David & Irene Tanji
Camp Name:
Manzanar
Block Number:
11
Barracks Number:
11-1
Location during WWII, if not in a camp:
Hawaii
David & Irene
Tanji
When my Grandma, Irene Tanji, was my age, she was in Manzanar. Instead of staying in her own room, in her own home and with her own toys, she was in a dusty, cramped, dirty, cold, and undesirable barrack. Going through this experience might make a person bitter and mean but she is not like that. It’s awesome and sad that she was in an important part of American history.
My Grandpa, David Tanji, lived in Hawaii during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He told me he saw and waved to the Japanese Kamikaze pilots because he thought they were American fighters. He remembers seeing their faces as they were flying their planes so low. Following that, he saw the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Then, there were strict curfews, rations, and protocol to be followed. It must have been shocking and scary to see. Although he had a different experience than my Grandma it was just as amazing to hear.
