ddr-densho-223-65

1243 Kinaw Street
Honolulu Ho, Hawaii
December 16, 1945

Dear Miss Schoen,

How are things at the camp since we left there? It has been a whole week since I have returned home to my family and this is the first chance I have to sit down and drop you folks a line. Callers and friends come from early in the morning to late at night, and every night of this week, I had to go to dinners over at my friends.

My daughter, Clara is still pretty shy with her father, yet in a few more weeks, I'll have a better chance to be acquainted with her and I'll get her to love me like her own daddy. She clings to my wife and looks at me from a distance. I was much surprised as I had always pictured her as a little baby I left behind, in spite of the pictures my wife used to send me. She's a darling and I love her very much. We have a Christmas tree lighted and decorated at home and I think she is beginning to like me because of it.

I don't know how to begin to thank you and the other members of your staff for your kindness and the thoughtful considerations showered on me during my long stay at Santa Fe. I miss the hospital and often think about you and the friends back there. The 46 members from Santa Fe had a great trip coming home and we were all well during our travel.

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We left the Santa Fe camp on December 2nd at 10:45 a.m. and reached [illegible] station at 11:20 a.m. Then, we took the first train out and reached Albuquerque at 1:55 p.m. At Albuquerque, the first thing that came to my mind was about the stories of the horse races that Miss Dail [?] told us about. We continued to travel and reached Gallup Station, near Arizona Border at 5:20 p.m. We traveled thru Arizona thru the night and the following morning round 9:00 a.m. we reached the Braston station at California. The scenes from the train through California were especially pretty and I enjoyed it very much. At 2 p.m. we finally reached Los Angeles and from there, took the street car to Wilmington harbor. It took us over an hour to get there. A little after 3:00 p.m. we went aboard our ship the "Shawnee". Our only regret was that we were not able to see the big city of Los Angeles. There, we saw the city before our eyes but we were not allowed to go off our ship. We left port the following day at 2:00 p.m. and sailed straight for home. We were all happy and eager to go home but I had a strange feeling for leaving America as we had spent our last three and a half years there.

There were about 800 Japanese on board on the Shawnee and we had great excitement on board. Our patient from Santa Fe, Mr. Kayehara, was very well and he took the trip like a good sailor. I was taken much by the weather and felt pretty sea sick but it wasn't too bad.

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It was rather amusing and funny to see the hospital patient waiting on us. We had to watch him closely as he was feeling well and wanted to walk around the deck all alone. Everyone enjoyed the trip and we reached Honolulu Harbor on Dec 10th at 9:00 a.m. safely and sound. As soon as we were in port, we were checked again and at 11:00 a.m. we walked down the gangplank and landed our first foot on the soil of Honolulu. At the harbor, over 5,000 people were waiting patiently to welcome us home. There were so many people that one could hardly find his wife, daughter, children, relatives or friends. I looked around the crowd but couldn't find no one. My niece, was the first one to spot me and she came running up to me. Then, pretty soon more friends came up and they all had fresh flower leis for me. My neck was loaded with flowers leis up to my eyes and I could hardly see. I wish you folks had a chance to see the sight.

Maybe someday I can send you a fresh lei. We were all excited and happy and such merry laughter all around us. They had a car ready for me and we went straight home. My wife had kept up the house just as I had left it 3 ½ years ago. It sure is a good feeling to come home and be a free man again.

Since we left Santa Fe, the second group of internees leaving for Japan must have left and you folks must

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be rather lonesome. Whenever the camp is closed, you would be moving out to another place, but where ever you go, please take good care of your health and my very best wishes and the best of luck to you and your staff. My plans for the future are still indefinite but I want to start out on a small business soon. What kind of a business, that I haven't thought too deep about it yet.

The staff members had been so good to me and especially Miss Dail, please extend my sincerest "Aloha" to each and every one of them and also Dr. Tanaka.

I am hoping we shall all meet again and talk over our memories of the camp. My family is looking forward to see you when you make that trip to Honolulu. They send their best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sincerely
R. Togawa