The Souvenir
Authors: Louise Steinman
Praise for
The Souvenir
“Exceptional â¦Â a graceful, understated memoir â¦Â that draws its strength from the complexities it explores.”
âThe New York Times Book Review
“Ms. Steinman skillfully weaves her father's emotional letters into the present-day story line, sensitively taking readers through Norman Steinman's transformation from naïve American soldier to hardened combat veteran.â¦
The Souvenir
underscores the indescribable way war affects not only veterans but also their families and future generations.”
âThe Dallas Morning News
“The book is the story of entwined âgifts' resulting from [a] personal journeyâSteinman's discovery of a side of her father she never expected to share. For many, her account could provide an understanding of how the war changed one generation and shaped the next.”
âLibrary Journal
(starred review)
“A moving memoir about reconciliation and honor.”
âPublisher's Weekly
Winner of the Gold Medal in Autobiography/Memoir from
ForeWord
magazine
A
LSO BY
L
OUISE
S
TEINMAN
The Knowing Body: The Artist as Storyteller
in Contemporary Performance
Copyright © 2001, 2002, 2008 by Louise Steinman. All rights reserved. No portion of this book, except for brief review, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansâelectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwiseâwithout the written permission of the publisher. For information contact North Atlantic Books.
Published by
North Atlantic Books
P.O. Box 12327
Berkeley, California 94712
Cover design by Susan Quasha
First published by Algonquin Books, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 2001.
The Souvenir: A Daughter Discovers Her Father's War
is sponsored by the Society for the Study of Native Arts and Sciences, a nonprofit educational corporation whose goals are to develop an educational and cross-cultural perspective linking various scientific, social, and artistic fields; to nurture a holistic view of arts, sciences, humanities, and healing; and to publish and distribute literature on the relationship of mind, body, and nature.
North Atlantic Books' publications are available through most bookstores. For further information, visit our website at
www.northatlanticbooks.com
or call 800-733-3000.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Steinman, Louise.
    The souvenir : a daughter discovers her father's war / Louise Steinman.
            p. cm.
    Includes bibliographical references.
    Summary: “The Souvenir presents a legacy of war stories left inadvertently to a daughter by a father who only wished to forget. At turns poetic and journalistic, Steinman's cross-generational memoir asks vital questions about the impact of war and views the fallout of a soldier's secrets by one daughter's probing light”âProvided by publisher.
    eISBN: 978-1-58394-790-6
    1. Steinman, Norman, 1915â1990. 2. United States. ArmyâBiography. 3. PharmacistsâUnited StatesâBiography. 4. World War, 1939â1945âBiography. 5. United States. Army. Infantry Division, 25thâBiography. 6. World War, 1939-1945âCampaignsâPhilippines. 7. World War, 1939â1945âJapan. 8. Steinman, Louise. 9. Steinman family. I. Title.
U53.S74S74 2008
940.54â²25991092âdc22
[B]
2007051527
v3.1
T
O THE MEMORY OF MY PARENTS
,
A
NNE
W
EISKOPF
S
TEINMAN
(1919â1990)
AND
N
ORMAN
S
TEINMAN
(1915â1990)
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
M
ANY PEOPLE HAVE ASSISTED ME
on this long journey.
Many thanks to Rika Ohara, for first translating the flag; John Mellana, who pointed me in the direction of John Dower's work; Howard Junker, who published my long poem about Yoshio's flag in his magazine
zyzzyva
; editors Susan Brenneman and Bret Israel at the
Los Angeles Times Magazine
, who gave me the assignment to Japan; Paul Freireich at the
New York Times
travel section for his invaluable sleuthing; and Donna Frazier, who edited my article for the
Los Angeles Times Magazine
and in the process became a friend and trusted guide. At Algonquin, thanks to Elisabeth Scharlatt and Ina Stern who offered spiritual support.
I'm indebted to Lindy Hough and Richard Grossinger at North Atlantic Books for giving
The Souvenir
a new life. It's been a pleasure to work with editor Elizabeth Kennedy and publicist Allegra Harris on their fine team.
Thanks to my wonderful familyâto the late Florence Hamrol, a memorist herself; to Matthew Solomon, who provided many details from his memory; to Jennifer Solomon, who made the scrapbook of newspaper clippings about her grandfather's stint in the Pacific; to Larry Steinman, who asked critical questions and read the poem at Passover; to Ruth Solomon, for her encouragement and insights; and to Ken Steinman for stories and support.
For straight talk, nudging, notes on the manuscript, and practical advice about Japan, many thanks to Alan Brown. Thanks to Amy Morita for being the liaison with the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare. Judith Nies offered detailed read-throughs of the manuscript. Thanks to Adam Hochschild for inspiration and encouragement, and to Professor John Dower for the afternoon he spent with me, for taking my project seriously.
Thanks to Susan Banyas, Charlotte Hildebrand, Irene Borger, Erica Clark, for listening and sharing their stories. Thanks to the following for various support over the years of writing: Steve Clorfeine, Anne Dubuisson, Suzanne Edison, Sally Kaplan, Joan Kreiss, Sarah Jacobus, Meredith Monk, Anna Valentina Murch, Regina O'Melveney, Dennis Palumbo, Roger Perlmutter, Wendy Perron, Chris Rauschenberg, Jim Siegel, Don Singer, Janet Stein, Laura Stickney, Beth Thielen, and Ellen Zweig.
Other helpers provided translation and information. Yukiko Amaya, Nancy Beckman, Gen Watanabe, Chiyoko Osborne, and Salud Ilaoâmany thanks.
