Tsugio Sano’s story was retold by his grandson, Tyler Sano. Mr. Sano was part of the 442nd Japanese Regiment which was a Japanese-American only infantry unit during WW2. Sano faced discrimination during the start of WW2 due to the invasion and bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Immediately Japanese already living in America were discriminated being called “Japs” as in insult. Despite all of the discrimination and the Japanese internment camps put in place during this time, Sano was able to have the courage to come out and fight to show that he was just as American as anyone else. Sano’s purpose was to show his loyalty to the country he called home. What Tyler learned from his grandfather was some insight on how Sano faced his hardships during his placement in the internment camps and even after the war was over. However he overcame everything in his life by getting land and making a decent living to support his family.

I believe the reason for losing touch with history is that it is already in a history book, and is talked about so much in school that it loses its personal touch. So we don’t receive that much of an impact about the events we read. However, if MHS continues to do this then I believe people will be interested in learning more about history and interested to know their own family history that they have never known.

I didn’t know why my dad was the person he is today, until he told me what he went through to be here. It has brought me closer to my dad because he too had trouble with speaking Spanish. My dad moved to Watsonville CA at the age of eight, he spent nine years in the US until he left back at the age of 17 to México. There he had trouble learning Spanish because he wasn’t able to speak it as properly as he should. So when I struggle with speaking Spanish at home, my dad is there encouraging me to speak it more and to not worry if I pronounce words wrong because he understands, just how I understood how he grew up.

This exhibit at the Merced County Courthouse Museum runs till April 14, 2013 so go check it out! Learn about all the interesting people that live in Merced and know there stories. You will be amazed of what you learn.

Tags: merced courthouse, oral history, spotlight