Imprisoned Apart: The World War II Correspondence of an Issei Couple

7. The Letters

IS EVE N Dear Wife, The Letters Dec. 11, 1941 7 a.m. [Seattle Immigration Station]a We are very comfortable here at the Immigration station. Thank you for $10-& a package which I was notified last night, but not received yet.b I expect to get it today. (P.S. 12 noon-received OK) We have many friends here & not lonesome at all. We are very nicely treated. Ifpossible I want to have some B.V.D.s, socks & the Bible. We don't know how long we will stay here. Your husband Iwao Matsushita My Dear Wife, Dec. 15, 1941 Monday night I am well. We are very comfortable. No change at all. Thank you for all you have done for me. If possible please let me have two boxes of Bromo Quinine in case I need it. No hurry. Please take good care of yourself, & don't worry about me. Best regards to our friends. Your husband Iwao Matsushita a. Matsushita's letters from the immigration station were censored by local INS officials. b. Hanaye hand-carried comfort packages to the INS station. I 113 114 My dear wife, Dec. 26, 1941 (noon) We are leaving Saturday morning for probably Montana. Will write again upon arrival. Thank you for all you have done for me. Please don't worry about my health. I am 100% well today. We help each other & make ourselves comfortable. I will take best care of myself, & you keep yourself in best condition & wait for me. Be brave & trust in God. God be with you till we meet again. Your husband Iwao Matsushita P.S. We had a swell turkey dinner on Xmas day. LETTER l' Mrs. H. Matsushita 905 24th Ave. So. Seattle, Wash. My dear wife, Dec. 28, 1941 Dormitory #24 Fort Missoula Missoula, Montanab After a wonderful trip & nice meals on an N.P. train, we safely arrived here Sunday morning. This place is much more comfortable, every convenience, spacious dining room, & better food. The ground is covered with patches ofsnow & surrounding mountains are salt-and-peppery. The temperature is freezing & very dry. Please don't worry & take good care ofyourself. Your husband Iwao Matsushita P.S. Mr. Hashino sends his regards. a. Matsushita began numbering his letters upon his arrival at Fort Missoula. b. All outgoing and incoming letters were censored by English- or Japanese-speaking censors. 2 Dec. 30, 1941 My dear wife, It snowed all day Monday & Tuesday & the ground is perfectly covered now. The minimum temperature last Sunday was 6, & Monday 10, but we don't feel so cold. We have icycles from eaves today & much warmer. Heavy underwears & ski outfits, you were so kindly put in the suitcase & the bag are now very, very useful, for which I can't thank you enough. The dormitory itself, mattress, blankets, quilt, sheets, & everything is new. Meals are excellent & plentiful. We have rice, too. We can buy almost anything here, & clothings will be supplied by this place.' So don't worry about these things. We have no special work to do now except taking care of our own dormitory. Wishing you a very Happy New Year, Your loving husband Iwao Matsushita P.S. I am in excellent health. 3 Jan. 3,1942 My dear wife, We had a famous Montana blizzard on the 30th evening, but the next day, we had spotless blue sky & bright sunshine. The surrounding undulating hills covered with powder snow were really tempting. Toward evening the full moon was high in the eastern mountains, which was made purple by the setting sun. What a magnificent view it was! I wished I could have seen this scenery with you. The New Year's day was again bright, but the temperature registered 20 below zero, which means 52 below freezing point. But don't lose your heart, because we really don't feel so cold as you might when you hear about this in Seattle. We are now accustomed to the temperature here, & when it snows it usually is warm-around 10 above zero. 115 a. Correspondents were forbidden to provide specific details about the camp itself. 116 Our daily life is so satisfactory that I consider it a sin to expect more. We have a radio set in our dormitory. We even had improvised pickles the other day with our rice. So please don't worry about my life here, but pray for our happy meeting in the future. Take good care ofyourself, & write me sometimes. Your loving husband Iwao Matsushita...