Alvin Reyes Gubisch

I was told he never finished high school, didn't like to read, and was a bum/alcoholic. There may have been some truth to that, but when his sister, my aunt Else, passed on, I inherited a few documents which included some letters he wrote to her. These letters were written about 1949-1950 from Manila. He was desparately trying to get his family's papers (including me) and a ship to bring us to the U.S. He had run out of money, living on the good will of friends while competing with so many other Americans and American descendants (from WWII and the Spanish American War) also trying to get a ship to the U.S.

His letters were showed a excellent command of the written English language and insight to his personality: a man of wry wit, the abiliy to find humor in a very difficult situation, and very much missing his wife and children whom he had left behind with his in-laws waiting for the good news.

He was eventually successful. We made it to Guam, where we lived for a couple of years --- Vinella was born there --- and finally arrived mid-August 1953. I know this because we celebrated my fifth birthday on board ship. My birthday present was my first doll, which I accidently dropped in the waters as we passed under the Golden Gate bridge. (written by Vidda Chan)