Floating Hotel

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Monday 18 Dec. 1944, 9:45 PM

Dearest Eleanor
     Finally Darling. Today I got two letters from you. They were postmarked the 6th . I should be thankful because I was the only officer to get any mail for the past five days.
     B'nai B'rith seems too far away and your reactions just don't seem to matter. After all as important as the work is right now it seems so unimportant.
     So Ruth is "off" again. Well you know what I think, so why waste paper and time repeating myself. After the war there'll be plenty of trips and we'll take them all together and many with our girls--not leave them at home. I don't suppose Ruth ever thought that Babs might enjoy such a trip--but then she never did before either.
     Gosh I wish I could see the little paper ships and help pin them on the Xmas tree. Well I'll do it next year--is it a bet?
     What's all the excitement about Dick getting a PO rate. Sol's store keeper rate is a petty officer rating but then it sounds better to say petty officer than "mate." What will it be `1st, 2nd 3rd class or chief? Or will he wind up holding the bag? Remember how hard Dave and Sol tried and they were more qualified than Dick. After all there is a war and even the Coast Guard is in it. I'll wait and see but don't be surprised to see Dick in "gob's" uniform. It would do him a lot of good. On the other hand a little money (hush! hush!) and some drag will go a long way.
     "Imperial City," by Elmer Rice and it is quite interesting.
     I do feel just the least bit mellow tonight. We had the movie "Since you Went Away" and even I shed a tear or too. Frankly, thought it is an excellent movie I don't think it is any kind of a morale builder for men away from family and home. What we need out here is something with a laugh and not a tear. But then, maybe I'm all wet.
     That item about the "floating hotel" you sent sounds interesting but couldn't be much. A ship of any size at all should be able to berth a lot more than 700 men and even the Ocelot has what this hotel has with the exception of the fountain and I'm working on that now. I just bought eight gallons of coke syrup from a supply ship and the engineers are rigging up an apparatus to charge water. Ice cream is next on my list and we'll have that daily darn soon.
     Talking about fountains do you remember in the good old days when we'd stop at "Thrifty's" for an extra thick chocolate shake? I can hardly wait for the day when our whole family jumps into the car to drive down for a drink after dinner.
     Good night my darling, my sweet. I wish I could seal a little of my love in this envelope for you.

Love,

Gil

U.S.S. Ocelot