How About a Kiss

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Tuesday 6 February 1945, 7:00 PM

My Dearest,

          How is my Darling today?  How's about a kiss?  Gee thanks, Honey, but take it easy, what will the censor say?

          Worked all morning as usual.  Got to my room about 11:15 AM.  Surprise! Mail! I finally got the package containing socks, "vitamin pills," American Mercury Magazines etc.  I also got a beautiful leather picture frame folder from Deb and Dave.  In addition I got some Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Bulletins, the National Jewish Monthly and a greeting card from the Goodfriends mailed on November 30.  Hope the rest of the packages come through soon.

          The socks are not longies and are swell.  If you haven't done so already how about half a dozen more.  Got hold of an "Omnibus," a magazine with best seller condensations.  It had "Immortal Wife" and I read it between 4:15 and 5:30 PM this evening.  Then I censored some mail, showered and dressed for dinner.  Enjoyed the breeze topside and here I am.

          Now that I have some coloring pencils, I'll do another Valentine to add to your collection.  I finished "Fountainhead" last night and I must say all the characters are most unusual.  It's hard to believe people would act like they are portrayed.  However it was most enjoyable and easy to read.  In fact it was about 1:30 AM when I finished and turned the light out.

          Darling do you remember when I wanted to read at night and you wanted to turn the lights out and go to sleep?  Well I'll let you turn the lights out but I don't know about the rest.

          Good night honey until tomorrow.

Loving you always,

Gil

         

          

Love You The Way You Are

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Friday 2 February 1945, 7:05 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Just another routine day today.  Worked all morning and finished up at 11:15 AM.  Had lunch and then collected the monthly mess bell from the wardroom officers.

          If was cloudy and rainy looking but I went up on the poop deck anyway and got a half hour of sun.

          This being Friday, "field day" was the order of the day this afternoon.  My corpsman worked, cleaning polishing and I caught up on my book work,

          This morning I got a letter from you dated the 24th and two this afternoon of the 23rd.  Also got one from your mother.

          Now to your letters.  You seem to be teaching regularly.  I do hope it isn't too much for you even at $10 a day.  Why are you so anxious to lose weight?  I love you just the way you are, tummy and all.  I haven't been on the scale lately but I don't believe my weight has varied any from what it was when I came aboard, 170 lbs. clothes and all.  By the way I slipped the other morning and lost my mustache.  Don't believe I'll ever raise another.

          I have a recollection of the party at Ruth's that you mention but a very faint one at that.

          I haven't started "Fountainhead" yet.  I finished "Tree Grows in Brooklyn" last night and that book is next.  I would enjoy "Immortal Wife" so send it along.  I do believe that Xmas mail will soon be caught up and that packages will get out here in about thirty days.

          As long as you keep getting letters from me I don't see how you could expect me to phone you.  After all air mail goes so much faster than any ship.  Just take it easy dear and hope.  I still think that I have a mighty good chance to get back when my year is up and something could happen and bring me back sooner.

          Yes dear I got my fifth assignment finished and on its way.  The sixth should be ready to go by the end of this month.

          I'm glad that Linda is behaving so well.  I do hope that Norma snaps out of it and gives you more rest at night.  Losing an hour or two of sleep just spoils the following day completely.

          I hope you work out something nice at Arrowhead for this summer.  If I get back and you're there I'd rather spend our time up there together than anywhere else.  After all that was the locale of "our first night," wasn't it?

          Boy I sure could use some of that cold weather.  I do hope we move on before long.  The summer and late spring out here are just hellish.  It's hot enough in the winter. I'd just as soon scram.  However I'm just a (j.g.) in the dental corps and don't run the Navy.  It's probably a good thing for the Navy.

          The movie tonight "Carolina Blues with Kay Kaiser and Ann Miller and is rated only fair.  Guess I'll go anyway.

          Am signing off now darling.  Good night with love and kisses to my three girls.

Yours always,

Gil

Gil doesn't mention going to ashore for a few,  but here is a chit. Was it his?

No Movie Because Amplifier Burned Out

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Thursday 1 February 1945, 9:15 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello darling, this has been a "bitch" of a day, but all is well that ends well.  I began this day with my regular appointments and was busy all morning.  After lunch I continued my regular work routine.  At 2:00 PM I began to examine some fifteen odd men who hadn't reported in for examinations when they were supposed to.

          After that I went to work on the wardroom statement.  First I was $40 short, then I was $65 ahead.  At 4:00 PM I gave up in disgust still some $60 ahead.  As I came on deck I ran into a few officers on their way ashore for a few drinks, so I grabbed my cap and became one of the party.

          We went ashore and spent the most pleasant couple of hours since we have been at this place and then we returned to the ship.

          The stewards fixed us a late snack and we even had some ice cream for dessert.  Someone brought it aboard to eat after the movies and we just got into it.

          By then it was movie time so we went up on deck.  But the amplifier had burned out. After waiting an hour it began to rain so we gave the whole thing up.

          Got one letter from you postmarked the 21st.  It is the one with Anne C's letter.  Sounds like she'll be glad when she gets back to Santa Monica.

          Now to your letter. "Meet Me in St. Louis" sounds OK. I hope we get it soon.  Hope you get to the Victory Ball though I'll bet you don't get in, in spite of Dave's uniform.

          Looks like the old feud of Marty versus Ben and Jerry goes merrily on.  I bet Marty wins.

          I'll look for "Immortal Wife" but I haven't heard anyone comment on that book.

          Mary and Willie will go right on.  Mary knew what the score was long ago.  No matter what she says now, she'll just have to make the best of a bad bargain.

          As you probably gathered by now, I'm a little high but really I don't care.  I feel much better than I did at 4:00 PM.

          Sweetheart, do you remember when for lack of anything better to do Saturday nights we'd get together with another couple and go to the Band Box for a sandwich and the "naughty" entertainment of Pete and Billy Snyder et al? Do Abbott and Costello still run that joint or did they give that up as a bad venture? Do you ever see the Posners?  Just wondering?

          Well darling I really should close and turn in.  Good night Honey with loads of love,

Your lonely,

Gil