Ulithi--WWII New Year

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 ... 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 ate fish as did three others. 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.

Love,

Gil

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart
U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco
Monday 1 January 1945, 7:35 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

     And so begins a new year. First, I want to tell you a little more of the celebration aboard. After I finished my letter I intended to turn in, but no chance. The men had gotten hold of pots, pans, garbage can tops and the band's drums and were parading all over the ship making a most ungodly racket. Most of the officers were fairly well oiled. We all went up to the Captain's quarters to serenade him and wish him a happy new year. We probably awoke him so I doubt if he appreciated it. Then we returned to the wardroom for a snack and finally I turned in.
     Worked all morning on the mess statement. It cost me $25 last month to eat and that was really cheap.
     After lunch today a few of us went ashore. Two bottles of beer was all I drank. I just didn't feel like it. Instead I hunted for more shells. I have quite a collection now.
     The boat we were using was a Higgins Landing Craft. She ran aground over some coral and we had a hell of a time trying to get someone to pull us off. We finally got someone to do it and returned safely. Of course there was no danger because we were close to the shore and there were many boats around. Besides it wasn't deep or we wouldn't have run aground in the first place.
     The movie tonight is "Should Strangers Marry" and the cast are all unknown to me. I'll tell you more about it tomorrow ... No mail again today. I'll probably get a whole sack full when I do get some.
     Darling, do you remember New Years Day of previous years? Just lounging around because we were too sleepy and tired to go anyplace. I'd listen to the football game and maybe doze off before it was all over. Well, Sweet next year we'll stay home together and rest and listen to the ball game in-between (?)
     Good night Sweetheart, the movie is about due to begin.

Love,

Gil

Ulithi--Xmas 1944

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Monday 25 December 1944, 9:30 PM

Dearest Eleanor,
     After the movie last night, "Kismet" with Ronald Colman and Marlene Dietrich I went to my room and finished "Strange Fruit." There were several parties on board but with you so far away I really had nothing to celebrate. So I went to bed early and awoke without a headache which is more than most of the officers did.
     Just had juice and coffee for breakfast. This being Xmas I didn't keep any office hours. By various and devious methods I got two quarts of grain alcohol and spiked the egg nog for dinner. The drink was so good that no one knew anything was in it until afterwards. The captain and the exec had one each and still don't know it was spiked. Further, just before dinner, I called all the corpsmen and a few officers. I gave each a shot. I bought the stuff in Pearl. Is it valuable! Right on our ship a quart of whiskey sold for $36.00. I was tempted to sell the three pints I had. However I preferred using a quart as I did today and save the rest for New Year's Eve. What is money anyway? I'm enclosing the menu and it was really good. All the food was set out buffet style, and we ate all we could hold.
     Spent the afternoon resting, reading and weaving. I'm going to make identical bracelets for you and our girls. At least I started something but I won't know until I'm further along. Anyway, we'll see.
     For supper tonight we just had cold cuts of turkey and ham left over with the necessary trimmings, but who could eat?
     After eating we had a good, old fashioned song fest. And when movie time came they just wouldn't stop singing until the captain came down to see the picture. The movie was a riot. It was the "Dough Girls" with Ann Sheridan, Alexis Smith and Jane Wynn. It is one of the most hilarious pictures we've seen and was just the thing to cap Xmas for men away from home.
     No mail today so I have little more to add. Dear, do you remember how in past Xmas nights, the whole family came over for a drink, to view of our tree and to see our two darlings. Next year business as usual for the Steingarts.
     Dr. Bushyager got a recording from home and I can hear him playing it now. His wife and little girl (five or six) both send him love. I don't know why you had trouble sending me recordings. A package with odds and ends can be sent and no one knows the difference. One thing, pack everything well, you should see how the packages look when they arrive. Most of them are marked and many have the contents falling out.
     Good night darling, how I would love to hold you in my arms and just kiss you once. Once? Well that would be a good place to start, wouldn't it?

