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260 Navy #3247 (Mil. Govt) FPO San Francisco Tuesday, 26 June 7 pm My dearest darling, #306 (6/20) I'm so sorry to hear about your strep infection and Wendy's cold - and on top of that, you don't know whether to expect me home or not, at any minute! Well, darling (in answer to your underlining about when I receive orders) I don't think my mail will be held up when I leave here until I actually receive my orders (after which I can't have it censored here) and there should be plenty of time, perhaps even three or four weeks, to let you know that one of these days there will be a gap in the mail. Such things are not hurried, darling - usually men remain here to help break in their successors for two to three weeks, occasionally more than a month. You can be almost certain, and then skip the almost, that I won't descend on you suddenly without warming, and it may take as long as 3 months (most men other than those whose 18 months [pg 2] are up are ordered via a stopover at Hawaii) between the time I learn of my orders and the time I actually get home. In any case, before I leave I'll get someone to write telling you as nearly as possible where to expect me, or how soon to expect mail again. Please thank Bev for me for taking care of you and Wendy - I'm just a little bit worried about you, Sweetie, even tho I know you are careful and capable. Knowing that helps a lot. It's also good to know that you have Bev and Helen and Mrs. Price. The episode on the telephone at midnight with Dr. Moran must have been funny. I was very pleased to see the note from John Kooser. I liked him very much and was sorry that I didn't get to know him better - the price of working hours which allow leisure for little more than letters home. I hope he comes to see you soon. Tell him we've finally had [pg 3] a large enough quantity of surveyed K and C rations issued to the school so that we can feed every kid there for an indefinite period - four or five months, anyway. We carefully sort out the spoiled stuff - sometimes that amounts to whole cartons, because it sat around for so long while supply officials were deciding what to do with it - and divide up the rest. The current ration for each child may sound a little curious - several whole wheat or graham crackers, a small sweet potato or portion of squash, a square of very concentrated D ration chocolate, a wedge of cheese about this size and 2 or 3 hard candies. But about all they get at other meals is rice-and-bean balls - “nigiri meshi.” We have other food if we can find economical ways of serving it. Today, for example, each child had nothing but a fair-sized [pg 4] bowlful of cream of wheat, with milk and sugar mixed in after it was cooked but before it was served. It tasted pretty good. To cook enough for the whole school, though, took 17 huge cooking pots (“kama”), each measuring about 4 feet across and 2 feet deep, instead of the 4 for which the suiji is equipped with C.B.- made, oil burning stoves. The additional ones had to be set on wood-burning collapsible iron stoves which we keep in reserve. Come to think of it, they couldn't have used 17 pots, must have meant 17 potsfull. But they probably used as many as 8. Worst of all, Cho Siki Bun (the suiji cho) got his 12 girls up at 3 a.m. in order to do the job, and worked them till 6 pm so I guess we'll have to revise our method [pg 5] of serving cereal. John might also be interested to know that G5 hospital, which is equipped to handle such jobs, is now inoculating every living soul (I guess from 6 mos. up) in the civilian camp against typhoid, tetanus, and whatever you vaccinate against. The schedule runs, by weeks, 2 shots, 2 shots, 1 shot, skip a week, shot. They are handling it by suiji areas, 2 or 3 each day, and having all the people in a given area lay off work on their inoculation day. Trucks pick up the people in their living area and carry them to G5. A card is filed on everyone receiving shots and checked against the camp's central registration file at Operations Office. The program seems to be pretty well in hand. Dr. Serrano (the one who treated my ear) is in charge of it. Tell John also that the place has the same [pg 6] old stink; nothing has been done about housing (though it probably will be soon under Capt. Dodds, who seems to be intelligent, far-sighted and humane) It's hard to remember who has left since he did, time out here being such a tenuous affair; Charlie Frankel and Riley Ewing, of course; Joe Scannell (reluctantly) with his colonel; Major Gatlin's replacement is here now (he's the Lt. Cmdr Kenay who was telling me last night about CASA, Paul Hawkins and others)…the Major has softened up considerably since the colonel left a fact which makes him more tolerable as company but (in the general consensus) no more of aman or a capable executive. Kirby Etter's relief is here and