From the start I immediately knew who I was interviewing and the topic I wanted. I would interview my grandmother, Marry Reuter, on the topic of immigration. She would be a very interesting person for this because of her background and the time period it all happened. I called her up and asked if it would be ok for me to do this and she agreed. During spring break I did the interview face to face in her office in Orange county on March 6th, 2018.    

I am interviewing my grandmother Mary Reuter who was born on June 3rd 1947 in Tokyo Japan. She was in an orphanage and was adopted by an American couple in 1948. Both her biological parents were born in the US however moved back to Japan before the War. Her mother was Japanese and her father was a GI so she is only fifty percent Asian. She moved to America with her Adopted parents and her new brothers and sister. They lived in the small town of Union town Pennsylvania. There she when to catholic school up until high school. She had a hard time growing up because of her skin and how it has shaped her as a person today. She married a German American Theodor Reuter, and together they had six children.      

 

Hi this is Grant Reuter and I am interviewing my grandmother Mary Reuter on the topic of immigration, Grama Mary you were born June third 1947 in Tokyo Japan. You were adopted an were brought to the United States. I would like to ask you a few questions regarding where your biological father left you and your story of how you got to America.

 

He took me but did not take me home he put me in an orphanage and my biological mother never knew it. And so um the um so a young couple John and Evelyn Hanna and some friends happened to take clothing from the the commissary on bass and well let me go on back. My adopted parents John and Evelyn Hanna worked for the state department. My mother was under Mcarthur which is a good one to know, and my father was head of all personnel after the war over Tokyo, and they lived on a compound named White House and it was protected by the military. And so a lot of their friends and they lived there i would say about 1946 and they Married and so my mother adopted mother and dad they um went with some friends to a catholic orphanage to take clothing and food. And so needless to say i was there unbeknownst to my mother, biological mother and they um noticed that i was not one-hundred percent Japanese and so she picked me up and the priest gave them a tor and so so she asked father Brodio (don’t know how to spell that) which I do not know how to spell the name, he was an Augustine but it does not matter, and my mother asked the priest if we can take her home back to the compound back in Tokyo. And he said yes because he did not know how to contact my (biological) mother or my (biological) father. So the strange thing is that they did take me back to their home and they already had a three month old son who’s name is Shawn and he is 16 months younger than I am. And he was born also in Tokyo and he was three months old when they went to the orphanage. And so they um I went back with them and they decided that they wanted to adopt me. And they had a hard time but because the US policy that they would not accept any children Japanese children to immigrate into the US at that time, they didn’t want that influx. But knowing that both parents were born in this country had the right to come in. It was just like Shawn born of American parents but in Tokyo. But they had to find my mother and my fathers name was not on the birth certificate so that gave them just one person they needed and that was my mother and because of my fathers connections and he was high in the government he was able to find my mother and she had no idea I was there. Which is quite interesting in itself. So they decided so then she (her biological mother) decided to give me up. But she would like to come visit and my mother grama Evelyn let’s put it that way, said yes absolutely. But my Mother said she never came.But then my father went to the orphanage  found out I wasn’t there went honey dipping for me found out where I was went to the gate we were in, in the compound and the MP’s called my father john and said Mister Hanna there is a gentleman here that wants to come to your house to see Marry your daughter. And he said keep him right there I’ll be there. When he to the guard house my father left and never came back. So then my parents were able to find my biological mother i was they went to the adoption and then when we got back in the US they went through the formal courts to officially get me officially adopted in the United States because I had the right papers. But that alone was interesting to get me from point A to point B. And then um we lived in a small town South of Pittsburgh, Union Town, which I think you know and that’s where I grew up and I went to Catholic school and High school their. And what else would you like to know, Oh I have two brothers and one sister.

Two brothers and one sister

 

Yes Shawn and Den and Gigi two brother and one sister who are younger than I was.  And then what else would you like to ask me.

 

So growing up in America what was it like after WWII being Japanese?

 

Well for me this will be an interesting one for your history teacher to know. I lived in a very small town I was considered… it was like being in a small town and only having one black person in it and I was it. And um I didn’t understand I did not know I represented all the fathers sons daughter brother sister that they lost in the war. And meantime every time they saw me it reminded them of what they lost. Growing up in a very small town and there was, well I really was the only person that had As It was difficult it was not easy because the parents would like any other time in History they would, not revenge but they made you suffer the way they suffered and they made you feel that. As a child who did not get it and at that time I didn’t even know I was adopted. So that made it even more difficult. So then when I was about fourteen my parents took me to see this movie by myself. It was called Sarenara  and it was right after the war and I didn’t understand why they took  me to see this movie because an adult movie. Not adult movie but something a child wouldn’t see a kid fifteen would not see. So then after I saw it then they brought me home and that’s when it all clicked. That’s why I finally realized that I know why I was an outsider for so long. And I got the backlash from all the students, some of the parents, even a nun. She told her class that I wish she go back to where she came from. So that part of it was not pleasant. But going through that, getting the hate mail in my books, I got notes you… it’s awful. But knowing that, like I say today made me stronger because of it once I finally understood and fortunately my mother and dad always treated me right… she shows emotion…

And my brothers and sisters which now I don’t even know about them but we don’t even care about that. But it was difficult very hard as a child. Today it is nothing. Today you see why… today’s history they are after the Muslims and all the good people who have nothing to do with ISIS and a lot of things. So every generation and every culture that is not understood paid the price. And that’s… that may never change no matter where you are. Because when you go to college or high school. I mean you see somebody different you do not care, it’s not a big deal. But it’s those people that are looking for acceptance and lonely and they just can’t let it go are the ones that cause these issues constantly. And now even in my small town there are Spanish, Asians, Indians who cares. But anyways that’s the situation and what I had to go through. As an adult I realized that it changed for me and it did make me stronger and um to be able to deal with the challenges I had as a child but also I don’t know if you want some of the fun things, I never had to take a school bus, going to a movie was only 15 cents for popcorn, 99 cents to get into the theater. We would go together, the girls, we did not have a football team in our small high school. But we did have a very good basketball team and softball team and baseball. And the boys, it was the first time that they won the state champion for basketball when I was a senior at St. Johns in Union town. And we would go to the basketball games which were fantastic because, it was every Friday and each girl would take a turn driving, gas was 25 cents, and to go to McDonald which was the only fast food place and it was a walk in. There were no drive ins at that time. In those days no police would be outside, there was no issues. We would all go after the game and meet up with the boys and the girls and it was the place to hangout. And so at MD it was 50 cents a drink a hamburger and fries, no really. If we didn’t all have enough money we shared and the mothers always said we don’t care what you do just make sure the gas is where it was when you took it out when you left the house. For 25 cents a gallon it was nothing to fill those cars. So I mean those were the fun times of going to school and growing up. But in a small town it isn’t easy, isn’t pleasant.

 

Well with that I would like to thank you for allowing me to interviewing about your history and your past and your story.

 

Well the history teacher should find yours very interesting.