Reporting Experience – A Final Post

Reporting about the Presidio has enabled me to learn a lot about a unique part of San Francisco, a part of the city I might not have otherwise become familiar with. The Presidio has a rich and fascinating history and its development continues to be newsworthy.

The major challenged I faced as a journalist was gaining the confidence to approach people and question them, a challenge that was not made any easier by the suburban environment of the residential areas in the Presidio. However, by the end of the semester I met people through networking and asking questions became second nature.

One of the things that I have most enjoyed about the reporting process has been learning about the Presidio’s military history. There are so many interesting stories and it is a history that is still very visible in the buildings and layout of the park.

I have also greatly enjoyed having a reason to spend a lot of time in the Presidio. It is an incredibly beautiful location with amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay and the city. It is a wonderful feeling to feel as if you are in the country enjoying trails and nature and yet be only minutes away from a bustling city.

Last night, Dec 4, I finished my last interview around 7:30 p.m. It was a very cold night; I made my way to the transit center and waited for the 29 Muni to take me home. The 29 had been faithful in picking me up across the street from my house in the Sunset District and dropping in the Presidio all semester. It was a 20-minute wait and finally, growing numb from the cold, I approached two Muni drivers as they were taking a break, the transit center being the final destination of the inbound 29.

“Do you know how much longer it will be,” I asked.

One of the Muni drivers checked his watch. “ I am scheduled to leave in another three minutes,” he said.

“You know tonight is the last night the 29 will come out here due to the changes in the route, right?” asked the other driver.

I did know and at that moment it felt like an oddly appropriate way to be ending the semester’s project.

With a Tree Lighting Ceremony The Presidio Begins the Holiday Season

A 50-year-old tradition continued on Friday Dec 4 as the many people who had gathered for the event lit a 60 foot tall Norfolk Island pine. The mood was festive; the sounds of children’s laughter and caroling filled the air.

Lisa Hillstorm, a programs and education specialist for the Presidio Trust, organized the event. She said, “the army used to do this across from the fire station, however that tree came down in a storm so it was moved. The park service kept it going.”

People who attended the event were largely families with small children. They gathered under the unlit tree and were entertained by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Carolers until the ceremony began.

Once the ceremony began Hillstorm instructed everyone to form a circle around the tree holding hands. She then began a wave similar to the one seen in sporting events that traveled around the circle symbolizing a wave of energy. Once the wave had traveled around the circle the tree was lit and the children sprinted under the tree and the crowd broke into song.

Once the tree lighting ceremony came to an end the YMCA held a reception in their gym. There refreshments such as popcorn and cider were given out.

Prejudice and Patriotism Exhibit Tells a Fascinating Story

Japanese American soldiers fought and worked as language interpreters despite extreme prejudice during War World II. An exhibit inside the Officers’ Club on the Presidio’s main post tells the story of Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) and of secret military language school that trained originally located in the Presidio.

The secret language school was opened in the Presidio in the spring of 1941. Building 640, an abandoned airplane hanger was used as both a classroom and as living quarters for the men. Many second-generation Japanese American soldiers or Nisei attended the school.

When war broke out in the pacific with the bombing of Pearl Harbor things changed. When Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 and Japanese Americans were relocated from the West Coast the school had to be moved. It was relocated in Minnesota.

The linguists of the MIS participated in every major battle and campaign in the pacific, the read captured documents and diaries, intercepted and interpreted radio transmissions and interrogated Japanese prisoners of war on a human level.

After the end of the war the MIS soldiers served as an important bridge between Japanese and American relations. They participated in land reform, war crimes trials and educational and legal development. They contributed to Japans transition from a war-ravaged country to a major economic power and one of America’s important post war allies.

Despite prejudice the Nisei who served with the MIS did so patriotically despite the fact that their loyalty was always suspect and even though they often fought against relatives and former classmates. During battles Japanese Americans were often given Caucasian bodyguards to protect them from friendly fire from American troops.

Kathleen Cooke, a visitor to the exhibit, said, “ I was surprised I had never heard of this contribution or language school before. They showed so much courage and loyalty. It is a fabulous story and should be taught in all schools.”

The exhibit features a video documentary, various historic photographs, well-organized displays with historical relics and a portrait and interview series done by Tom Graves. Tom Graves’ instillation is called “After the Wars: Lessons from America’s Nisei Heroes.”

The National Japanese Historical Society, the Presidio Trust and the National Park Service are developing a MIS historic learning center in building 640. The center will have interactive educational exhibits and a recreated 1941 classroom theatre experience.

The exhibit Prejudice and Patriotism will be on display until Jan 31.

Map of Residential Neighborhoods in the Presidio

View Housing in The Presidio in a larger map