DEAR AMERICA
The Diary of
Piper Davis
The Fences
Between Us
KIRBY LARSON
This book is dedicated to all of the nearly 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent who were incarcerated in the ten War Relocation Camps during World War II, but especially to those in Minidoka.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Seattle, Washington
Saturday, November 8, 1941
Sunday, November 9, 1941
Monday, November 10, 1941
Tuesday, November 11, 1941
Saturday, November 15, 1941
Sunday, November 16, 1941
Monday, November 17, 1941
Tuesday, November 18, 1941
Wednesday, November 19, 1941
Thursday, November 20, 1941 — Thanksgiving
Saturday, November 22, 1941
Monday, November 24, 1941
Tuesday, November 25, 1941
Wednesday, November 26, 1941
Thursday, November 27, 1941
Friday, November 28, 1941
Saturday, November 29, 1941
Sunday, November 30, 1941
Monday, December 1, 1941
Tuesday, December 2, 1941
Wednesday, December 3, 1941
Thursday, December 4, 1941
Later
Saturday, December 6, 1941
Sunday, December 7, 1941
Later
Monday, December 8, 1941
Tuesday, December 9, 1941
Wednesday, December 10, 1941
Later
Thursday, December 11, 1941
Monday, December 15, 1941
Tuesday, December 16, 1941
Wednesday, December 17, 1941
Thursday, December 18, 1941
Friday, December 19, 1941
Saturday, December 20, 1941
Sunday, December 21, 1941
Monday, December 22, 1941
Later
Tuesday, December 23, 1941
Wednesday, December 24, 1941
Thursday, December 25, 1941
Sunday, December 28, 1941
Tuesday, December 30, 1941
Wednesday, December 31, 1941
Thursday, January 1, 1942
Sunday January 4, 1942
Monday, January 5, 1942
Tuesday, January 6, 1942
Wednesday, January 7, 1942
Thursday, January 8, 1942
Friday, January 9, 1942
Saturday, January 10, 1942
Tuesday, January 13, 1942
Later
Wednesday, January 14, 1942
Thursday, January 15, 1942
Sunday January 18, 1942
Tuesday, January 20, 1942
Thursday, January 22, 1942
Sunday, January 25, 1942
Tuesday, January 27, 1942
Friday, January 30, 1942
Sunday, February 1, 1942
Tuesday, February 3, 1942
Wednesday, February 4, 1942
Thursday, February 5, 1942
Friday, February 6, 1942
Saturday, February 7, 1942
Monday, February 9, 1942
Friday, February 13, 1942
Saturday, February 14, 1942
Monday, February 16, 1942
Wednesday, February 18, 1942
Thursday, February 19, 1942
Saturday, February 21, 1942
Monday, February 23, 1942
Tuesday, February 24, 1942
Wednesday, February 25, 1942
Saturday, February 28, 1942
Sunday, March 1, 1942
Monday, March 2, 1942
Wednesday, March 4, 1942
Friday, March 6, 1942
Monday, March 9, 1942
Thursday, March 12, 1942
Friday, March 13, 1942
Saturday, March 14, 1942
Sunday, March 15, 1942
Tuesday, March 17, 1942
Wednesday, March 18, 1942
Monday, March 23, 1942
Tuesday, March 24, 1942
Monday, March 30, 1942
Wednesday, April 1, 1942
Sunday, April 5, 1942 — Easter
Monday April 6, 1942
Wednesday, April 8, 1942
Thursday, April 9, 1942
Friday, April 17, 1942
Saturday, April 18, 1942
Tuesday, April 21, 1942
Saturday, April 25, 1942
Sunday, April 26, 1942
Monday, April 27, 1942
Wednesday, April 29, 1942
Friday, May 1, 1942
Tuesday, May 5, 1942
Friday, May 8, 1942
Saturday, May 9, 1942
Sunday, May 10, 1942
Friday, May 15, 1942
Saturday, May 16, 1942
Wednesday, May 20, 1942
Thursday, May 28, 1942
Saturday, May 30, 1942
Saturday, June 6, 1942
Sunday, June 7, 1942
Monday, June 8, 1942
Tuesday, June 9, 1942
Wednesday, June 10, 1942
Thursday, June 11, 1942
Friday, June 12, 1942 — The Last Day of Seventh Grade!
