Friday, December 18, 2020

Leyte-Life Visits an Enchanted Isle

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart
U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O San Francisco 
Sunday, 1 July 1945, 10:45 PM 
Dearest Eleanor, 
     Today was Sunday and quite a busy one for me. I worked on patients all morning and worked on quarterly and monthly reports all afternoon. Now everything is complete except for doing the wardroom statement. When that is finished my book work with be done for another month. 
     It has been quite hot and so I stripped down to my skivvies, censored mail and read until 5:15. Then I showered and dressed for dinner. After chow we played cribbage and then to the movies. We had "Mollie and Me" with Monty Woolley and Betty Field. It was amusing. 
     After the movies we sat around in the wardroom and talked and joked until now so here I am. 
     Now that thirty days have elapsed since we left Ulithi I may mention it in my letters. The May 7 Life ran some pictures on "Life Visits an Island Paradise" and I would like a copy of the magazine as a memo of the place. Any questions you have about the place can now be answered, so fire away. 
     The mail brought me three letters postmarked 22nd and 25th. One letter made record speed out here taking five actual days in coming. Usually however it mail take seven to ten days. 
     I'm really beginning to worry about you with your gas attacks and nerves. Let's hope I can get back soon and cure your troubles. 
     The cosmetics are for trading. These items are scarce out here and will bring in exchange many times their cost in the states. No dear there are no island "beauties" here. If there were I doubt if I'd be interested. 
     Dan Graves was one of our officers. No he won't call, but as far as that goes neither have the others though they promised to. 
     A brief honeymoon when I get back sounds 4.0 but let's not decide until I arrive and see what circumstances are like then. I do want to spend as much time as possible with you and our girls--let's wait and see. 
     I'll write Libby about mother but don't you worry about it. Everything will work out OK. You know, somehow, it usually does. 
     I'm missing a couple of letters. Evidently something has happened to your Lake Arrowhead plans and I'm truly sorry. I guess I'll know more about it when the missing letters arrive. 
     Glad you got to see "Carmen Jones" and enjoyed it. I read a review of it in life some time ago. 
     The food problems certainly sound serious. Not so out here. Today we had a swell steak dinner and for dessert fresh frozen boysenberries and were they good, yum, yum. 
     That is all for now so I'll sign off with my usual thoughts of love and prayers for an early second honeymoon. 
Yours forever 
Gil 


Link to photos from May 7, 1945 Life Magazine article about Ulithi 
http://www.mighty90.com/Reporting_for_Duty.html 

Ulithi Children from Life Magazine Article





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