George De La Torre Jr. was born in 1935 in Wilmington, California. His father, of Mexican heritage, migrated from Mexico in the early 1920s with his family, initially settling in Arizona before moving to California. His grandfather worked for a railroad company. George’s mother, of Japanese descent, came to the United States with her parents, who established a small grocery store in Wilmington. During World War II, George's family temporarily lived with relatives in Los Angeles to avoid being sent to internment camps. After the roundup, they returned to Wilmington, where his mother lived in seclusion for the war's duration. George’s father worked in the fish canning industry, eventually founding Guerrero and De La Torre Trucking with his nephew. 

Scope and Content Note
The interview with George De La Torre Jr. provides a detailed account of his family's heritage, highlighting the Mexican and Japanese influences in his life. It covers the migration stories of both sides of his family, including the establishment of a small grocery store by his maternal grandparents and his father's involvement in the fish canning industry. A significant portion of the interview addresses the impact of World War II on his family, particularly his mother's experience with internment and the measures his father took to keep the family together. George discusses his bilingual upbringing and the gradual shift towards English as his primary language. The interview also details George's father's contributions to the local community, including his role in establishing a semi-professional baseball team, which became a central social activity in Wilmington. Additionally, the conversation covers the evolution of the family business from trucking to fish canning and eventually to the founding of Juanita's Foods, a company specializing in Mexican food products. George shares insights into the challenges and successes of running a family business and its growth into a nationally recognized brand. The interview concludes with reflections on the changes in Wilmington over the years and George's ongoing commitment to his community.