Leonard's Story: November 6, 1945

Letterman Hospital was in El Presidio in San Francisco. 

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                                    OSAKA, HONSHU, JAPAN

                                    6th Nov 45

Dear Arnold,

     I'm sorry I haven't written for such

a long time -  but first I was busy then

I became ill. I had a relapse of yellow

jaundice caused by change of climate, fatigue,

and drinking. For about three weeks I was

sicker than hell - lots of stomach trouble, and

I was getting fed intervaneously for a while. I

still don't feel in the pink of condition, but I am getting

along pretty good now. Tomorrow I am being evacuated

to a General Hospital in Tokyo (if the plane comes in).

I stand a good chance of being evacuated to the

States in the very near future.  If so, I will

probably be sent to Letterman Hospital, San Francisco.

According to one doctor, it will take me quite a while

to completely recover my health - months.

However, I think I may be in the States by Christmas

and if so, I am going to try and get a 30 or

45 day Temporary Duty Rest leave to recuperate. I

should be in condition to do this so that it will

include Christmas and New Years - I can dream

can't I?  So don't get yourself shipped overseas -

maybe we can all be home at christmastime.

                      -1-

[page 2]

     Don't tell the folks about this - I don't

want to raise their hopes or have them

disappointed.

     There is nothing to worry about in this yellow

jaundice - the thing that makes it bad for me is

the severity of the first attack and then this relapse.

It just means that I have to get lots of rest

and stay on a fat-free, non-alcoholic diet. Also

my resistance is low - six months of steady combat

left me run-down and in poor shape. By summer

I should be back there really pitching. I am

thinking of starting school in the fall (I don't

know which one yet - maybe back east).

     Well Bud, whats new with you? - you haven't

written, yourself, for quite a while - or is the mail

system just bad. What are you going to do when 

you get out? By the way I now have 73 points,

how are you doing? By the way I Say I hear

you boys were awarded the American Defense

Ribbon the other day - congratulations! Well

I hope I will see you soon -

                           love

                           Leonard

P.S. Please write but don't send

       anything.

               "BACK ALIVE IN 45"

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Leonard's Story: October 3, 1945

The occupation of Japan started at the end of August 1945 and didn't pick up speed until September, so this letter is not all that long after the occupation began. 

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                                                   [top line cut off - probably Osaka, Japan]

                                                    Oct 3rd, 1945

Dear Arnold,

     How are you Bud?  As you can see by the address I am now in

Japan.  We are living in a very nice hotel, in fact I have heard

that it is the best hotel in Japan at the present time.  I have paid

anywhere from $5 to $10 per day in the states for the type of room

I have here.  It has twin, inner springs, beds (one of which is

occupied by another officer), separate bathroom, etc.  We eat in

the large main dining room downstairs.  The food is excellent, and

the dining room is very modern and attractive.  We also have a bar

where we can get drinks.  At present we only have Japanese beer to

drink (its damn good), however soon will have have whiskey and other

mixed drinks.  This is just like living on per diem in the states.

We work in an office building, and have plenty of room but not too

much work.  This is a good way to reacclimate back to civilian life.

     The B-29s burned out the major portion of OSAKA, but here and

there are areas (like the hotel and office building) that were un-

touched.  There is block after block of rubble, without a building

left standing.  Most of the people have gone to the country, and

though there are still plenty around the place it is'nt crowded.

     The Japanese people are very friendly and cooperative.  They

are glad that the war is over, even if it did end the way it did.

At present there is a food shortage, and the rice crops were poor

this year.  Consequently the people are worried about the coming

winter.  Only uniforms have been produced in the last three years,

and there is also a cloth shortage.  Most of the men you see (Japs)

are wearing some sort of a uniform, and the women wear pants tight

at the bottoms like a zoot suit.  Yesterday I bought about 29 yards

of white silk cloth at two yen per yard, 13 1/3 cents per yard, which

I will send to mother.  She should be able to make a lot of blouses

out of it.  As usual the GIs have gone all out for souviner buying

and prices are going up.  I am going to wait until I can get over

to NARA or KYOTO before I do any large scale buying.

     What is your situation in regard to overseas service?  I have an

idea that you may never leave the states.  I don't see how they could

use you over here now in your present type of work, and I don't think

they would put you in the MPs, or Inf.

     A small SNAFU has just come up here, which will require my

undivided attention, so I will sign off.

                                            love

                                  [signed] Leonard

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