New Year's Dinner Menu Enclosed

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Saturday 6 January 1945, 9:40 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Got another stack of mail today.  Six from you, one from my mother thanking me for her Xmas gift and one from Libby thanking me for their gifts.  Also I got that comic book and the box of plastic for molding,  Now I'll see what I can do.  Your mail was marked the 23rd, 26th, 27th, and 28th.  Guess I'm just about caught up on all your back letters.

          Guess you're curious about Helen Dingey and D.G.  If you remember, about four years ago I had a patient who was pregnant when her husband died.  Well every year she has remembered me at Xmas.  I guess this is the first time I've missed.  Will have to drop her a note.

          About film, don't send any if you haven't already.  The way parcel post takes its time getting out,  who knows when it'd reach me.  Beside I have an idea we'll be on the move again soon.

          I'm glad you saw "Casanova Brown."  Now you know why I wanted you to see it.

          I did enjoy the pictures of the kids and I'll add them to my pin ups.  Got the chains also and got the bum one fixed up.  Should have both necklaces ready in a few days and I'll send them on.  How about another chain so I can make one for you also.  I've got enough matched shells after my last trip ashore.  And , by the way, these necklaces sold from $12 to $20 in Pearl Harbor and here at the officers' club they sell for as high as $30 so don't let the kids wear them when they're out playing.

          Yes dear I do enjoy the clippings and so do several of my shipmates.  Keep them coming.  How about the date on the pages from U.S. News so we can tell better about the news forecasts.

          Our glee club is dead for the time being.  Too many other things interfere with rehearsals.  However as soon as our routine permits we'll resume for our own amusement.

          Don't worry about when you get a hold of me.  Wait until I get a hold of you.  I hope you can take it! And don't worry about you or me changing.  We'll always be as before, a boy and a girl in love even with gray hair and what have you.

          About Sol, I thought you said he was a storekeeper.  Storekeepers are rated first, second and third class petty officers.  There is no such thing as a seamen third class.  As a Navy wife you ought to brush up on the grades of enlisted men and ranks of officers.

          "Since You Went Away" upset a lot of us too.  As I said before, even though it was a good movie it is not a moral builder and shouldn't be shown overseas.

          So you never saw a girl with a red tochas, well neither have I but what could I do without a full selection of colors.  I'm sending you a menu of our New Year's Dinner.  Add it to our collection.

          That last poem "This is My Beloved" by Benton was quite torrid and I liked it.  Send more please.

          Well you finally found out what you wanted to know.  My darling wife will always find out what she wants to know, won't she?

          The Officers' Wives' Club sounds alright but you know the Santa Monica "Elite" and remember the Women's Club.  However use your judgment and it might not hurt to phone Mrs. Gail anyway.

          So much for your letters of today.  Now aboard the Ocelot everything is serene.  We were to have another personnel and ship's inspection but it poured all morning and it was called off.  In the meantime I had called off all appointments in anticipation of the inspection so I had nothing to do all morning but read mail.

          This afternoon everybody, but me, went fishing--no fish.  Guess I'll have to show them how it's done.

           Tonight's movie was "Hey Rookie" with Anne Miller and the original soldier cast.  In addition there were a few skits stolen from "Meet the People."  All in all it didn't come up to the stage show.  Do you remember, dear when we saw it? It was at either the Belasco or Morgan and the war seemed so far away.  Bet if you were sitting next to me tonight, I'd have enjoyed the show a lot more.

          I have some more letters to write so I'll sign off now Sweet.  Goodnight.

Love,

Gil

 

New Year's Menu

 

One of the Pictures of the Kids

 

 

1944 Has Burned An Indelible Mark on Many Hearts

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Sunday 31 December 1944, 11:55 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Well dear, 1944 is almost gone but not quite forgotten.  I'm afraid it has burned an indelible mark on the hearts of many.    

          Today began as usual. However I took no dental appointments today because I had several end of the month and year reports to make.  Besides that I took inventory of the wardroom's mess provisions and worked out a financial statement.  We've been eating like kings but I'll bet there'll be lots of "bitching" when the bill is presented.  However, if they don't like it they can elect someone else.  Either the food is good and expensive or lousy and cheap, so they can have their choice.

          This afternoon we had the usual Catholic and Protestant divine services.  After the services, I noticed schools of multi-colored fish swimming around the ship so I broke out some hooks and line and soon everyone who had time was fishing (even me).  We tried all kinds of bait--pork, beef, and bacon rind--to no avail.  I went back to the galley and got some canned salmon.  Talked the butcher into giving me some shrimp.  Tried shrimp but no luck and then I tried salmon. Still no luck so I left my baited hook in the water and scattered a handful of salmon over the water.  In a few moments the fish just swarmed around my hook and zing, I got a strike and brought in a beautiful Spanish mackerel.  That was the first fish caught aboard since we've been here.  One other was caught today and that was all.  "Happy New Year!"  How about a big kiss and hug?  Thanks dear that was swell I'm sure that when 1945 is ushered out we'll both be in a much happier state of mind because we'll be together.  Back to the fish I cleaned it myself, split it lengthwise, salted it down and put it in the refrigerator.   Instead of roast pork for dinner I and three other ate fish.  The fresh fish really tasted good.  Everybody is going fishing tomorrow.

