Overpaid

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

c/o Fleet Post Office

San Francisco, California

Sunday 30 September 1945, 9:45 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Sunday, the day of rest.  Am I resting!  I'm getting so lazy it's even hard to get me to go to eat.  No appointments today, no work, no nothing.  Loafing, playing checkers, reading and eating make up my day's activities.  I did have a 3rd molar abscess to lance and drain at 5:15 this afternoon but I'm sure being overpaid for the amount of work I'm doing.

          We were standing by for another typhoon today but she veered off to the south and hit Formosa instead.  However even in the bay, the sea was choppy enough that we took all our small boats aboard rather than risk losing them.  It was roughest about noon and it has calmed down considerably since then.

          By tomorrow everything should be peaceful and quiet once more.

          Because of the rough sea we didn't send or receive any mail today.  Fortunately we did have an extra movie aboard so we showed it tonight.  It was "Once Upon a Time" with Cary Grant, the story about a dancing caterpillar.  Anyway old as it was, it did prove worth re-seeing and did help an hour or so pass a little quicker.

          After the movie I played some ping pong again and worked up a good sweat.  Anyway I cooled off with a nice shower and now here I am.

          Not another thing to write about Sweet so I'll say goodnight.

Loving You Always,

Gil    

Please Be Brave

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart

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

Sunday 23 September 1945, 10 PM

Dearest Sweet,

          Sunday, the day of rest.  I didn't have any appointments scheduled so I had the whole day to do as I pleased.  What did I do?  Nothing.  I'm getting to be a first class hand at piddling time away.  I read "House and Gardens" and "American Home" magazines.  Also I read a few items from the July "Readers' Digest."  After lunch I made up next week's menu, played checkers, sat around talking and killing time in general.  Then back to more reading until 5:00 when I showered and changed for dinner.  After dinner I played poker for an hour, lost $5.00.  Then I went to the movies.  We had "Having Wonderful Crime" with Pat O'Brien, George Murphy and Carol Landis.  Pretty good even though it was raining right through the whole show.

          I hit the jackpot in the mail again.  There were six letters from you and one each from both mothers.  I didn't realize that so many letters were delayed.  Today I got two postmarked the 9th and four the 17th.

          Although I've often wished I'd taken a still camera along, don't buy any.  We'll get one as soon as we can.  It could be long before Xmas.

          How is Dave getting his discharge? Has he 44 points?  If he hasn't I doubt that he'll get out.  Anyway Deb and Dave will be together and I'm sure that they'll be satisfied even he does have to hang on for a few months more.

          I still don't know if we'll go to Japan, but the nearest dry-dock large enough for the Ocelot is at Sasebo.  If we go there I'll surely look Sid up.

          The snaps taken of you and the kids taken at Arrowhead are excellent.  You really look good to me. All I can do at this time is look and dream.

          I know the next few weeks will be hard dear but there is nothing we can do but wait.  Getting yourself all upset isn't going to do either you or the kids or me a bit of good.  Please be patient.  This can't last much longer.  Now that school has started, I hope you'll be kept busy and won't have so much time to think and worry about your trouble.  Really, soon I'll be home and all your problems will fade.  All will seem like a bad dream.

          Our skipper, Lt. Cmdr. Warwick, is not regular Navy.  As a matter of fact he has almost 60 points and is awaiting relief so he can be discharged. Because he is the commanding officer,  I'll bet he has to wait the full 120 days before he is relieved.

          Sevron 10 is an abbreviation for Service Squadron 10.  Sevron 10 has been part of the third and fifth fleets alternating when either fleet was in action.  The commander of the Service Division is Commodore Du Val.

          Well darling, I'm getting sleepy and I'm all writ out.  Wish I had something definite to tell you but I haven't.  Maybe something will break this coming week.

          Please be brave.  Your unhappiness has an effect on me and though I, too, feel low at times I don't tell anyone about it because it never does me any good to do so.

          Goodnight Sweet and I'll see you in my dreams.

Lovingly,

Gil

 

Snaps from Lake Arrowhead

Ordered Dolls for Linda and Norma

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

          U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco
             Wednesday 4 October 1944 9:30 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Had liberty today, but didn't do much.  As a matter of fact, I stayed aboard for lunch and it was past one before Ambie and I finally shoved off.  We stopped at a music store and bought a book of songs.  Then we stopped for a couple of beers and sat around in a hotel court just relaxing.  Caught a bus and got back in time for dinner.  After dinner, I broke out the song book, Ambie got the accordion and several of the officers joined us.  We sang and played until movie time.  The movie was "Atlantic City" with Constance Moore, Jerry Colona and a lot of old timers.  The picture had much entertainment value but for some reason didn't click.  I personally believe the continuity was lousy.

          After the picture, I went to my present quarters and found a letter from you.  You sound quite busy but the tone of the letter shows that you have more or less gotten over that "Tante" deal.  I hope you'll have better luck with help next time.

          I finished reading Louis Bromfield's "The Green Bay Tree."  It is really a woman's book but it was laying around so I picked it up and before I knew it, I was so far into it that I decided to finish it.  I expect to do a lot more reading once we get underway.

          Well Sweetheart, I'm going to end this letter short for now and will finish in the morning.  I love you darling and I'll be so proud of my wife and girls when I get back.  Good night, hone. Will be with you again in the morning.

Thursday 5 October 1944, 8:30 AM

          Good morning, Sweetheart.  Nothing new since last night.  I haven't seen the morning mail, and I'm in somewhat of a hurry.  I ordered some recreational gear, and I'll have a jeep available in a few moments to go to pick the stuff up.  I still have to shave, so I must close quickly to be sure this goes off in the next batch of mail.

          I've ordered dolls for Norma and Linda and they should receive them for Xmas.  I've been looking for a silver charm bracelet, but they all seem to have local items in miniature on them, so those are out.  I'll continue looking something may turn up.

          Honey, do you remember how surprised you were when you got your silver fox neckpiece?  Well darling, there are many surprises in store for you, but you'll have to be patient until they come.

          I'll sign off and dash now.

Loving you always

Gil

Bugs Are Biting

Wednesday 20 September 1944,  8:25 AM

 

Good morning Sweetheart,

          Did you sleep well?  I read the August Reader's Digest until midnight and then turned the light out.  I had hardly closed my eyes when it was 7:00 AM and time to get up again.  It seems the bugs were biting again last night.  We all have a few welts to show for the attack but they must have just taken little nips out of me because I slept right on through.

          So you've got nothing to do at night but bathe and stay clean.  Well I shower at least once every day because I have to.  I perspire so much that I'd probably smell to high heaven if I didn't.  I hasn't rained much here during the day but it rains every night and when I come out on deck in the morning everything is wet and fresh looking.

          My love, I'm going on liberty today.  Will check the proofs of my photos, look around some more for those books you mention and then?  Bye my Sweet, till tonight.

Loving you more & more.

Gil

 

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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