The photo above shows a picture of troops in formation during their practice drill in 1943 in Santa Anita Camp in Arcadia, California. In the same land that the troops were doing their troops on, it was the same camp and land that the Japanese were held at during World War II. The Japanese were being held at the facilities for almost a little bit over seven months before they were moved to a bigger facility. The stalls behind were used as homes to the 8,500 Japanese people.
Citation : “A Platoon of U.S Army Ordnance Soldiers Is Seen Drilling on a Wet Day at Camp Santa Anita. The Barracks, Just a Few Months Earlier Had Been Housing for the Japanese Evacuees, Is Seen in Background.” Arcadia History Collection , https://arcadiahistory.andornot.com/en/permalink/photographs1143. Accessed 24 Feb. 2023.
The envelope above was from a trooper who was stationed in Santa Ana, California who sent a love letter to his partner Cleda Cartmell while he is away training in a camp. This letter was one of many of which troops who were drafted away from their hometown away from their loved ones would write back. Troops would often be gathered together and write at the same time hence the date is the same as Sgt John Dolin letter.
Citation: "August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California 2LT Thomas E. Cartmell, USAA, Letter to Cleda Cartmell", Brookside Press, http://brooksidepress.org/cartmell/letters/primary-flight-training-1943/august-16-1943-santa-ana-california-2/ Accessed 24 Feb. 2023
The following object description information includes basic elements from the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI). An additional notes field is included to list dates from the actual letter, envelope postmark locations, and any other identifying details.
Did the troops that were stationed in the Santa Anita Camp knew about the Japanese that were held in the same locations? If they did, what did they do with the knowledge or did they ignore it.
What was it like staying in the same room and same bed that the Japanese were in a couple months prior of them being there?
In the photo, it is the same location where Sgt. John R. Dolin was training at while he was stationed in Arcadia, California. A year prior to Sgt. Dolin being stationed there, it was one of many internments camp for the Japanese that were living in California at the time. This horse racetrack is still in use today for the infamous worldwide horse races. Behind the racetrack were the internment camp homes where the Japanese were forced to live there.
Citations: “Japanese Camp at Santa Anita.” Japanese Camp at Santa Anita Digital Collection, https://tessa2.lapl.org/digital/collection/photos/id/14667.
