$15 for a Piece

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart

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

Monday 25 June 1945, 6:45 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello again.  I've had quite a busy day today. To begin with I had a full morning and even had a couple emergencies from other craft.  Then I had an early lunch, a steak sandwich from the general mess.

          At noon both doctors and I went over to a hospital ship to attend a meeting of Medical, Dental, and Hospital Corps officers.  There was quite a mob.  I'd guess over four hundred.  They served a light lunch which I didn't partake except for the dessert, ice cream.  Then several papers were presented on various Medical and Dental problems occurring in forward areas and under battle conditions.  All in all it was an interesting and educational meeting.  We are supposed to have another soon.

          I got three letter today marked the 15th and 16th.  I see you taught right up to the end.  Well now you can relax and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

          Don't worry about Norma's not talking so well yet.  Many youngsters are like that and it is no indication of native intelligence.

          I do remember the Council House, but very vaguely.  After the war we will observe more of the Jewish holidays for the sake of the kids.  I always got a bang out of them and they should too.

          Don't worry about me doing anything foolish.  I have good duty here and I'd think twice before asking for a change except back to the states of course.

          You ask about the natives out here.  Well all the buildings and residences occupied by natives are "out of bound" to military personnel.  Of course there are many whose houses operate in spite of this order and many men are indulging and some to their sorrow later on. Several men from our ship went ashore and paid $15 for a "piece of ass."  One did it three times in one afternoon for $45.  Practically all the women are infected.  One medical officer ashore stated that 100% of the women he had examined were infected and many with more than one venereal disease.  I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pool.  It is too bad for the people but it seems that any place you go where the Japs have been before us, the same condition prevails.  No female was spared if she was old enough to give them satisfaction.

          The clothes the natives wear are typically American, so there is nothing to buy.

          Last night's movie "Two Girls and a Sailor" is the best movie we've ever had aboard.  Tonight we have Olsen and Johnson in "Crazy House" and I can't recall if I've seen it or not.

          No more for now so I'll sign off.  Goodnight my Sweet, I love you.

Always yours,

Gil

Japanese Invasion Money

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Wednesday 30 May 1945, 10:15 PM

Dearest Darling,

          Hello Sweet, how is my Eleanor tonight?  I've had quite a busy and interesting day.  Of course to begin with, I worked on patients all morning.  After lunch I took the liberty party ashore.  We had over one hundred men go, so we got an LCI to take us over and came up on the beach just as you've seen it done in the movies.

          After I got the men squared away I decided to go over to the officers' club.  It seemed very close for all there was separating the club from the enlisted men's area was a great big rocky hill.  Well they told me there was a trail winding around the rock and so I started out.  It had been raining and the ground was quite muddy and in a couple of minutes I found myself in real jungle surroundings.  The brush and trees were so thick you couldn't walk except along the trail which ran along the bank of the muddy stream.  There were big gnarled roots and large rocks. It wasn't easy going.  Believe me I can appreciate a lot more what some of our boys went through in the jungles with full packs on their shoulders and death hidden behind each tree.  Anyway after about fifteen minutes the going got easier and in another few minutes I was back on the beach.

          I found a group of officers from the ship there and had a couple of drinks with them.  Then several of us took a walk along the beach.  We found a family of natives living in a small hut on the beach.  The whole hut wasn't any larger than our den, yet the family consisted of a father and mother, two teenaged boys, two teen aged girls and one girl in her twenties.  The teenagers looked fairly clean but the rest of the family, the surroundings and the hut itself were filthy.  Tied up alongside of the hut was a sow with two pigs and two scrawny looking chicks.  They speak English well enough to be understood and I'll have some very interesting stories to tell.  I did pick up several denominations of Japanese Invasion money and expect to get many other souvenirs in this area.  At 4:15 I went back to the enlisted men's area via the jungle and rounded up the men.  At 5:00 PM we boarded the LCI and returned to our ship.  I showered and changed and was just in time for a late dinner.

          The movie tonight was excellent.  It was "Animal Kingdom" with Ann Sheridan, Alexis Smith, Jack Carson and others.  Be sure to see it.  You'll enjoy it.

          There was no mail again today.  I understand that due to some mix up all our mail that arrived here was sent back to our last stopping place.  I suppose it'll be weeks before some of it catches up with us.

          No more for now Darling, so I'll sign off.  Goodnight Sweet, I do love you and miss you.

Yours for always,

Gil

Also, after the liberation of the Philippines, the Red Cross came in to help out. They obtained Japanese Invasion Currency notes, and punched 2 holes in each one. These hole-punched notes were distributed to the military as souvenirs. 

Natives in front of hut