Special thanks to Centrum Foundation in Port Townsend, Washington, for providing the environment in which my father's letters first came alive; to the California Community Foundation for the Brody Literary Fellowship, which facilitated my first trip to Japan; and to Blue Mountain Center for the blessing of a month of peaceful writing and thinking. The good folks at the Japanese National Tourist Organization helped me find my way around Japan, and provided assistance with lodging and rail travel. Thanks also to International House in Tokyo, for their formidable library. The Library Foundation of Los Angeles accommodated my travel and writing retreats and offered a supportive atmosphere in which to work. The librarians and staff at the Los Angeles Public Library daily manage to work miracles, and I thank them for their assistance.
In Japan, the Shimizu family and their neighbors and friends received me with love in their hearts. Many thanks to Mayor Ikarashi and Mihara Kenzo for their many kindnesses. I am indebted to Mrs. Seito, Mrs. Nakamura, Mr. Watanabe, and Mr. Abe for sharing their stories. In Hiroshima, thanks to the Kurokami family for their delightful hospitality, especially to Shoji Kurokami for being my guide. In Tokyo, thanks to Marcy and Lauren Homer. At the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare, Mr. Chitaru Satakeâwhom I never met in personâwas the indefatigable detective behind the scenes.
Thanks to my “muses,” all World War II vets and all very wise men: Sylvan Katz, Peter Lomenzo, Baldwin Eckel, and the late Fred Rochlin. They shared their difficult experiences with me, and accepted my naivete with grace and generosity. Their stories have moved me deeply and I am honored to help share them with others.
There are four more people without whom this whole project would not have been possible: Betsy Amster, my wonderful agent who is also a fine editor, was patient, prodding, enthusiastic, and honest during these many years. She always believed that “Yoshio” would be a book and encouraged me to take whatever time was necessary to finish it. Antonia Fusco, my editor at Algonquin Books, recognized this story in the rough and made it a far better telling. Working with her is a privilege and a pleasure. Masako Hayakawa was more than a translator. She was my cultural guide, a true friend and stalwart ally who made real sacrifices to assist me. I am deeply indebted to her as well as to her husband, Professor Norio Hayakawa, for sharing his story. Finally, my deepest gratitude to my husband, Lloyd Hamrol, who accompanied me to the mountaintop, took photographs while suffering the flu, cooked dinners, edited, brainstormed, suffered my doubts, weathered my manias, fed the cat, listened to dreams, offered structural insights and unconditional love.
ONTENTS
HRONOLOGY
7 December 1941
Japanese attack U.S. Pacific Fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii.
8 December 1941
Japanese planes bomb Philippine city of Baguio in northern Luzon.
11 March 1942
General Douglas MacArthur retreats from Corregidor, Philippines, after declaring, “I shall return.”
August 1943
Newly drafted Private Norman Steinman arrives at Camp Fannin, Tyler, Texas, for infantry training.
January 1944
Private Norman Steinman ships out from San Francisco, crosses the Pacific to join Twenty-fifth “Tropic Lightning” Infantry Division in Auckland, New Zealand. Assigned to Headquarters Company, First Battalion, Twenty-seventh Infantry Regiment “Wolfhounds.”
Late February 1944
Twenty-fifth Division lands at Noumea, principal city New Caledonia, for further combat training. “Tropic Lightning” expected to return to fighting lines in June.
June 1944
Tactical plans change. Twenty-fifth remains on New Caledonia for more training. Rehearsals for landing on beaches in Luzon Campaign.
7 December 1944
Twenty-fifth Division convoy, known as Task Unit 77.9, moves out of Noumea, New Caledonia.
21 December 1944
Tetere Beach, Guadalcanal. Twenty-fifth Division stages “dress rehearsal” for landing at Lingayen Gulf.
11 January 1945
Private First Class Norman Steinman lands with Twenty-fifth Division at Lingayen Gulf, northern Luzon, Philippine Islands. Landing unopposed by Japanese troops.
12 January to 10 February 1945
Central Plains phase of Luzon Campaign, including battle for Umingan.
10 February to 21 February 1945
Redeployment and readying for coming assault in Caraballo Mountains of northern Luzon.
3 March 1945
U.S. forces retake Manila from Japanese.
February through June 1945
Battle to secure Balete Pass in Caraballo Mountains, drive from Balete Pass to Santa Fe, and subsequent “mop up” of Japanese hiding out in mountains.
13 May 1945
American forces declare Balete Pass “secure.”
16 May 1945
Brigadier General James “Rusty” Dalton of Twenty-fifth Infantry killed in sniper attack while on reconnaissance mission at Balete Pass.
6 August 1945
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima from the
Enola Gay
under orders from President Truman.
9 August 1945
United States drops second atomic bomb on Nagasaki.
12 August 1945
Japanese announce surrender.
15 August 1945
Emperor Hirohito's radio broadcast to his nation asks them to “endure the unendurable.”
2 September 1945
Japanese officials formally surrender to Allies aboard U.S. battleship
Missouri
in Tokyo Bay.
2 September 1945
General Yamashita, commander of Japanese troops in Luzon, surrenders to U.S. forces.
24 September 1945
Corporal Norman Steinman and others of Twenty-seventh Infantry Regiment board USS
Natrona
bound for Nagoya, Japan, as part of the U.S. occupation forces.
27 October 1945
After an eighteen-day offshore delay in Wakayama Harbor, Corporal Steinman and other members of the Twenty-seventh Infantry Regiment disembark at Nagoya Harbor.
31 December 1945
Corporal Norman Steinman returns stateside, disembarking in Portland, Oregon, with overnight stay at Vancouver Barracks, Vancouver, Washington.