San Jose REgenerations Oral History Project

Harry Yoshio Ueno

General Topics of Interview

Harry Y. Ueno discusses his life growing up in Hawaii, his journey back to Japan as a young boy, and his subsequent return to the United States in the early 1920s. Much of the material concentrates on his life just prior to, and during World War II, and his experience in Manzanar Internment Camp. He also chronicles his arrest during this period and his subsequent imprisonment in Lone Pine (CA) jail, Leupp (AZ), and Tule Lake Segregation Camp. Following World War II, Mr. Ueno settled in the Santa Clara Valley where he grew strawberries and cherries. Mr. Ueno discusses his research of government documents about his arrests and detainment during World War II and how this has impacted his life.

Biography

Harry Ueno was born on the Big Island of Hawaii. He is the middle son of Kiyo Saiki and Tsurukichi Ueno. He attended elementary school on the Big Island of Hawaii. In 1915 he left Hawaii with his uncle and returned to Japan and lived with his grandparents. As a teenager, he took a job on a ship that was headed toward the United States. In 1923 he left the ship near Tacoma, Washington and spent several years working in various jobs: lumber mills, farming, and in retail produce. In 1930 he married Yaso Taguchi. At the outbreak of World War II he was living in Los Angeles and working in a produce market. He and his family were sent to Manzanar Internment Camp.

Mr. Ueno is known for his work in organizing the Mess Hall WorkerÕs Union at Manzanar. He was later arrested and separated from his family; eventually they were reunited at Tule Lake Segregation Camp. Following his release from camp, Mr. Ueno and his family worked in the San Luis Obispo area as hired farm help. From there they moved to the Santa Clara Valley and began to lease land to farm. He grew strawberries and cherries in Sunnyvale and in the Berryessa (northeast San Jose) area at the site of Independence High School. Today, Mr. Ueno is retired and widowed. He has three sons, Yoichi (b. 1931), Ryo (b. 1932), and Hiroshi (b. 1937), four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.