he will leave soon, to return, like others before him, to the translation desk in Hawaii. And then there's Henry Graham, who at least report was still (along with Riley Ewing) in Hawaii. [pg 7] Before that van Hulsteyn, replaced by a very pleasantly bluff and weatherbeaten old fellow from Texas, a lieutenant named Sid Leslie. I can't think of the others offhand. Finally, I wish you’d ask John to say hello to Tom Hershey (has stateside “duty” mellowed him any? I suppose more nearly the opposite), Coach - congratulations on his daughter's marriage - and to any others who will remember me. You might add that I've seen Tom's girl around a number of times and she hasn't had the same light in her eye since. The swing to her fanny is about the same, however. I am very sure that you will like John Kooser. Besides being a doctor of the old school - well-rounded, and with a conscience and thoughtfulness transcending mere “professional ethics” - he's a personality I think you will enjoy. And [pg 8] he hails from a part of the country you are fond of. #305 Dr. Moran sounds like a good guy. Was he regular Navy or Reserve, retired recently or sometime ago? Did I tell you that yesterday your cable arrived on the regular form? Apparently, when it's received at Guam, it's relayed by wire to Tinian where it's typed and sent up as mail; at the same time a copy which arrives a couple of days later is mailed at Guam. Another has subsequently received 2 copies of a wedding anniversary cable in the same way. Thank you again, darling. #304 Glad to hear you have the garage space and that everything is comfortably stored as you would like it. Darling, I'm sorry I let up on Specials. It was only because I hadn't written a special letter [pg 9] and don't like to think of your getting one with nothing special in it. But I see your point and will try to be more faithful. Meanwhile try to pay no attention to irregularities in mail. Another 14 mos. Navy Japlangsch in the middle west! Where, and what for? In addition to or instead of the one at Boulder? If you hear any more I’d be curious to know of it. #303 - Can well imagine Wendy reaching for the front door knob - how I’d love to see her. #302 - Yes, I'm sure Will's intentions were good, Sweetie, and as I said, if his information was true it would be a help to know in advance. I'm sorry for both your sakes that - probably it isn't Will will feel foolish after last time. He has his own curious ways about him but he's not as dense as Walter. It makes me feel all warm inside just to think of [pg 10] Wendy as you describe her, and to think of her Mummy, too… Now for a quick skip over some real back letters - #259 Passed Shiba San and Shibatu San today as they came back from getting their shots at G5. Will present them their gifts next chance I get. #'s 261-269 (May 13-20)- Your one-page note, “The Andante…” is especially precious to me, Sweetie. No, I haven't heard of “The New Sun” by Toro Yoshima. Perhaps I can read it when I get back to Carmel. I laughed, too, at your searching for mental pictures that you didn't have a snapshots (the interior of the quonset) Apropos of [?] proposals, would you send me the first complete summary of the San Francisco [pg 11] Convention's major proceeding and eventualities? I'm very interested in reading about it. Can Wendy push her pusher without your taking hold of her back yet? Tell Bobby I wish he could see our school workshops! It is a beehive of activity. To saw a board, a barefooted youngster will stand on top of the heavy bench (table height) and work on the side, holding down the board with his feet. Gosh, here's an underlined question I don't remember answering. Yes, if the war should end by the first of the year I think I would still get leave (tho not necessarily out of the Navy) after 18 months. But I haven't the vaguest idea of how long after the war the Navy will keep me; it's too early to be able to tell. We will at least have a house, darling, whether we are in one place long enough to own one or not. No more apartments for me either - [pg 12] I want a house with space in it for children, and for settling down comfortably to read; for both privacy and company. There - all caught up for the first time in a month or more. It's time now to file some twenty of your letters in my notebook - the largest batch to date that have remained in their envelopes. Sit tight, darling, and try to check all information or get your informer to before you allow yourself to speculate on it. Not so long ago you wrote - “when I go back and reread letters written months ago and see all the things we've speculated on that didn't happen, as well as the unexpected that did, I get a better sense of equilibrium.” I know you can't just pull the latter out of the air, especially when the air is full of stories some of which concern you personally - but try. I love you very much darling Warren