Saturday, June 13, 1942
Sunday, June 14, 1942
Thursday, June 18, 1942
Monday, June 22, 1942
Tuesday, June 30, 1942
Wednesday, July 1, 1942
Saturday, July 4, 1942
Sunday, July 5, 1942
Friday, July 10, 1942
Sunday, July 12, 1942
Tuesday, July 14, 1942
Friday, July 17, 1942
Sunday, July 19, 1942
Monday, July 20, 1942
Thursday, July 23, 1942
Sunday, July 26, 1942
Monday, August 10, 1942
Wednesday, August 12, 1942
Saturday, August 15, 1942
Sunday, August 16, 1942
Monday, August 17, 1942
Thursday, August 20, 1942
Friday, August 21, 1942
Thursday, August 27, 1942
Saturday, August 29, 1942
Monday, September 7, 1942
Tuesday, September 8, 1942
Wednesday, September 9, 1942
Thursday, September 10, 1942
Friday, September 11, 1942
Saturday, September 12, 1942
Monday, September 14, 1942
Tuesday, September 15, 1942
Thursday, September 17, 1942
Monday, September 21, 1942
Wednesday, September 23, 1942
Thursday, September 24, 1942
Friday, September 25, 1942
Saturday, September 26, 1942
Minidoka War Relocation Center
Monday, September 28, 1942
Tuesday, September 29, 1942
Wednesday, September 30, 1942
Thursday, October 1, 1942
Sunday, October 4, 1942
Monday, October 5, 1942
Wednesday, October 7, 1942
Friday, October 9, 1942
Saturday, October 10, 1942
Sunday, October 11, 1942
Monday, October 12, 1942
Wednesday, October 14, 1942
Friday, October 16, 1942
Saturday, October 17, 1942
Monday, October 19, 1942
Tuesday, October 20, 1942
Wednesday, October 21, 1942
Thursday, October 22, 1942
Friday, October 23, 1942
Saturday, October 24, 1942
&n
bsp; Sunday, October 25, 1942
Monday, October 26, 1942
Wednesday, October 28, 1942
Friday, October 30, 1942
Saturday, October 31, 1942 — Halloween
Sunday, November 1, 1942
Monday, November 2, 1942
Tuesday, November 3, 1942
Wednesday, November 4, 1942
Thursday, November 5, 1942
Friday, November 6, 1942
Saturday, November 7, 1942
Sunday, November 8, 1942
Monday, November 9, 1942
Tuesday, November 10, 1942
Wednesday, November 11, 1942 — Armistice Day
Thursday, November 12, 1942
Friday, November 13, 1942
Sunday, November 15, 1942
Monday, November 16, 1942
Tuesday, November 17, 1942
Thursday, November 19, 1942
Friday, November 20, 1942
Saturday, November 21, 1942
Sunday, November 22, 1942
Monday, November 23, 1942
Tuesday, November 24, 1942
Thursday, November 26, 1942
Friday, November 27, 1942
Saturday, November 28, 1942
Monday, November 30, 1942
Tuesday, December 1, 1942
Wednesday, December 2, 1942
Thursday, December 3, 1942
Friday, December 4, 1942
Saturday, December 5, 1942
Sunday, December 6, 1942
Monday, December 7, 1942
Thursday, December 10, 1942
Saturday, December 12, 1942
Tuesday, December 15, 1942
Wednesday, December 16, 1942
Thursday, December 17, 1942
Friday, December 18, 1942
Monday, December 21, 1942
Thursday, December 24, 1942
Christmas Day, 1942
Sunday, December 27, 1942
Friday, January 1, 1943
Monday, January 4, 1943
Saturday, January 9, 1943
Monday, January 11, 1943
Tuesday, January 12, 1943
Thursday, January 14, 1943
Sunday, January 17, 1943
Wednesday, January 20, 1943
Friday, January 22, 1943
Sunday, January 24, 1943
Tuesday, January 26, 1942
Thursday, January 28, 1943
Friday, January 29, 1943
Sunday, January 31, 1943
Monday, February 1, 1943
Tuesday, February 2, 1943
Friday, February 5, 1943
Saturday, February 6, 1943
Sunday, February 7, 1943
Friday, February 12, 1943
Saturday, February 13, 1943
Sunday, February 14, 1943
Wednesday, February 17, 1943
Saturday, February 20, 1943
Tuesday, February 23, 1943
Friday, February 26, 1943
Monday, March 1, 1943
Wednesday, March 3, 1943
Friday, March 5, 1943
Saturday, March 6, 1943
Monday, March 8, 1943
Tuesday, March 9, 1943
Thursday, March 11, 1943
Friday, March 12, 1943
Sunday, March 14, 1943
Thursday, March 18, 1943
Saturday, March 20, 1943
Sunday, March 21, 1943
Monday, March 22, 1943
Saturday, March 27, 1943
Monday, March 29, 1943
Friday, April 2, 1943
Tuesday, April 6, 1943
Saturday, April 10, 1943
Monday, April 12, 1943
Friday, April 16, 1943
Saturday, April 17, 1943
Sunday, April 18, 1943
Monday, April 19, 1943
Tuesday, April 20, 1943
Wednesday, April 21, 1943
Thursday, April 22, 1943
Friday, April 23, 1943
Saturday, April 24, 1943
Sunday, April 25, 1943 — Easter
Monday, April 26, 1943
Tuesday, April 27, 1943
Thursday, April 29, 1943
Friday, April 30, 1943
Saturday, May 1, 1943 — May Day
Epilogue
Life in America in 1941
Historical Note
WWII Oatmeal Molasses Cookies
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT’S Speech to the U.S. Congress on December 8, 1941 (as delivered)
From the Author
Acknowledgments
Other books in the Dear America series
Copyright
Seattle,
Washington
1941
Saturday, November 8, 1941
I’ve never been the diary type, but now I have something to write about.
