Nisei Soldiers Break Their Silence: Coming Home to Hood River

12. “You Could Feel It” : Resettling in the Community and Elsewhere

1 7 9 Tw e lv e “You Could Feel It” Resettling in the Community and Elsewhere O ’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!” Two hundred voices swelled to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” when Mid-Columbia Japanese Americans welcomed their sons home from war late in December 1946. Though their families’ freedoms had not remained intact, as the national anthem pronounced, through their wartime service, Nikkei had demonstrated that Americanism was their lifeblood . This assemblage was a visible sign that valley Nikkei were back—a heartfelt homage to the young men who had brought them honor as well as a bold message to the community that had dismissed them. They had struggled to recoup their wartime losses, withstand a backlash of community sentiment, and bring normalcy to their lives. Now heartaches of the past and ordeals of the present gave way to this single evening’s tribute. The banquet was a colorful testimonial to Nisei veterans in both words and music. Dedicated to the memory of Frank Hachiya, it included a tribute to the fallen soldier by Reverend Sherman Burgoyne, a local proponent of the Nikkei. The evening’s guest speaker, an assistant division commander from Fort Lewis, in Washington, recognized Nisei servicemen ’s outstanding war record in Italy and France. Posing the oft-asked question, “Can they be trusted?” Brigadier General Joseph A. Cranston responded that “the highest percentage of Nisei volunteers came from the Pacific Northwest.” The officer’s ringing words left no doubt about his view 1 8 0 C h a p t e r Tw e l v e of Nisei GIs’ allegiance: “They were just as eager to fight the Japanese as they were to fight the Germans. . . . There should be no distinction between the Nisei and any other Americans who serve in the army of the United States. They have every right to say: ‘I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the Faith!’”1 Nikkei and white friends joined in the celebratory program. Ray Yasui served as toastmaster, veteran Mam Noji extended greetings, veteran George Akiyama gave a response, and Bessie Watanabe and Ochiyo Nishioka performed “Il Bacio,” a violin duet. Among the friends of the Nikkei who were there, Reverend James Brown offered the invocation, while Doris Burgoyne and Boyd Miller sang solos, Forrest Durland played “Bumble Boogie” on the piano, and W. B. Durland rendered a version of “Star of the East” on his musical saw. Even the venue was telling, for the Hood River Café had denied service to Nikkei just the year before.2 Remnants of Home Although they put up a brave front, there was no denying the challenges that dogged Nikkei daily since their return. Indeed, the valley whose residents once enticed Japanese immigrants with labor incentives had publicly renounced them during the war. Petitions bearing the names of more than 1,800 signers printed in local newspapers, the erasure of Nisei names from the downtown memorial plaque, and support for exclusionary legislation had proclaimed a harsh message: “Japs” were not welcome. Resettling alongside neighbors who had condemned their return took “a lot of courage,” admitted Ed Shoemaker, a wartime air force engineer, whose father led the valley’s anti-Japanese campaign. Referring to the removal of Nisei names from the veterans’ wall, he added, “That was a crime. I think it was jealousy, small-mindedness. I think it was just fear of the Japanese taking over the valley. I was ashamed to be a Hood Riverite,” he confided. Speaking of the maelstrom of anti-Japanese voices and actions, Mam Noji observed, “The unscrupulous had usurped properties, stolen equipment , ruined valuable orchards, and made a mockery of ‘duration contracts’ on businesses and farms. To be sure, there were courageous and fair-minded small groups that urged ‘fair play.’ . . . Sorrowfully, the mood was such that they themselves were ostracized and fingered for their noble stand. Compassion , sympathy and understanding were in very short supply.”3 R e s e t t l i n g i n t h e C o m m u n i t y a n d E l s e wh e r e 1 8 1 Those shortcomings were immediately evident when Nikkei reclaimed their property and belongings. Rogues had broken into the Nishiokas’ home, smashed their furniture, and stolen other pieces. An arsonist set...