| Dear Yuichi:
I regret that I have not been able to write to you before now. Unfortunately,
the past few months have been very difficult for me.
Soon after I got out of the hospital, I began to have some pain in the
upper part of my right chest. It became worse and constant. Two doctors
could not determine what was causing the pains. They took numerous tests
and could only determine that my heart was better than before the replacement
of the heart valve, there was no indication of cancer and no infections.
Finally the surgeon, who had performed the operation, determined that
the pains were due to the inflammation of the cartilage which connected
the ribs to the sternum ( chest breastbone ). He put me on a 45 day program
of medications which included medicines for reducing the pain and to sleep.
I have eight more days to be on the treatment. Fortunately, your letter
of 12/17 arrived yesterday when I had been two days without any pains.
I am hoping that this is an indication that the treatment is successful
in ending the pains. I am very tired of having to take the medications
for pain and to be able to sleep. Actually, I should be very thankful
that my medical problems are less than those which some of the other men,
who were in Omori, are having now.
I have been unable to do anything or to concentrate on working at my desk.
This is the first letter which I have been able to write during the past
few months and it may take several days to finish. I was very unhappy
in having to cancel my trips at the end of August and in September when
I was planing to see my daughter in North Carolina and to attend the reunion
of my old Bomb Group in South Carolina. It would have been the first time
that the other pilot ( McMurria )of our crew would have seen each other
since the time when I was sent to Japan and he had to stay in Rabaul (
November, 1943 ). Trips to San Francisco and over-sea were also cancelled.
I did manage to go to San Antonio with my son in November when we got
together with my two daughters and their families for Thanksgiving Day.
My son and I went back to San Antonio to be with my oldest daughter's
family during the Christmas holidays. It was a difficult time for me to
make the trips; but I was glad to be with my children and grandchildren.
I apologize for telling you my troubles. However, I felt it was necessary
in order for you to understand why I was delayed in writing to you.
I was very glad to receive your interesting letter. The maps and the picture
of the Omori memorial are appreciated. I have often wondered about the
exact location of Sugamo prison. I can now try to locate it on the 1948
map of Tokyo that I have in my files.
Your meeting with Barrette and Nuckolls ( sp? ) must have been exciting
for you. I regret that they were unable to contact me before they went
to Japan. I will try to contact them soon after the smart of the New York.
I would be veryinterested in seeing the drawings made by Tobita because
they should give a good insight ( understanding ) into the prison life.
I will also call Jim Sanson in Arlington ( between Dallas and Fort Worth
). I would also like to hear some of the stories that Yoshioka can tell
about what happened in the kitchen at Omori. I know very little about
what happened there. Consequently, I have a number of questions that I
would like ask him. How many Japanese and POWs worked in the kitchen?
Does he remember any of the names? Several people have told me that they
had worked there for a short time, but they were unable to give me any
factual information about it. I had hoped to see Bill Payne, who had been
one of the regular cooks in the kitchen, when I made one of my early trips
to England , but it was unfortunate that he died a few weeks before I
got there.
I did know that some of the Japanese personnel had left Omori right after
the Emperor's speech, but I do not know their names nor if they were replaced
by someone else.
Thank you again for an interesting letter. May you and your family have
a happy and good new year.
Sincerely
Bob
Robert R. Martindale
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