CHERISHING OUR VALLEY 2012
On Monday, December 8, 1941 two Japanese-American farm kids went as usual to their classes at San Fernando High School. There they heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor and the impending war between the United States and the Empire of Japan. By March of 1942 they would find their lives turned upside down as their families were sent to the U.S. internment camp in Manzanar.
One of the first things that young Americans of Japanese descent did at Manzanar was to establish a baseball league. One of the teams in the league was the San Fernando Valley Aces. Only two members of that historic team remain in 2012. (click on images to enlarge them.)
George Tamura of Mission Hills holds a photograph of his San Fernando Valley Aces team.
As part of The Museum's "Narrating Lives - Oral Histories of the San Fernando Valley, Richard Hilton relaxes after his interview with the Tamura family. Left to right are William Tamura (nephew of George Tamara, whose father was a member of the San Fernando Valley Aces), Miye Tamura, George Tamura and Museum Board member Richard Hilton. Miye and George were married shortly after their families were released from Manzinar.
Miye Tamura was the first of her family to return to their farm house near San Fernando. She became a beautician after her release from Manzanar.
William Tamura holds a photograph of his father and his uncle George Tamura, members of the San Fernando Valley Aces at the Manzinar camp. William is a retired science teacher.
Wall screen in the home of Miye and George Tamura in Mission Hills.
Interested in being part of the Narrating Lives - Oral Histories of the San Fernando Valley project?
CONTACT
Richard Hilton - Chair - Narrating Lives
The Museum of the San Fernando Valley
21031 Ventura Blvd., Suite 419
Woodland Hills, CA 91364-2230
THE MUSEUM’S TELEPHONE
1 (818) 347-9665 PST
THE MUSEUM'S EMAILS
gerald.fecht@TheMuseumSFV.org
info@TheMuseumSFV.org
THE MUSEUM’S BLOG
THE MUSEUM’S WEBSITE
www.TheMuseumSFV.org
