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#181 Navy #3247 (Mil. Govt) FPO San Francisco Mon 26 March 8:15 pm (Jean's birthday) Dearly Beloved: I'm back in the office snatching a little time while the movie is on; it's my turn to take the equipment back tonight. Soon we'll be relieved of that nuisance duty, since (I understand) the school's own projector has arrived. It's curious how the Navy can send us expensive equipment like that (there's more to follow) meantime canceling requisitions for some books and substituting a second hand assortment for others - none of which we've received yet. This afternoon I sat in for an hour on the oral counterpart to this morning's exams for the new chūquakkō. Each interview was brief and not unduly stiff, but the kids observed all the proper formalities - a straight face from the time they left the laughing and chattering group lined up against the wall of the adjacent [pg 2] building to take up a position of solitary attention halfway between the two buildings; until the final box toward the examiners on the way out of the room (When they usually broke into a smile and a relaxed gait, or went skipping or running away). It would have warmed your heart and made you smile inwardly to see some of these youngsters clump in wearing GI shoes several sizes DRAWING too large…there was very little mawkish self consciousness amongst either Japanese or Koreans, nor did it seem too much of a strain to them. In this brief interview they were graded (from 1-10, but the lowest grade I saw was 6) on pronunciation, bearing, [pg 3] awareness of current events (to see if they’d been alert and curious enough to read the Hawaii papers in Japanese or Korean) and general personality qualifications. Standard questions in the 3rd category were both, who is Roosevelt? And, who is Prime Minister of Japan? Most of them could identify Roosevelt in some fashion, though (the examined laughingly told me) there were a few replies like “[Beikoku?] no [America's] Ten no Heika” - the latter of course being a term reserved exclusively for the Emperor of Japan. More than half answered Tojo to the latter question. The average of these four grades counts as one grade to be averaged equally with results of the written tests in Science, Arithmetic and Composition. It seemed to me as I watched during forty or so interviews that the grading was reasonable. Johnny Reifsnider and Evan Davis have been having an interesting time of it in the past two weeks participating in a [pg 4] successful drive to bring in solders still in hiding. Reif went out on a patrol with one whom he calls “Toughie” (brought in by Evan), an amicable young man who related, as the two of them lay on their bellies in hiding, chatting quietly, how he’d tramped around the island with his gun for some months - didn't try to shout anybody after the first few weeks because it didn't seem worthwhile, but said of course he had to shoot his rifle now and then anyhow to keep the bore clean; so once in awhile when he saw a jeep puttering along at some point where he wanted to cross the road he’d fire a shot into the air just to make the jeep hurry. Johnny asked him if he’d seen any movies - yes, several times, at the - CBs. Did he understand them? Well, not too well; it's a big amphitheater; [pg 5] and he was behind the last tow of seats. The same guy seemed actually hurt when Evan took a live grenade out of his pocket. “But I'm not going to use it,” he protested. He also wanted to show how harmless a Jap grenade is (apparently in earnest, and with no desire to blow both of them up). “Look, if you've just a yard or two away all you have to do is lie flat on the ground and it'll go right over you,” he said, starting to pull the pin out. On the patrol I mentioned, Toughie was sent ahead alone when some other soldiers were sighted and talked several into giving up. These men have no desire to kill themselves when the initial battle frenzy is over, and have failed to give themselves up before now only out of fear and ignorance of the consequences. On the occasions when [pg 6] they've killed a few American personnel it seems to have been in self-defense, when they were surprised and discovered. No letters today, but I received the scarf and should be able to do something with it. #190 again - no I haven't heard from Cal. yet and I'm trying hard, darling, to answer everything. For awhile it seemed to me that I was doing nothing but answering your letters - that is, that I wasn't allowing for time to tell you of my life here - and that's why I cut the priority on back letters a little, when they came in several at a time and piled up. But I'll make it a point from here on of answering all letters, if only very briefly, and of writing a little about myself too. The party dresses for Wendy (solid pink and blue rayon) will be sweet - and I'm sure Muz'll do a job on them. [movie over] [pg 7] Tues. 7:15 am #192 - Awfully sorry you had to refuse Mrs. Conrad's invitation again, darling - but shikata ga nui. Wendy's fourth tooth sounds exciting. To think that she'll be a whole year old in such a short time from now! Have you and Bev played your mixed doubles with the CASA men yet? Tell me about it (And 'scuse the insult in my asking who won between you and Bev!) Sweetie, perhaps I’d better explain what I exaggeratedly referred to as a tummy, since mention of it evoked such an exclamatory protest from you. It's not really a protuberance; I was growing a little proud of the fact that my ribs no longer show as they used to, that's all. Anyhow, I wish you’d cancel your reservation for the right to poke me every now and then, unless we’re just romping. Of course I approve of Wendy's first spanking, or her being spanked in general for cause. I trust you to be judge of that. By all means have a party for Wendy! You could have four or five of her friends (6 years - age doesn't matter yet) in, including Dickie and Bobbie; they'll be sure to enter the spirit of it and understand even if W. doesn't. But she'll enjoy it and you can tell her about it later on. It should be brief, I should think, but you might have ice cream and sponge [pg 8] cake, and ask the older kids on the spot what little games they think Wendy would like to play. Let them handle it mostly - I'll bet all you mothers would get a kick out of it. The older kids too might help open Wendy's presents for her - or do you think that could be managed without jealousy on their part? 193 is missing (the mail's been irregular again lately) - I have #194-5, as well as 160-169, still to answer. To work now. I love you, precious Warren
