Hugh Burleson

The Making of a Pacific Citizen Hugh Burleson

A 9th-generation American, the author takes us from his childhood as a barefoot boy in Depression-era Southern California, through his prep school years on a scholarship, being drafted out of U. C. Berkeley and trained to fight in the invasion of Japan. But, the war ends and he instead is sent to Occupied Japan, where he fights the bloodless "battle of Yokohama" with a feisty and beautiful samurai, Kimie, wins her love and so changes the whole course of his life. He finds himself on the "wrong" side of Occupation regulations and our immigration laws and must struggle for three years to get his Kimie and her daughter by a previous marriage to the USA. In Berkeley, Kimie fights off TB and they have a son. Hugh graduates with honors, earns an M. A. at Berkeley and begins a career with the U. S. Information Agency. Assigned to Japan, Hugh and Kimie begin working at improving trans-Pacific amity and understanding through their service in Japan, Vietnam, India, Korea and our nation's capital. Hugh describes their infinitely varied experiences in the Foreign Service and how this helps them develop fresh perspectives as "Pacific citizens."Hugh retires after 38 years of Federal service; but they continue their life-long mission by working in internationally oriented non-profits in Washington state. Hugh continues this work even after cancer strikes down the always effervescent Kimie.