Filled Thirteen Teeth, Extracted One, Treated Two Gum Infections

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco

Sunday 15 April 1945, 7:00 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello Honey.  Even though it was Sunday I had a whole slew of appointments and by noon I had filled thirteen teeth, extracted one and treated two gum infection cases.

          After lunch I went up on the poop deck and got forty-five minutes of sunshine.  Then I went to my room undressed, censored mail and read until 4:30 P.M.  Almost like a Sunday afternoon at home except that my three sweethearts weren't with me.

          After showering, I dressed for dinner and enjoyed a delicious turkey feast with all the trimmings.  Honestly dieting is a real problem but the only thing fattening that I've eaten all day was one scoop of ice cream.

          The mail today brought a letter from Bob Jaffe and a card from my mother.

          The movie tonight was shown aboard at Pearl but I don't remember it.  It is "Greenwich Village" with Don Ameche and Carmen Miranda.  It supposed to be good. I'll be there with bells on.

          I wrote some more letters last night--to Leon, Dave, Ethyl, and Mrs. Mumma.  I'm having a little difficulty keeping up now that I have a few others besides my own special correspondent.  I'll probably write some more tonight.

          There is still no news worth talking about.  Of course the war is moving right along and it's hard to understand what Germany can possibly gain by continuing to fight, but they are doing that.  Okinawa may well be a decisive campaign in the Pacific theater.  By the time the Japs are liquidated there, the Nips will have lost practically all of her fleet and power of production for waging war in Japan proper (listen to "Mr. Kaltenborn!" Tsk, tsk).

          No more for now darling so I'll sign off with love and kisses to you and our darlings.

Yours alone,

Gil

Lucky

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco

Wednesday 7 March 1945, 7:00 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          This has been another busy day.  I saw seven patients in the morning.  When I was through it was 11:45 AM. The score was eighteen fillings and three extractions.

          After lunch I censored some mail and then returned to my office to see a couple more patients.  Then I went up on the poop deck and enjoyed the sun for forty-five minutes.

          After that I went to my room and visited with a chaplain who came on board for the day.  Then I spent an hour or so mounting snapshots in the album the Goodfriends sent.  The first thing I knew it was 5:15, so I showered and dressed for dinner.

          After dinner we enjoyed the cool breezes on the bridge deck and looked for a pretty sunset, but there were many clouds on the horizon and it didn't pan out.  Now, here I am.

          There was no mail today.  If there had been some I'd have been surprised because I've been real lucky of late.  Come to think of it I was lucky when I married my loving correspondent and that luck has stayed with me all these years.

          The movie last night "The Angels Sing" was very good and though I thought I'd seen it I really hadn't.  Tonight's movie is "Something for the Boys" with Carmen Miranda and Michael O'Shea.  It is rated as being very good.

          Honey, that is all there is for today.  I wish there were some new encouraging scuttlebutt about me coming home or something but there isn't a damn thing worth talking about.

          So--good night my love, I'll see you in my dreams (I hope).

Loving you always,

Gil