The Ocelot is Seaworthy

U.S.S. OCELOT (IX-110)

c/o Fleet Post Office

San Francisco, California

Saturday 8 September 1945, 6:45 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello Darling, here I am again.  No rain today but it has been overcast.  Looks like we're leaving in the morning. I hope this letter gets off before we do.

          In all the time we've been out of the states we've been very fortunate that we never ran into any real storms.  However according to the weather man we'll have a rough trip this time.  Who cares, the Ocelot is seaworthy and we'll have lots of company.  A rough trip (not too rough of course) would be something of a change.

          All my appointments this morning were broken because the ships sending the men over for treatment had departed.  Instead of dentistry I worked up the menu for next week and made an inspection of officers' country. Some of the rooms were clean but others were not so I turned the stewards to. They scrubbed and polished all afternoon.

          At 4:00 PM I returned to my room and visited with Dr. Law (my roommate).  Soon it was time to shower and dress for dinner.  I miss the cribbage games we used to have in the captain's cabin.  The new skipper Lt. Cmdr. Warwick is a swell fellow and hails from Whittier, Calif. but he has been busy learning about the ship and getting her ready to sail.

          I was surprised again today by three more letters from you.  We never expected to get mail after the 6th because our previous sailing date of 7 September.  Guess now that the fighting is over they are very interested in morale.

          I'm sorry that you are so nervous and upset.  Wish I could write that I'm on my way home but that is beyond my control.  I heard more scuttlebutt today to the effect that sometime this fall all Servron 10 ships will return to the US for thirty days leave.  If the Ocelot does go back she'll never go out again.  I've got it all figured out.  By January I'll have 60 days mustering out leave and after that 2 1/2 days for every month thereafter.  When I return this fall I'll take 30 days leave and that'll still leave me 30 days or more when I muster out.  That'll give me about $330 over and above the $300 mustering amount and that is nothing to be sneezed at.

          You can stop wondering about how we'll feel when we're together again.  We'll feel like newlyweds and act like them too.  But after all, we were together for about ten years and only apart less than one and a half years so we'll just forget that unpleasant period and enjoy our being together more than ever before.

          I'll always think you look nice.  My nerves haven't changed and the kids won't worry me at all.  I'm still a big kid at heart myself.  I doubt that I've changed any except that I'll want to enjoy life with you and the kids even more than ever before.  No my Sweet, you have nothing to worry about.  It would take more than a war and a year or more of separation to change my feelings and love for you and the kids. I know that you'll feel the same towards me.  Forget it Sweetheart, nothing to worry about there.

          We have a movie of an unknown quantity tonight.  It doesn't sound good but one can never tell.  It is "Trouble Chasers" with Maxie Rosenbloom and Billy Gilbert.  From the cast it will be lousy but who can tell.

          Adios my Sweet and it'll be five or six days before you get my next letter.  Keep your powder (on your face--no tears) dry and be of good cheer.  It seems like a long time since I sailed. Soon we'll be together and forget the unpleasantness of it all.  Goodnight Darling. I'll keep writing daily even if I can't mail the letters.

Lovingly

Gil