Impatiently

Gil

Xmas Dinner Menu


Autographs on Back of Menu

Ulithi--Commander

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Wednesday 21 February 1945, 7:15 PM

Hello Sweetheart,
     How are you tonight? Good, how about a nice big hug and kiss? Thanks honey I'll take a rain check on that until I can collect in the flesh.
     Was pretty busy but managed to clean up the morning by 11:30 AM. After lunch I censored some mail and read until 1:30 PM when I returned to my office for more work. Knocked off at 2:30 PM to read my mail. I really got variety. A letter from you, Libby, Uncle Bill (surprise?) and a couple from patients. Then I got the course you typed up for me back with a 3.99 (I forgot to date it), a Dental Society Bulletin, the B'nai B'rith Bulletin and Bureau of Medicine literature. I also got the enclosed bill, please send a check for $6.00.
     From your letter I gather that your spirits are up a few points. Swell keep it that way. The"Sarnez" sounds delightful. You and I have a date to go there when I get back.
     You should be able to get by on $250 a month considering that the rent is only a very few dollars. Besides in about two months my pay will up about $50 and that will help you balance your budget.
     In Uncle Bill's letter he called Leon "commander." Did Leon get his extra half stripe or was that just Bill talking? So now that Leon is getting shipped out again he has lost all the enthusiasm he displayed for sea duty. My, my! I'll not write him. If he can't answer my last letter well then it's too bad. I suppose as soon as he ships out he'll begin to "bitch" about mail, but really he doesn't deserve to have everyone breaking their necks to write. Besides he wouldn't appreciate it. That much we know from past experience. Who knows, maybe out paths will cross. I hope we're going in opposite directions.
     Rose Goodman's son-in-law is making a great mistake going in with Bulpitt. However I gather that money means more than reputation and ethics to some people. I do hope he is never sorry for his name.
     The movie last night, "Three is a Family" was a "stinker" and yet you should see it if you can. There are the cutest twins in it and many laugh provoking incidents. The picture tonight is also poor but I'll go as usual. It is "Eve Knew Her Apples" with Ann Miller.
     I am enclosing a snap taken recently when I was ashore. There are several better ones but there aren't any prints available now. As soon as I get them I'll send them on.
No more to tonight darling, so good night until tomorrow.

Love,

Gil

Gil ashore on Mog Mog Recreation Island, Ulithi

Commander Leon Rosove

Unclear when he got the extra half stripe. 

Ulithi--Censoring Boresome

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Tuesday 20 February 1945, 7:15 PM

My Dearest,
     How are you today, Sweet? Hope you've snapped out of your last moody spell. Out here everything is as usual. Lots of sunshine and hot weather broken by light showers.
     Went through my usual morning routine of work and finished up about 11:20 AM. Then I read until chow time. After that I got some sun on the poop deck--you'd be surprised how tanned I'm getting and all over, too.
     I had a couple appointments this afternoon but was all through by 2:30 PM. Had my hair cut and then showed a medical officer, who was visiting aboard, around. Well not exactly, he actually came over to see if he could get some dental appointments for some men on his ship. I'll take care of a few and made suggestions as to the handling of the others.
     No mail again today but I bet I get plenty tomorrow. Some of the men sure write copiously--the amount of mail we censor seems to be increasing daily. Others can dish out a slick line of bull. On the whole, however, this duty is boresome.
     Didn't stay for the movie last night. It began to rain. I had seen it recently so I left and read instead. Tonight we have a picture I've never seen or heard of. It is "Three is a Family" with Fay Bainter and Charlie Ruggles. It has a cute plot and should be an entertaining comedy.
     How goes everything? By the way don't send any more old magazines. We have plenty aboard between what both the men and ship subscribe to. As a matter of fact there is plenty of reading material though I did enjoy the books I received.
     Nothing more, new or different to talk about. I'll sure be glad when we leave this "joint" and it can't be too soon for me. But then nobody asks me.
     Goodnight Honey, till tomorrow with love and kisses.

Yours alone,
Gil

Ulithi--Iwo Jima

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Monday 19 February 1945, 7:30 PM

Dearest Eleanor,
     Just another day on the Ocelot. Saw a few patients this morning and then the mail brought three letters. Two were from you. Another was the announcement about the Community Center Banquet at the Deauville with two short lines from Marty. Some day I'm really going to tell that guy off.
     Both of your letters are of the 9th so there is still a break in the continuity. I've even had a letter written later. I got a kick out of the two snaps you enclosed. I noticed that all three of you are showing off the gifts I sent you. But Dave was the photographer. Who else could take pictures underexposed and out of focus. Oh well, better luck next time.
     I hope you aren't going to let Mary and her troubles bother you. After all, they left you alone with yours for quite some time after I left so the h--- with them
     I'm glad you're going ahead with vacation plans. It'll all work out for the best. Yes the war news continues to be good and today's landing on Iwo Jima was long looked forward to by us. Maybe the Japs will give up a lot sooner than the experts think. A few more sustained blastings of Tokyo may wake those yellow skinned monkeys up. Anyway I'm sure that Japan will be hanging on the ropes and ready to throw in the towel within a very few months.
     I, too, am wondering what became of some of those packages you sent. The only possibility is that they weren't securely wrapped and may have fallen apart in handling and the address lost. Then again they may show up most any time.
     The movie tonight is a repeat, "Going My Way" with Bing Crosby. For lack of anything else to do I'll see it again. We've sure been seeing oldies lately. I do hope we get some new ones soon.
     Nothing more for now Sweet, so I'll close with love, kisses and hugs for my three girls.

