A US Navy officer greets his wife and two daughters on the dock next to a Navy ship, after returning from duty in the Pacific. California. Circa 1940s.
Citation: Bettmann. “Daddy Ahoy! Joy Is Unrestrained as a U.S. Navy Officer Is Welcomed Home from Navy by Family.” Getty Images, January 1, 1940. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/daddy-ahoy-joy-is-unrestrained-as-a-u-s-navy-officer-is-news-photo/515511592?phrase=1940+navy&adppopup=true.
John was at Santa Anita Ordnance Training Camp located in Arcadia, California. As the Desert War began to dial down in October 1943, soldiers were sent to the California-Arizona areas to reflect a change in mission and purpose. California has a Mediterranean-like climate with dry and hot temperatures that mimic what the soldiers will encounter in Europe. Arizona and some parts of California have desert-like conditions to prepare if they are sent to North Africa. War is not the only thing on their minds. They have loved ones at home and are yearning to see them through their furloughs. Marriage rate spiked because people are afraid of the unknown. The importance of writing letters between the soldiers and their loved ones is that it reminds them that there is a reason to fight and win.
Citation: “Camp Ibis.” Los Angeles District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Accessed February 23, 2023. https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Formerly-Used-Defense-Sites/Camp-Ibis/.
The following object description information includes basic elements from the Dublin Core Metadata (DCMI). An additional notes field is included to list dates from the actual letter, envelope postmark locations, and any other identifying details.
Why were soldiers in a rush to get married?
How did receiving letters from loved ones impact a soldier's mental health throughout the war?
Letters exchanged between young Japanese American internment detainees and their beloved librarian
Miss Breed was a librarian at the San Diego Library from 1942 until 1945. She mentored many young Japanese Americans whom she met at the library. In 1942, Japanese Americans were being sent to internment camps because of the fear of Japanese spies after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She dedicated her time to these young victims and tried to keep their spirits up by sending them books, gifts, and letters. John trained at Camp Santa Anita, which was previously an internment camp for Japanese Americans. The link below provides information about Clara Breed and letters written between Miss Breed and the young Japanese Americans she mentored.
Citation: Eishida. “Clara E. Breed Collection.” Discover Nikkei, June 28, 2021. https://discovernikkei.org/en/nikkeialbum/albums/113/?view=list.
On 13 October 1943, John trained in Camp Santa Anita in these conditions. The link below is from Extreme Weather Watch. Notice the lack of rain; during the entire month, there was less than 3/16 of an inch of rain.
Citation: “Los Angeles Weather in 1943.” Los Angeles weather in 1943. NOAA. Accessed February 23, 2023. https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/los-angeles/year-1943#october.