 2009. The Philippines was still under the US as a territory at that time.  I was also 7 years old at that time. I also wrote my childhood experiences of that time period in history- World War II.   

https://discover.hubpages.com/literature/my-childhood-memories-of-world-war-2

In 1941, more than 260,000 Filipino soldiers responded to President Roosevelt’s call-to-arms and fought under the American flag during World War II.  Many made the ultimate sacrifice as both soldiers in the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East, and as recognized guerrilla fighters during the Imperial Japanese occupation of the Philippines.  Later, many of these brave individuals became proud United States citizens.  My Father was a Dental Officer of the USAFFE ( United States Arm Forces of the Far East) and served during the Japanese-American  War in the Philippines providing dental services to both Filipino and American soldiers in Panay and Romblon Islands, from 1941-1945. 

However, because of the Rescission Acts of 1946, most Filipino World War II Veterans did not receive compensation on par with United States veterans for their service to the United States.  

In 2009, President Obama recognizes the extraordinary contribution made by Filipino veterans. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which the President signed into law, included a provision creating the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund. Eligible veterans who are U.S. citizens receive a one-time payment of $15,000; eligible veterans who are not U.S. citizens receive a one-time payment of $9,000.  

To date, there are over 18,000 claims that have been approved. However, many Filipino Veterans still believe that their claims were improperly denied, or that they did not receive a satisfactory explanation as to why their claims were denied.  To address these concerns, in October 2012, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, in collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget and the Domestic Policy Council, created the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund Interagency Working Group (IWG) comprised of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the National Archives and Record Administration.  The IWG was tasked with analyzing the process faced by these Filipino veterans in demonstrating eligibility for compensation in order to ensure that all applications receive thorough and fair review.  

Lastly enjoy this photo of the painting of Pacita Abad send to me by Aileyn Ecob taken at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ( SFOMOMA) of Marcos eating the filipino people symbolizing his corruption activities during his Presidency of the Philippines, 1965-1986

Congratulations to our Activity Personnels( Galen and Karen) for sponsoring and organizing talks by Residents of THD. I enjoyed the interesting talk of Jan Muto delivered from her heart and soul.