His grandfather and father were born in Japan and came to America to escape poverty. World War II had begun, but it did not seem to too real for Tomi and his friends, who were involved in playing baseball for their eighth grade team, the Rats, until Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese and United States declared war on Japan. Tomi's father and grandfather were arrested. Tomi was left to help his mother and sister survive. It was hard to be Japanese in America then, but Tomi's teammates remained loyal to him.
Some parts are gory, so be careful.
From Magellan maps. A Defiant Stand for Freedom - article about a Japanese American man who refused to report to an internment camp and was arrested, who later received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Submerge near Hawaii, run like a submarine to Japan, and dive to the ocean's deepest point.