Shosei Serata (Cloyne, 1953-56) wrote us after visiting the co-ops after 50 years. “I had a nostalgic moment in visiting Cloyne Court with Bob Shephard (Cloyne, 1952-57) and Larry Spinazze (Cloyne, 1953-56). The visit reminded me of my arrival from the war torn country 52 years ago. I was admitted to graduate school but was not able to continue my studies because the commute from the Japan Town in San Francisco to the campus by street car, bus and walk, took 5 hours daily. My uncle, who sponsored me for my study, could not afford the cost of my staying at any of the dormitories around the campus. I was very fortunate to encounter Cloyne Court and many good American friends there. They helped me with my studies and to eventually obtain a Ph.D. This would not have been possible without Cloyne.”

“Since then, I have taught at Michigan State, Stanford and UC Berkeley. Then, I founded my own Research and Development firm, Serata Geomechanics, to achieve computer optimization of earthwork.”

The following is an excerpt from the USCA News, March 10, 1954:

If the international situation that exists today depended upon Shosei Serata of Hiroshima, Japan, there would probably never be another war, let alone a world war. Shosei has been in the United States only five months, studying sanitary engineering.

Shosei says he likes the co-op very much. “I have many friends at I-House, but Cloyne I think is very much better for foreign students. Here I learn real democracy firsthand. I want to advise every student from my country to live at Cloyne. Everyone here at Cloyne is so friendly and my eight roommates have been so wonderful to me. If the rest of the world would only live like the students here - there would be no wars I think.”

The loyalty oath has hit young Shosei as much as anyone else and although he is reluctant to say much about it, he commented “I do not know why such a loyalty oath is needed in America. I do not think people in the co-op would like to throw out their government.”

Shosei was in the naval service just outside of Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped that fateful August morning in 1945. “I was sitting on my desk hearing class instruction. We hear planes go over but we pay no attention; we think they are our planes. Then I see big electric spark. After almost a minute, our building shook with a great sound. Class stopped quickly then and we all go to aircraft shelter. All afternoon we see big cloud from bomb. For two days we see city brightly light sky from fire. My instructor tell us Japan will continue to fight America no matter what atom energy they have. Then we hear Nagasaki is bombed. In little time we hear Emperor on radio say Japan must give up against the United States. Two weeks later I go to Hiroshima.

“If you had seen my city you would know we must never have any war again.”