Circulatory File

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco
Sunday 13 May 1945, 10:45 PM

Dearest Eleanor,
     It is Mothers' Day. Many times today I've wondered what you were doing. Since we married, we were always together on this day. I hope you got your gift on time and liked it. I would have liked to have sent you something more but there really wasn't much choice.
     Though today is Sunday I was quite busy all morning. After lunch I took a liberty party ashore. Passed out six cans of beer to each man and then hunted up a few more shells. My collection is getting larger and more interesting all the time.
     At two o'clock a party of ships' officers came ashore bringing along seventy-five steaks, all the trimmings and four cases of beer. We pitched horseshoes, played cribbage, drank beer and had a swell afternoon. At 4:30 PM I sent the liberty party back to the ship and rejoined the officers' party. I put away two steaks. Boy were they good! Quit drooling.
     We returned to the ship at 6:30 PM. I showered and changed into fresh clothes. For the movie tonight we had "For Whom the Bell Tolls" which I saw for the second time. Why I'll never know. I still think it was very slow moving and Gary Cooper was lousy.
     I came down to my office to write you and found two letters. Yours was postmarked May 4th and your mother's May 6th. I guess tomorrow I'll get your letters of the 3rd to 6th inclusive. I hope!
     You say that your letter "is #4 for today" and you still have something to say. I have trouble writing one decent letter a day.
     It is really surprising that they are still going after men well along in their thirties.
     If Dick had pneumonia, taking chest x-rays is just routine before release from the hospital. He is very silly to hope for a discharge. If that happened it would be because he was a seriously sick boy without much hope of returning to normal. Of course I don't blame him for trying to get a specialist rating. However the Army has plenty of them. Even If Ruth did write the chaplain, she'll probably be disappointed. Her letter will probably be placed in what we call the circulatory file--the waste basket.
     Are Ruth's anniversary party and musicale going to be on the same night or are they separate affairs? I'd love to be with you Sweet, but I guess I'll miss this big blow this time. I don't know why I should write Ruth and Harry. It's been a long time since I heard from Ruth. She probably thinks of me when she thinks of you and you know how often that is. She even asked me to write to Dick. Like hell I will. He never wrote to me before he went into the Army. If he'd like to have me write, he can drop me a line first.
     I'd like prints (black and white) of the negatives Libby sent. By the way we had some more snaps taken on the island today and I should have some new photos to send you in a few days.
     It's 11:15 PM and I still want to write a few lines to our mothers so I'll sign off now.
     Good night Darling and don't give up hope. One of these days I'm hoping to have some well news for you. Pleasant dreams.

Yours alone,

Gil

 Dick (Gil's Nephew)

Ruth (Dick's mother and Gil's sister-in-law)