100th INFANTRY AUGUST 14, 1944
DEAR MR TURNER,
HELLO, AND HOW ARE YOU? RECEIVED YOUR LETTER SOMETIME AGO. THANKS. GLAD TO KNOW OF YOUR POPULAR AUDIENCES. THAT WE HAVE YOU TO STRAIGHTEN OUT IN STANDINGS-I’M SURE THE PEOPLE BACK HOME UNDERSTAND.
I’M FINE. STICKING TO IT AS USUAL. GOT THE 1ST REAL BREAK LAST WEEK. I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME DOWN AT THE BEACH. IT WAS GOOD TO GET INTO THE SWIMMING TOGS AND GET INTO THE WATER. YOU CAN IMAGINE MY HAWAIIAN TAN NOW. ALSO AT THE BEACH CAMP WERE THE AMERICAN RED CROSS: SNACK BAR – A THEATRE- MOVIES EVERYNIGHT- AND “LIVE SHOW” TWICE. ATHLETICS TOOK THE GREATEST PART OF THE AFTERNOON. NO DRILL- IT WAS JUST REST FOR THE BOYS.
TWENTY THOUSAND BUCKS- THAT’S A LOT OF DOUGH ALREADY FOR THE CLUB. READ YOUR LETTER TO KAJIKAWA AND HE MENTIONED HAVING ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND ON HAND WITH HIM – OFTEN THE BOYS TALK ABOUT THE PROMISING CLUB.
THE BN WAS CITED WITH THE UNIT CITATION. I’M SURE YOU READ ABOUT IT. PROBABLY YOU’LL GET TO SEE IT IN THE NEWSREEL TOO FOR THERE WERE HELLVA LOT OF MOVIE CAMERAS ON HAND WHEN THE GENERAL PRESENTED THE STREAMER- THAT’S SOMETHING WE’LL ALWAYS BE PROUD OFF. CITATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS ARE COMING IN –OODLES- AND ITS KEEPING THE ONE TYPEWRITER “HOT.”
OH- BY THE WAY “CONGRATULATIONS” I OVERHEARD OF YOUR AWARD.
ANOTHER GROUP OF MEN LEFT ON FURLOUGH. LUCKY GUYS- I HAVE MY FINGERS CROSS FOR MY CHANCE TO COME SOON! T/SGT TSUDA, 1ST SGTS IKEDA, TOHARA WERE IN THE BUNCH. I HAVE ONE QUESTION THOUGH- GOT A LINE FROM TSUDA THAT THEY WERE TOLD THAT BOYS ON FURLOUGH CANNOT GO BACK TO THE ISLANDS. ONLY MEN CLASSED ROTATION CAN. I CAN’T FIGURE IT OUT WHY FOR THEY HAVE JUST AS EQUAL NUMBER OF DAYS. WISH SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT IT SO FURLOUGHS AS WELL AS ROTATION CAN GET HOME TO THE ISLANDS- IT DOESN’T AFFECT THE HAOLE BOYS CAUSE REGARDLESS OF FURLOUGH OR ROTATION THEY GET HOME (TO THE STATES). BUT TO US IT DOES YOU CAN SEE- I WON’T LIKE TO SPEND A WHOLE MONTH IN SOME CAMP ON THE MAINLAND WHILE ON FURLOUGH- THAT’S MY GRIPE FOR THE DAY.
BY MY RETURN ADDRESS YOU CAN WELL SEE THAT WE ARE NOT SEPARATE ANYMORE. TIS’ SAD FOR US. I’M SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW IT IS NOW. LOOSING THE “BULL HEAD” TOO – SO ITS DOUBLE WORSE.
LATEST GOOD NEWS IS KUNIMURA-LEAVING FOR ROTATION SOON. I AM SURE HE’LL GET TO SEE YOU.
YOUR FRIEND GEORGE WAS AGAIN CONFINED TO HOSPITAL – SAME THING- JUST REACTION BELIEVE IT’S THE THIRD TIME NOW. HE IS BACK WITH US LOOKING FINE AGAIN. ONCE HE GAVE ME A GOOD TALKING ABOUT WORKING TO HARD BUT SEEM LIKE HE HIMSELF IS NOT TAKING IT EASY.
NEWS ARE BREAKING SO FAST- WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR NOSE IN THE RADIO. IT WON’T BE LONG NOW I HOPE- MORALES- 100 PERCENT. HOPE IT’LL END BY CHRISTMAS SURE HATE TO SPEND ANOTHER WINTER UP IN THE MOUNTAINS.
WELL – THAT’S ABOUT ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW WILL WRITE AGAIN. MY REGARDS TO ALL.
YOURS SINCERELY,
Tad OHTA
