3/9/43

Dear Joe,

I really have taken my time in writing you. I am sorry that I have not written before.

I was very glad to hear that you are getting a chance to continue your education. One of the most unfortunate parts of the whole mess is the interruption of the young peoples education. It must have been rather boring at Manzanar for you if you were only allowed to do routine duties. However you, no doubt, miss your family a lot.

I hope that the people there are treating you ok. It no doubt is a difficult situation for you. I suppose no matter where one goes there are intolerant people who thoughtlessly punish someone for something that is not in the least their fault. That type of person is disregarding the very principals for which we are fighting. From what I have seen there are plenty of these people.

Well, perhaps you will be interested in what is going on around here so will tell you some of the recent events, etc.

My folks are still living in the valley and I am still here at Pacific Palisades. I have been running my shop here but am planning to give it up soon. Parts are very hard to get and tubes Impossible to get. I have made application to get into the C.A.A. maintenance devision and should know whether I have been accepted soon. This is a Civil Service job so it will continue after the war. The duties are to keep the radio transmitting and receiving equipment as well as the teletype in working order at the several different stations to which one is assigned. I can be assigned to a station anywhere in Calf., Arizona, Utah, or Nevada.

My folks have developed into rather agricultural people. Besides having quite a truck garden that have a cow, a calf, and a sow with seven babies. They also have chickens and rabbits. They seem to be in good health except for some colds at present.

Bill is living in Receda now. He was living at Newport Beach when he was working at Santa Ana but didn't like it so he came back up here. He is now working at Point Wymineme which is near Oxnard. He has to go about 40 miles to work each day.

Al is managing a citrus ranch in Girard, about ten miles from Van Nuys, and is getting along very well. Dick is still living in Bell Gardens and working at Vultee aircraft.

There is a fellow here that knew you at UCLA. He is Bob Cramer. He graduated this last semester and is now working at Standard Oil in El Segundo. He was a chem. major and is now doing about the same thing he was when taking P-Chem.

Have you heard that UCLA finally beat USC at basketball after losing 44 games straight. UCLA ended in second place in the conference.

Say, Joe do you know what became of Masioshi Harada? I saw him a couple of weeks before the evacuation and have not heard from him since.

Well thats all for now. I would like to know what you are taking in school and how you like it there.

Sincerely,

Johnny

P.S. Don't mind the typing. Believe it or not its more readable than my handwriting.