          After dinner I bought all the corpsmen a drink just as I did on Xmas.  The movie tonight was "Song of the Open Road" which I had seen before but went anyway.  After the movie we all pooled our resources and had a party--champagne, bourbon, rye, and even a little Southern Comfort.  I took it easy because I wanted to be sure to see the old year out and the New Year in with you.  I am plenty sleepy and a little high so I'm going to sign off.

          Without recalling past New Years Eves when we were together and very happy, I'm going to say good night my darling until tomorrow (or today).

Love

Gil

Sending a Souvenir From the Ship That Burned

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

          U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco
             Monday 27 November 1944, 9:15 PM

My Dearest,

          Zowie, I hit the jackpot at last.  Eighteen letters today.  One from Libby, one from Ruth, fifteen from you, my Sweet, and a card that was on the ship that burned.  I am sending it back to you.  Keep it as a souvenir.

          Didn't do a lick of dentistry today.  Instead saw the completion of the cross-indexing of the library. Then did some experimenting endeavoring to find a way to make some projector slides.  We are going to have group singing before movies. Because we must not show too much light topside we are going to project the words on the screen.  Well I tried to x-ray film and glass a million different ways and then I discovered that plain strips of paper with words written or typed worked best of all.  We live and learn.

          This evening the movie was "Swingtime Johnny" with Harriet Hilliard and the Andrews Sisters.  This picture is the poorest excuse for entertainment that we've gotten in a long time.

          Now to your letters. OK dear I'll promise not to skip any more days in writing.  The reason I didn't hint about our departure was because censorship at that time was very rigid and even a suggestion would have been cut.  Al had promised to write but we expected to see each other before I shoved off and maybe that is why he delayed in writing.

          No dear I haven't done any fishing.  While we were underway we are moving too fast for trolling and because of something that happened here recently fishing won't be good for a while.

          That gadget I was making hasn't worked out so well but I got a new brainstorm so I'm going to try again.

          You do expect me to tell you a lot more than censorship permits.  I can't even hint at arrivals and departures nor locate our whereabouts even by suggestion.  Please be reasonable and don't keep asking for such information.  Now that I've chided you for the n-the time I'll continue.

          I wish I could take some pictures but where we are now there are no such things as civilians.  In fact even the natives have been removed.  All we see all day and all night is Navy and more Navy.

          So Marty is up to his old tricks again.  One of these days he's going to meet his match and there'll sure be hell a popping.  I just want to be around to enjoy the fireworks.

          Sorry about the wrist watch.  By now you have Edith's letter and you know the whole story.  No dear, I haven't received any gifts as yet. So far very little in the way of packages has been brought aboard.  The most recent letter I received took twelve days in coming and some of the mail dated back to the ninth so you see what mail is like out here.

          We'll be out for quite some time but there have been five transfers amongst officers since we arrived.  I have a hunch that before long all of us that came out will return to the good old U.S.  I've got my fingers crossed.

          I wish I could tell you about our discussions aboard but most is censorable and the rest is sex with a capital "S."

          Between your teaching and classes you seem to be filling out your time and getting a little pleasure out of it and I'm glad.  Get it all out of your system.  When I return you're going to have a new routine and it won't include classes and teaching.

          I'll send some more gum as soon as they break out some more Wrigley's.  Some of the other brands are lousy.

          Letters are taken off of passing ships but only from fighting vessels that are on patrol and do not make any port for months at a time.  These ships take on fuel, food, supplies and mail at sea.  Thank God I'm in a better spot than that and in more ways than one.

          Dear, I did enjoy all those clippings and your poetry.  Keep them coming.  There is one thing you can send that I can't buy out here.  Black rayon or silk socks (short).  All they have aboard are cotton or wool and mine are beginning to run.

          From the sound of things, Linda and Norma are developing so rapidly that I'll not know them when I return.  Well we'll get reacquainted and pick up from there.

          You seem to be having plenty of rain.  We have rain here daily, but it never lasts long though it does pour.  Still we ignore it and keep right on doing what we were doing.

          Hope you have fun at the race track and don't win too much money.  I'm not going to say any more about lodge activity.  You'll have to be your own judge there. As yet I haven't gotten my course or the letter you mention.  Guess it is lost.

          Well honey, here it is 10:00 o'clock, time for lights out and I'm not half through your letters.  I'm going to close this letter now and carry on with the rest of your mail in tomorrow's letter.

          Do you remember dear how I selected all your clothes? Now I can't do it.  Well after the war that is one change we'll institute.  Back to our old way of buying your clothes.  Is it a deal? Swell

          Good night dear, I'm going to sleep much better tonight.

Love,

Gil