Sun, Oct 8, 1944: How would you like to study Japanese, Brown?

"My chances of getting a commission look very rosy right now -- 19 days before graduation.  For one thing I've passed the physical.  Instead of giving us a complete, rigid going over, one physician briefly inspected our throats, hearts, and bodies.  Not a word about another eye examination was said.

"In the second place I think I have a definite assignment.  Several weeks ago I put in an application for the Oriental Language School.  With my limited background (2 yrs. of Latin and one of German) I thought my chances for getting it so slim that I neglected to mention the request to you.  Last week a Commander was here from the Bureau of Naval Personnel interviewing applicants.  Instead of the long 15 or 20 minute cross examination that I had expected, I spent less than 5 minutes in his office.  After he told me to be seated there was a two minute period of silence, while he looked over my records.  Then he snapped ‘How would you like to study Japanese, Brown?’ I told him that Russian was my preference, but he explained that the need for Russian interpreters wasn't great. After a few more questions he said, "All right we'll put you down for Japanese.’”

-- Letter from my father, Notre Dame, Ind., to his family, Bloomington, Kans., October 8, 1944.  That five-minute interview set the course of the rest of my father's life.  He went on to learn Japanese at the Naval language program at Boulder, Colorado, to get a Ph.D. in Japanese history, and to become a Japanese historian.