Harry Tameo Miyamoto (Poston 5-12-D) was born in San Luis Obispo, California on June 8, 1920. He moved to Japan with his parents and completed 8 years of school while in Japan. Harry returned to California alone in 1936, at the age of 15. Harry worked on various farms from Sacramento to Imperial Valley.
In 1940, Harry Miyamoto married
Michi Mary Fujimoto, and the following year, baby Junko Margaret was born.
Following the signing of Executive Order 9066, Harry and his family were
evacuated from Santa Ana and incarcerated at the Poston, Arizona concentration
camp block 5-12-D on May 15, 1942 . His wife, Michi gave birth to baby
Michiko Harriet on August 6, 1942 on one of the hottest days (over 125 degrees)
at Poston. In 1944, Michi gave birth to a
son, Hiroshi Kenneth while incarcerated at Poston. Harry departed from Poston and
located an outside and better paying employment in Denver on May 27, 1944. Harry
and his family finally left Poston, Arizona on October 2, 1945 and resettled in
Glendale, Arizona.
In 1951, Harry and his family settled in Oxnard, where he worked as a
cooperative strawberry farmer. He worked in farming until his retirement in
early 1980s. After retirement, he was known
as "The Newspaper Recycler, " an avid Lakers fan, and was known for
his warm wit, and often raucous, card games with friends and family.
Harry Tameo Miyamoto died on March 10, 2004. He is survived by his wife,
Michi; and sons, Ken (Karen) Miyamoto, Paul (Sharon) Miyamoto of NY, John (Joan)
Miyamoto, Alan (Heloisa) Miyamoto of Brazil; and her daughters, Margaret (James)
Hosaki, Harriet (Robert) Hiji, Sue (Gary) Nakamura, Fumi (Steve) Nishimori, and
Joyce (David) Schoonmaker; and her siblings in U.S. and Japan: Roy Miyamoto,
Satsuki Nishi, Nobuko Shigenaga, Hisato Akazaki, and Yoshiko Yoshida.
Source: Los Angeles Times, March 13, 2004
