On Saturday, a historic flag arrived in Santa Maria for a special signing ceremony.
The flag once flew in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. It was signed on Saturday by those who had been interned during the war, all of which are now over the age of 75.
The special signing took place at Christ Methodist Church in Santa Maria from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The flag was returned to Santa Clara following the signing.
"It was traumatic experience not because we were starved or anything like that but because I was not considered a first-class citizen," internment camp survivor Margaret Cooper said. "I was considered second-rate and maybe not loyal and yet when I saluted the flag, I felt loyal. And then as soon as Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, I was mistaken for the enemy even though I felt I was an American."
