Leyte--Eighteen Officers

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart

U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco
Sunday 22 July 1945, 10:50 PM

Dearest Eleanor, 

     Sunday, a day of rest at home. So just to make things more like home beginning today no appointments except emergencies.

     Nothing to do all morning except read. I also wrote a letter to Uncle Bill. I'm way behind in my correspondence again so soon I'll just have to take a day off to catch up.

     I failed to mention that we had a new officer report aboard to replace Jim Lyons. His name is Brossears. He is married; his wife lives in Oakland. He and I went ashore today. I told Simmie when I saw him on Friday that I'd be over this morning. Well we didn't get there until 3:00 PM and he had gone down to the beach. I left him a note and may see him Wednesday night. Anyway we went back to the club and had a few drinks. At five o'clock our boat picked us up and we returned to the ship.  I had just enough time to shower and freshen up before dinner after which we played our regular game of cribbage until movie time. We had a real oldie today but everyone enjoyed it. "Mutiny on the Bounty" was the cinema.

     I got three letters today and since I've already received later mail, most of the stuff you write about has already been hashed over by me.

     In spite of what Leon told you, orders come from the Bureau. Even he said in his letter that he wouldn't be surprised to get orders to ship out.

     I've written to Libby about my mother and should be hearing from her soon. Anyway it won't do any good worrying about it. We'll just have to wait and see.

     Sorry you didn't enjoy the Fleisher party. I still think you would have been more miserable had you stayed at home. Every chance you get to go out, do so. 

     Sweet I never was chaplain. I'm welfare officer which is the chaplain's job. Being chaplain is a full time job. I'm still a dentist, remember? Yes I'm still librarian. But now that everything is squared away, the enlisted man who runs it for me does all the work and I retain the title.

     I guess the mess treasurer's job is mine until I leave. When I was first appointed we only fed eighteen officers. Now we have seventy regular members and have better than two hundred guests each month. The captain insists there is no one else for the job so I'm stuck.

     About the linens you mention; all I've seen are bridge table size. As I've mentioned before, the Japs took everything they could and destroyed what they left behind. Where we are now there is no industry or agriculture so fancy linens are not obtainable.

     Our strange honeymoon sounds intriguing. All night long with my big girl and all day with all of my girls should keep me quite busy. I will love it!

     Well Darling, I'm getting sleepy and I've run out of things to say so goodnight until tomorrow.

Yours always,

Gil

Eighteen Officers (Gil is the short one in the middle row)