I didn’t think this day would come so soon. The minute he graduated from high school in June, my big brother, Hank, enlisted in the Navy — so he can see the world and that sort of thing. Trixie says she’s glad he went Navy because he looks so dreamy in the dark middy and white sailor hat. I think he would’ve looked just as dreamy in a University of Washington letterman’s jacket. That way he could still be home, with us, where he belongs.
Here’s what happened when he told us that day. Margie had made some new recipe and we were all picking at it, trying to find the edible bits. I was thinking about calling Trixie to see if she wanted to go for a soda after supper, to celebrate the end of sixth grade. Pop was making notes for a church meeting. Margie was probably daydreaming about her new boyfriend, Stan. All of a sudden, Hank put down his fork.
“So I guess I better tell you guys before I burst.” He was wearing a smile even bigger than the one he wore when Garfield won the state baseball championships. “You’re looking at Seaman Davis.”
“What are you talking about?” Margie froze in her chair.
Hank saluted. “I enlisted. You-Nited States Navy. I’ll be on my way to boot camp in a week.”
Even though I was almost thirteen I bawled like a baby. I didn’t even feel like dessert, and it was lemon meringue pie. Margie got a funny look on her face, but she didn’t let on what she was feeling. She’s like that. She didn’t even cry when she broke her leg skiing that time.
Pop did what he did best. Talked. It comes naturally for a preacher, I guess. Anyway, first he talked about Hank being so young. Hank said eighteen wasn’t that young. Then Pop asked him about college. Hank said he’d get an education in the Navy and he’d get to see the world. Then Pop brought up the war in Europe.
“These are troubled times, son. Hitler’s on the march in Europe, and heaven only knows what Japan will do after occupying so much of Indochina.”
“Those are not our battles, Pop. We’re not at war,” Hank said.
“But for how long?” Pop shook his head. “For how long?”
That’s when Hank lost his temper. He pushed himself back from the table.
“Pop, you’ve got to let me grow up and make my own decisions. Besides, President Roosevelt promised we weren’t going to get involved. It’s the peacetime Navy for me, all the way. You can worry about me falling overboard or getting a tattoo or getting seasick. But one thing you do not have to worry about is me being in that war.”
Pop didn’t say anything for a minute, just stirred another spoonful of sugar into his coffee. And then he said, “You’re right, son. This is your decision to make. I may wish you’d made a different one, but I would never change one thing about you. You have grown up into a fine young man.”
Well, that got me weepy all over again. Margie said, “I believe we could all use some pie,” and that was the end of that.
Pop didn’t say much afterward, but all summer long whenever he read anything about what the Germans were doing in Europe or the Japanese in China, he made sure to clip the article out and send it to Hank at boot camp. M
e, I sent him jokes.
When he finished boot camp and got his orders, Hank called home. Long distance! No one else was here so I got to take the call. “Tell Pop I got the best assignment ever — Hawaii,” he said. “Nothing to worry about there but getting hit in the head by a falling coconut.” I screamed and jumped up and down when Hank said he’d get to come home for a whole week before he shipped out for Pearl Harbor.
I’ve never had a week go by so fast. He spent time with his buddies, sure, but he made time for me, too. We went to the show, went fishing by Ray’s Boathouse, and last Sunday morning before church, we had a pancake-eating contest. Hank won, of course.
The worst day of his visit home was today, the day we had to say good-bye. Mrs. Harada came with us to see Hank off. I was only a baby when she started taking care of us. As we stood there on the dock trying to pick Hank out of all the sailors, Mrs. Harada kept saying, “My little boy, my little boy,” over and over again. Margie didn’t shed a tear, of course, but I cried enough for the both of us put together. I’m not a worrier, like Pop. Besides, Hank can take care of himself. I’m blue because he’s the best big brother in the world and I’m going to miss him like the dickens.
I couldn’t look at his ship when it pulled out of port. I felt like a little kid—maybe if I didn’t look, he wouldn’t really be gone — but I didn’t care. Mrs. Harada put her arm around my shoulder. Her hugs have helped me feel better after skinned knees or bad scores on spelling tests. But nothing could fill up the Hank-sized hole in my heart.
Then she told me she had something for me. “Here, Piper,” she said, handing me this diary. It fit into my hand like it belonged there.
“It’s beautiful.” I ran my fingertips over the red cover embossed with gold cherry blossoms.
“I bought it a long time ago. I was saving it for the right time.” She hugged me. “Now seems like the right time.”
“It’s the perfect time,” Pop said. “Every thirteen-year-old girl could benefit from the self-reflection a diary offers.”
I made a face. Leave it to Pop to turn a cheer-up gift into a sermon.
“This is Piper’s,” said Mrs. Harada. “No one can tell her what to write in it. Not even you.” She wagged her finger at Pop.
I liked that idea. Having a place I could write whatever I wanted.
And I want to write that I already miss my brother.
Sunday, November 9, 1941
Boy, oh, boy was Pop’s sermon long today. If Hank had been here, we could’ve written each other notes in our secret code. I don’t know how Margie can sit there through the whole thing. She’s probably used to it, though, having to sit through all those college Chem lectures.
I wonder how long it will take Hank to get to his base in Pearl Harbor?