Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert
Steingart
U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O.
San Francisco
Thursday 11 January
1945, 9:45 PM
Dearest Eleanor,
Hello Honey,
today I am 35 years old. If you were
here or I was there I imagine I could prove I'm still OK for an old man.
Well today
was just another routine day. Worked
most of the morning and saw Ambie off at 11:00 AM. After lunch I read and
finished another book by Forester entitled "The Ship."
About that
time I heard someone mention mail so I high tailed up to the wardroom and there
were four letters for me. Three from you
and one from a patient in response to my Xmas card. That letter is so long and so friendly that
I'm doing to keep writing to him.
After dinner,
this evening, I played checkers until movie time. The movie tonight was a western, but a very
good one. Even you would like it. It was "Tall in the Saddle" with
John Wayne and Ella Raines. The movie last
night was also very good. You should see
it, title: "In the Meantime, Darling."
I'm glad you
got to go out New Years Eve. It would have been such a long evening to stay in.
About this
summer business. Sweet, I hardly know
what to advise. We might suddenly head
back to the states. I might even get
orders back for stateside duty and of course there is always the possibility of
my staying out here for a while longer.
So make plans to go to Arrowhead and if I do get back something will be
worked out and if not to hell with a couple hundred bucks.
You needn't
worry about me overdoing with drink. A
few beers seem to go a long way in this hot climate and I'm not anxious to
contend with a big head the next day. It's
just a change and a little relaxation and not half as bad as it probably
sounded in my letter.
I'm anxiously
waiting to hear word of Dick being in the Navy.
That kid really needs it and believe me they'll straighten him out.
That poetry, darling,
surely sizzles and the officers all get a kick out of it. The fruit Deb sent was delicious and kept
very well, so please send on a box. Be
sure it is very well packaged.
I'm sorry I'm
not convincing about coming home but how can I be when all my hopes are based
on rumors and personal opinions. There
is no such thing as leave from out here simply because a replacement must be
here before one can leave and they're not shifting men around every 30 to 60
days.
I'm not
surprised at Babs. Besides she probably has too much Joe on her mind at the
present to worry about a single thank you.
Talking about
nice things to buy, the next place we may hit might be the Philippines and if
the Japs haven't completely ransacked and destroyed that place I might find
something there to send or maybe bring home.
I'm glad that
Linda's arm turned out to be nothing.
Gee how you must have worried.
Well all is well that ends well.
Now that the
Xmas rush is over I hope I'll get better mail service. Your last letter was postmarked January 4 and
that was only seven days ago.
Darling do
you remember my birthday last year?
Didn't we take the kids out for the day and go to the Fleishers? (I'm not sure). Guess I had more on my mind than I cared to
admit.
Good night my
Sweet. I'm sleepy and so I'm going to
turn in and dream about my own sweet wife and two darling girls,
Love,
Gil
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