Getting Patched Up

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart

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

Friday 28 September 1945, 9:35 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello my darling, here I am again.  Today was still just another day.  We are slowly but surely getting all patched up and soon we'll be on our way.  I did a little work this morning but there is hardly enough to keep me busy.

          One of boys smashed his finger cutting a couple of tendons.  For lack of anything else to do I watched the operation which lasted almost two hours.  Then I retired to my room and read for awhile.  I finished "Star Spangled Virgin" and then showered and dressed for dinner.  After chow we all sat around in the wardroom until movie time and after that here I am.  The movie consisted of two good shorts and a good murder-detective story with Edward Arnold.  "The Hidden Eye."

          The mail brought me two letters of the 20th and since yesterday's was of the 21st it brings me up to date.

          Between Linda's vomiting spells and your cold, you must have had a miserable time.  Thank goodness Norma is okay now.

          Squadron 10 serviced both the 3rd or 5th fleets.  While we were in Ulithi we were attacked three times. 
          Once a group of midget subs got through the nets or over a break in the reef and sank a tanker.  Before they could do anymore damage we sank four and believed that was all of them.

          Another time an ammunition ship was hit by subs and again all the subs that were detected were sunk.

          Of course the "Kamikaze" (suicide attack) by three bombers was the most exciting. We were at the movies. At that time many of our own planes, all with their lights own, were flying overhead.  Just about ten minutes after the movie started a plane without lights flew over us at a very low altitude.  We cussed that pilot out saying he ought to be shot down for flying so low without lights.  Suddenly, dead astern from us the whole sea lit up.  The Randolph was hit.  The general quarters alarm sounded and as I dashed aft to my station Sorline Island also lit up. One of the Japs mistook the island for another carrier.  Later, the Japs announced that they hit the Randolph and the Cowpens. Well they were half right anyway.  The third plane dived into the sea, so that was that.

          These actions don't give me any battle stars.  The Navy doesn't give the away quite that easily.  However I do get another campaign ribbon, the "Philippine Liberation Ribbon."  When we were in Leyte Gulf, bands of Japs still operating about six miles from the beach on Samur Island.  However I never did see or hear any of it and wasn't particularly interested.

          I probably won't be home early in November but we should be in the states in the later part of November.  Of course decommissioning will take a few days but we should be able to see each other in the meantime and make plans for my leave and our second honeymoon.

          And that is thirty for tonight.  Goodnight Sweet and please come to me in my dreams tonight.  I need you too.

Love,

Gil

Article about the bombing of the Randolph

Censorship Ain't No Mo

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

c/o Fleet Post Office

San Francisco, California

Tuesday 4 Sept 1945, 9:30 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello Honey, the lid is off.  Censorship ain't no mo?  Fire away.

          Briefly here is what happened when we got to Pearl.  Commodore Carter, Commander of Service Squadron Ten was looking for a flagship and since the Ocelot had no definite duty to perform, she was it.  For nine weeks we lay along the dock while the shipyard equipped the ship for his duty.  A service squadron has the duty of supplying food, clothes, ammunition, fuel, personnel and anything else you can think of to the fleet.  The Ocelot was the floating headquarters and we housed about 85 officers and 700 men on our ship.  Squadron 10 grew by leaps and bounds and soon there were several divisions functioning at Eniwetok, Ulithi, Leyte, Saipan and Okinawa.  When Commodore Carter went back to the states, Rear Admiral A. E. Smith relieved him as Commander of Squadron Ten.  In addition, Service Division 101 under Commodore Du Val also was established aboard.  Now that the war is over, the Squadron is breaking up.  101 is going to China and Korea and Squadron 10 to Okinawa and then Japan.

          Here's the good news.  The Ocelot is very old and has no place in a peacetime Navy.  There are many newer vessels suitable for flag ships.  Admiral Smith has asked for another and is supposed to get it within thirty days.  Further the Ocelot has no heating in crews' quarters and isn't suited for duty in a cold climate.  So the scuttlebutt is that as soon as the Squadron gets its new flag ship we'll go back to the U.S. for decommissioning.

          I've never even intimated it before but we did have a few visitors while we were in Ulithi.  I saw a tanker torpedoed and sunk about 2000 yards from our ship.  One night before the movies while we were singing Red River Valley, two Jap planes flew overhead.  We all cussed them out thinking they were our own.  The reason for the cursing was that they were flying very low and without lights.  Anyway the Randolph, a carrier, was about 1000 yards astern. Suddenly one of the planes dove and the whole anchorage lit up.  There were numerous casualties but the ship was repaired and back in action in two weeks.  We've had other lesser excitements but we came through OK.  I'm surprised you never read about it in the Outlook.  Dave saw the item about it which was broadcast by Tokyo Rose. He cut it out and sent it to me.  He hoped you hadn't seen it and didn't call your attention to it lest you worry unnecessarily.

          So much for that.  Today was quite a busy day for me but no dentistry, just collateral duties.  We are slated to leave for Okinawa on the 7th and it'll take 5 to 6 days to make the run.  We will be anchored in Buckner Bay so if Leon does ship out tell him to look for me.  The Ocelot is a famous ship and anyone who has seen duty in the West Pacific knows about her. He shouldn't have any trouble finding it.

          Just think Darling in another month or six weeks I may be homeward bound.  I get so excited just thinking about coming home to you and the kids that I wonder how I'll act when the thought becomes a reality.  

          We had a good movie tonight.  Gary Cooper and Loretta Young in "Along Comes Jones" was it and quite good.

          I got five letters and a card all from you but they were marked the 22nd and 23rd of August.  I've already received some of the 25th so all the news was old.  By now you are home and I hope the stay up at Lake Arrowhead was real nice.  Yes Dear we have a honeymoon to go on and I hope it's real soon.  I'm a lousy writer of love letters but when I get back I'll prove personally that I'm no amateur.

          So Sweet, I'll sign off.  Goodnight and pleasant dreams.

Love

Gil

Outlook Article About Bombing of the Randolph