Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert
Steingart
U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O.
San Francisco
Friday 26 January 1945,
7:00 PM
Dearest Eleanor,
I really
wasn't expecting any mail but I got two letters and a card with your lip
imprint on it. All were postmarked the
19th, that's only six days to get here.
This morning
was a rather busy one for me. By 11:00
AM I had done thirteen fillings, one extraction and qualified two men for
submarine duty.
This
afternoon was field day, so while Alexander was scrubbing and polishing I
"crapped out" in my rack and finished reading "Forever Amber." What a gal!
I suppose you are wondering why I haven't begun "Fountainhead"
yet. I want to finish the books I've
been reading for some time. When I get
them from the library, I must read them and get them back into
circulation. "A Tree Grows in
Brooklyn" is the last on my list and then I'll read my own books,
"Fountainhead" and "The Apostle."
This
afternoon the mail orderly got out of line with me and I put him on report. The captain held "mast" on him and
gave him fifty hours extra duty. That
fellow is very arrogant and mean. He is disliked by the whole crew. I understand that after today's episode we're
going to get rid of him.
Now to your
letter. I'm sorry that Norma has been
acting up at night lately. I do hope it
is a very temporary indisposition and that by the time you get this letter
she'll be all over it.
It doesn't
look like we'll be leaving here soon, but there is still a good chance of our
returning sometime between April and June.
Tomorrow this may change again.
You seem to
be getting plenty of teaching now.
Between our combined salaries we should come out ahead on the deal. On the first of the month I'll have $344 due
me. I'll draw $44 to pay my mess bill
($30) and $14 will be pin money for the month.
Go ahead with
you Arrowhead plans. If and when we get
back and you're up there I'll arrange to join you there.
"Arsenic
and Old Lace" and "To Have and Have Not" are both worth
seeing. Tonight we have "Princess
and Pirate" with Bob Hope. Having a
flag aboard does help us get better pictures and other comforts as well.
Don't be
afraid of your letters being dull or too long.
Every word in them is precious.
Believe me without mail I'd go nuts out here.
Glad you
liked the necklaces. There are numerous varieties
shells and your necklace will be of a different variety (when I get a long
enough chain.). I'm going to make a
charm bracelet with a variety of shells and send it on right away. I'll see what I can do with the other chains
you sent.
Yes Ambie is
the guy who lost his appendix. He is an
engineer, about 31 or 32 years old and a lieutenant. He is addressed as Mr. Hansen, not
lieutenant.
I couldn't
explain about "Philippine Victories" but nevertheless that is the
case. I'm going to sign off darling with remember the night of July 25, 1934 at
the Roosevelt Hotel? How about having our
second honeymoon there? OK it's a date.
Love,
Gil
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