In the fall of 1942, Ruth Mix began volunteering on weekends as a Nurse’s Aid at Butte Camp Hospital at Gila River Japanese Internment Camp in Arizona (wiki , javadc.org, nps.gov). During the summer months she volunteered full time and lived on site in a barrack with her mother.

Ruth’s mother, Frida Mix, was employed as a school teacher for the Japanese American children. Frida was incensed by this horrific act of a nation, and gave up a teaching position in Washington to be a part of the many who helped to make a more bearable life at Gila River.

“We must make right a terrible wrong,” Frida told Ruth, as they rode the military bus into the prison camp for Ruth’s first day at the hospital. Ruth was the only white Nurse’s Aid amongst a staff comprised entirely of Japanese American internees. She learned the Japanese language in order to communicate with her Issei patients (first generation).

"Sona shojowa taiyo yona kamiwo motzu."
Ruth, stood 5 foot 8 inches tall, with bright red hair and was often referred to (in Japanese) as “The tall girl whose hair touches the sun,” as well as “The girl with hair like the sun.” Sona shojowa taiyo yona kamiwo motzu.

Despite the rule that caucasians were forbidden to fraternize with any of the Japanese, Ruth secretly made many friends.

New life, and death.
Primarily assigned to the Maternity Unit, Ruth found herself in the receiving position numerous times as she assisted the birthing of babies; some survived, many did not. In the Women’s Medical Unit, Ruth bonded to one patient in particular, who was fighting an infection. Ruth adored her, never leaving her side. They spoke with one another for hours and hours, long after Ruth’s shift ended, about life, love and family. Four weeks later, she died.

Dignity and stealth.
During Ruth’s first year at Gila River she saw the deplorable living conditions of the Japanese. Wanting to help in any way she could, Ruth started to smuggle basic amenities into camp; soap, lotion, sanitary products, deodorant, fabric and dangerously enough, rolls and rolls of camera film, which was contraband.

Eventually, her mother, as well as many other caucasian employees, joined in Ruth’s effort and helped many families, yet sadly, not all.

What makes Ruth's story so unique, is not so much the smuggling or the forming of secret meetings and gathering monetary contributions despite the threat of being caught by the military and jailed. It’s the fact that she was only 15 years old at the time.

Before the war ended, Ruth was sent away from Gila against her will. Because of the very dusty environment, she suffered a dangerous lung infection which almost took her life. Frida Mix continued their work and stayed until the last Japanese American was freed. Claire Mix has written a compelling screenplay about her Mother’s experience, entitled, “The Girl with Hair like the Sun”. She is currently penning a book with greater detail that couldn’t be included in the script.

The secret and the surprise.
Claire was unaware of her mother’s experience until the early 1970s. Together, they attended an eloquent lecture by actor George Takei (wiki, site), who currently stars in the hit television show Heroes. He was speaking at Morris Daily Auditorium in San Jose, California. Mr. Takei and his family were interned at Rohwer, Arkansas (wiki).

At first Claire was under the impression that her mother was taking her to meet her favorite actor who played Mr. Sulu on Star Trek. But she quickly learned that this was no science-fiction convention.

After the lecture, Mr. Takei and Ruth spoke privately for quite some time about the Japanese American incarceration. It was that private talk that released Ruth’s memories of Gila; memories she had blocked out because of her guilt that she could not do more.

Ruth had asked that Claire not write about her experiences until, in 2005, Ruth was diagnosed with breast cancer for the third time. Ruth has now asked Claire to try to find people who were at Gila River Internment Camp that might remember her and her mother Frida Mix.

Your Story. Did you know Frida or Ruth?
If you were an internee, or the relative of one, or the relative of any of the teachers in the school, please contact Claire Mix at .

Copyright ©2007-2009 Claire Mix • design assistance by Montanesque