Missing you all,

Gil

Article from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin regarding the invasion of Iwo Jima. Commodore Carter, commander of Squadron 10, was the flag aboard the U.S.S. Ocelot.

Ulithi--Appendectomies

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Sunday 18 February 1945, 7:20 PM

My Dearest,
     I must have been feeling pretty high last night when I wrote to you. Can't remember much about what I said. Just remember writing.
     Today has been an interesting day. I didn't have any regular appointments but was kept busy all morning and for an hour this afternoon with emergency cases from other ships.
     I had a visitor, a dental officer whom I hadn't met before. He is stationed nearby and we discussed several problem cases that he has. He is sending me a couple of patients that stump him. I showed him around the ship and invited him to stay for lunch. I'm planning to look him up in the near future.
     We have a couple of appendectomies to do tonight and the doctor has asked me to stand by to give ether on the second one if the spinal doesn't work.
     Do you remember the Arnolds, patients of mine? I made a call at their home once in Venice and you were in the car. They have two tow-headed boys if you recall. Well I got a nice card and the enclosed letter from them today. I thought you'd be interested in reading it.
     Got some more heat rash and so have been sunning myself some more. I hope I get rid of the darn stuff soon.
     The war news certainly sounds good in both theaters and the Japs will catch plenty more hell before this is all over.
     Nothing more for now Honey. I still am looking for mail of February 4 through 7 inclusive. Hope it comes tomorrow.
     Night Sweet until tomorrow.

Love,
Gil

P.S. The movie tonight is "The Mask of Dimitrios." this will make the third time I've seen it.

Doc Steingart the dentist

and Doc Bushyager the physician

Letter From Mrs.Eileen Arnold whose husband Glen was wounded on the German-Belgium Line.

Ulithi--Potent Drinks

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Saturday 17 February 1945, 7:15 PM

My Darling,

     Here I am a little high but still--here I am. A few of us went ashore for a few drinks this afternoon and they were sure potent.

     Today was a special day, so I didn't have any regular appointments. Instead I removed a bad wisdom tooth. Then I removed a large cyst involving two upper front teeth. The results were good even if I say so myself.

     At noon I went up on the poop deck and got 45 minutes of ultra violet via the sun. Then I repaired to my office and extracted one tooth and filled two others before I went ashore.

     When I returned, I showered, dressed and was ready for dinner just in time.

     The mail was sparse today. A letter and a card from you and a letter from your mother was the total bag for the day.

     Tonight we have another oldie for a movie "Three Men in White." After much (?) coaxing I guess I'll go.

     Please forgive this rambling letter. You know how I am after a few "hard" ones. Tight is the word.

     Good night honey. I'll write a real long letter tomorrow. Love and kisses and hugs for all my girls.

Yours alone,

Gil

Fleet Officers' Club

for potent drinks

Ulithi--Monotonus Routine

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

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

Friday 16 February 1945, 7:15 PM

Dearest Eleanor,
     Hello darling, here I am again. Today has been a nice, easy one. I coasted along without any strain. Just the same, to date I've done as much work as in any month since I've been aboard
    Today being "field day," I hadn't anticipated working in the afternoon. But as soon as I got comfortable in my rack with a Coronet, I was called down to my office. I took care of a couple of emergencies. Then I returned to my quarters for a little reading. After awhile I lay down my magazine and spent an educational half hour reading the Yearbook you sent me. There are some new thoughts on the control of decay that are very interesting and plenty of facts to back them up.
     Before I knew it, it was 5:15 PM and time to shower and dress for dinner. After eating we enjoyed the routine breeze on the bridge. The sunset, however, wasn't very colorful And here I am.
     I didn't get any mail today but hardly expected any after yesterday's haul. The movie tonight is an oldie "Double Indemnity." I believe you saw it after I shoved off.
     So darling endeth another uneventful day. I'm thankful that my temperament lends itself to my adapting myself to any existing conditions. This monotonous routine can and does get some guys down but not me.
     Good night Honey and pleasant dreams. Dream about us when we're together again. Ah, those happy days to come!

Love,

Gil

Coronet Magazine February 1945