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^[[1954]]
^[[Tokyo 1954]]

^[[Hello]]

Since we greeted you last Xmas we have had an exciting year.

Last Xmas Ben spent with the Fighting 51st in Suwon, Korea. I was in wonderful Los Angeles. My Mother and Father were visiting with me. From December to April Ben's work was just routine but in May rumors began to circulate that Ben would be moving. In the meantime, I was busy going to school, trying to sell real estate, and thoroughly enjoying the people, the social life, and the weather of the American city I'd like most to settle in.

In June, there were several trans-Pacific telephone calls. Then was being transferred to Headquarters FEAF as Director of Operations in Tokyo. There was a possibility that Ben might get a chance to attend the Fighter Symposium at Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama. By this time Larry, my nephew, was in L.A. to spend the summer with me. It was thrilling when on July 6, Ben said he would be home for about three weeks and I would probably be able to go back with him. I was very happy about it, but Larry, who by now had become an L.A. booster, was unhappy because he would have to go back home.

There was much to be done – – sorting household goods to be shipped and to be stored, selling my favorite card – – the MG, buying clothes to last for the tour in Japan, getting shots and passport, and getting to Montgomery to see Ben. Those were hectic days, but exciting ones. Ben and I made a circle tour of the U.S. by air to say goodbye to some of our friends and relatives in Tuskegee, Washington, New York and Chicago. Three days later we were at Travis Air Force Base. On August 11 we left the U.S.

The trip across the Pacific in a C–97 was eventful. Our first lap took us to Hawaii where we stayed for six hours while the engine was being repaired. It gave us the opportunity to visit Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach, have breakfast at the Royal Hawaiian, and go through some of the beach shops. The second stop took us to Wake Island. Two hours out of Hawaii one of our engine stopped and we turned around to start back. Five minutes later, the pilot discovered that we had failed to switch gas tanks. It gave us a scare. Some 8 hours later we arrived in Wake. A cylinder had been lost so we spent 18 hours on a little dot in the Pacific. The final lap took us to Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

We arrived in Tokyo after dark. I must say that helped, for Tokyo was a sad disappointment to me. No one had prepared me for what I was to see. After beautiful L.A. it was a shock. We spent the first 10 days in Tokyo's most beautiful hotel, Nikkatsu , but if we had stayed any longer we wouldn't be able to eat. The rates were terrific. So our next move was to find a private rental, as we were not entitled to Government quarters until December. As you know, living in the Far East

^[[1954?]]