Toughest Extraction

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

c/o Fleet Post Office

San Francisco, California

Monday, 3 September 1945, 1:30 AM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello darling. Here is your busy husband again.  This has been one "bitch" of a day.  I was busy all morning and ran into the toughest extraction to date.  I worked for a whole hour. When we were through I was more worn out than the patient.

          Captain Hartfield got his orders yesterday and turned over his command to the new skipper this afternoon.  I had several monthly reports that he had to sign. Since he was scheduled to leave about 5:00 PM I had to hustle to get them out.

          At 3:45 I took a VP over to Tolosa and brought back a USO show.  It was called Lucky Seven and consisted of five women and two men.  They are a colored troupe and they sure have rhythm.  A colored lieutenant colonel (medical officer) came along with them.  I had an interesting talk with him.  The show was excellent and at 9:15 I had a picket boat pick us up to return the troupe to Tolosa.

          Just as we came alongside the dock it began to rain and our return trip was really rough.  It blew and rained so hard that there was a solid sheet of rain around us and we couldn't see more that a few feet ahead of our bow.  The run ordinarily takes thirty-five minutes, but it took one hour and fifteen minutes to get back to the Ocelot.  Naturally when we sighted the Ocelot the rain eased up.  Then I went up to the wardroom and sat around and talked until just a few moments ago.

          No mail today.  I'll be glad when everything gets squared away again and the mail service becomes more dependable.  You'll never know how disappointed I am when the mailman passes by my office without dropping anything from my Sweet off (split infinitives--such grammar!)  Of course it isn't your fault.  I know you write me every day, but I'm still registering my complaint.

          Today is Labor Day but until an hour ago none of us were even cognizant of the holiday.  Oh well the only holiday I'm looking to is when I get back to my own sweet wife and darling kiddies.

          Goodnight Honey, it really is time for me to turn in.  We have quarters for muster (line up in formation to be accounted for) at 8:00 AM so I'd better get some shuteye pronto.  See you in my dreams.

Love,

Gil

Picket Boat Is My Favorite

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

c/o Fleet Post Office

San Francisco, California

Sunday, 2 September 1945, 10:35 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Sunday, a day of rest or so it says in the "big book."  I spent most of the morning working on next week's menus and getting the stewards squared away on how I wanted things done.

          After lunch I got me a tug and went over to Tolosa for a few beers.  There were three of us in the party.  We had a new tug today, a seventy-five footer with a crew of ten men.  The US Navy got this ship from New Zealand, a reverse land lease deal.  It cost $145,000.  You've probably wondered why I've been using tugs most of the time.  Well they are more comfortable than a VP or a whaleboat and make better time.  Of course the picket boat is still my favorite but there are only two available and they are hard to get.  Anyway we got back to the Ocelot at 6:30 just in time for a late turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

          After chow I went up on the forecastle and listened to music until movie time.  We had another pyrotechnical display tonight to celebrate VJ Day.  It didn't come up to the August 10 celebration.  Do you realize that though it was September 2nd here when the treaty was signed that it was still September 1st in the United States? Tomorrow will be Labor Day here, but you'll be celebrating VJ Day. Confusing isn't it?

          Tonight's movie was "A Blonde from Brooklyn," a class B picture but not too bad.  Also we had a short about Port Hueneme.

          No mail today so this is thirty for tonight.  Goodnight Darling until tomorrow.

Loving you as ever,
Gil

Picket boat being launched at Kirkland Marine during WWII.