Poker

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

          U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco
              Sunday 3 December 1944, 9:15 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello my Darling, Sunday at home was never like this.  Worked all morning. When the mail orderly returned--not a thing in his bag for me.  Guess I'll just have to be patient and wait.

          This being Sunday I was a busy man as welfare officer.  Got the crews' mess hall arranged for services with piano, record player and microphone.  Sent one boat at 1:30 PM to bring the Protestant chaplain and an hour later to bring the Catholic chaplain.  We had a better turn out than last week.  Guess the word got around.  Both services were very nice with choral music and piano accompaniment for the hymns that the men sang.

          After dinner I sat in at a poker game, 25 cent ante and $1.50 limit.  After a couple of hours it was time for movies, so I quit 25 cents to the good.  I only won two pots in all that time so you can see that they must have been good ones.

          Well honey, what's new?  By the time you get this letter you'll probably be shopping for a tree.  Do get a nice one and fix it up real pretty.  At least, I do want our girls to have one even if I can't be with you to decorate and enjoy it.

          Darling do you remember your first or should I say our first tree with the blue and while balls and bulbs?  And the lecture your cousin Leon gave you?  Well after this war we'll have many trees on many Xmases and let Leon or anyone else lecture someplace else.

          Good night my love, parting is such sweet sorrow, till we meet tomorrow. But tomorrow is still months away.

Love,

Gil

 

Note: The movie was "The Lodger" with Merle Oberon, Lair Cregar and George Saunders.

"Sirs" and "May I"

AMERICAN RED CROSS

9 February 1944

1735 o'clock

Dearest Eleanor,

          Another day gone and am I glad.  I had only three patients today and that was enough.  One had five cavities, another three and the last one twelve.  All were from a ship that is leaving tomorrow, and the work had to be done right now.  So, Steingart got the call.

          It began to rain when I left the clinic so I decided not to go downtown.       I am going to take in an early show tonight and then I'll probably run down and make the reservation.  They are showing "The Lodger," with George Saunders and Merle Oberon.  I hope it is good.

          I didn't get a letter from you today.  Anything new about the equipment?  Be sure to arrange the moving out of the stuff this week.  Store it in Bekins.

          Things have really been peaceful and quiet here as regards the corpsmen.  A lot of "sirs" and "may I' and "please" today.  I don't think I like it half as well as the way things were.  But this is the Navy.

          Bought a $1.10 box of Schraft's chocolates for 70 cents and finally got sections for my wallet.

          Nothing new about a place I think I'll do some chasing Friday noon if we have an inspection.  Guess I'll sign off till tomorrow.

Your lover,

Gil