Okinawa--Philippine Liberation Ribbon

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart

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

Friday 28 September 1945, 9:35 PM

Dearest Eleanor,
     Hello my darling, here I am again. Today was still just another day. We are slowly but surely getting all patched up and soon we'll be on our way. I did a little work this morning but there is hardly enough to keep me busy.
     One of boys smashed his finger cutting a couple of tendons. For lack of anything else to do I watched the operation which lasted almost two hours. Then I retired to my room and read for awhile. I finished "Star Spangled Virgin" and then showered and dressed for dinner. After chow we all sat around in the wardroom until movie time and after that here I am. The movie consisted of two good shorts and a good murder-detective story with Edward Arnold. "The Hidden Eye."
     The mail brought me two letters of the 20th and since yesterday's was of the 21st it brings me up to date.
     Between Linda's vomiting spells and your cold, you must have had a miserable time. Thank goodness Norma is okay now.
     Squadron 10 serviced both the 3rd or 5th fleets. While we were in Ulithi we were attacked three times.
     Once a group of midget subs got through the nets or over a break in the reef and sank a tanker. Before they could do anymore damage we sank four and believed that was all of them.
     Another time an ammunition ship was hit by subs and again all the subs that were detected were sunk.
     Of course the "Kamikaze" (suicide attack) by three bombers was the most exciting. We were at the movies. At that time many of our own planes, all with their lights on, were flying overhead. Just about ten minutes after the movie started a plane without lights flew over us at a very low altitude. We cussed that pilot out saying he ought to be shot down for flying so low without lights. Suddenly, dead astern from us the whole sea lit up. The Randolph was hit. The general quarters alarm sounded and as I dashed aft to my station. Sorline Island also lit up. One of the Japs mistook the island for another carrier. Later, the Japs announced that they hit the Randolph and the Cowpens. Well they were half right anyway. The third plane dived into the sea, so that was that.
     These actions don't give me any battle stars. The Navy doesn't give them away quite that easily. However I do get another campaign ribbon, the "Philippine Liberation Ribbon." When we were in Leyte Gulf, bands of Japs still operating about six miles from the beach on Samur Island. However I never did see or hear any of it and wasn't particularly interested.
     I probably won't be home early in November but we should be in the states in the later part of November. Of course decommissioning will take a few days but we should be able to see each other in the meantime and make plans for my leave and our second honeymoon.
     And that is thirty for tonight. Goodnight Sweet and please come to me in my dreams tonight. I need you too.

Love,

Gil

Philippine Liberation Ribbon

Article about the bombing of the Randolph

Okinawa--Leaving for Home Soon

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart

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

Thursday, 27 September 1945, 9:45 PM

My Dearest,
     Well here I am again. We are still leaving for home soon, in about ten days. Will know more about it in a day or so.
     Today was just another day. I worked a little this morning and saw one man this afternoon. The rest of the time I just loafed around. By the time we get back I'll be the laziest man in the world. I finished reading "For My Great Folly," a historical novel by T.B. Costain and began "The Star Spangled Virgin" by Du Bose Heyward.
     Tonight's movie, "The Fighting Guardsman" wasn't bad at all. In one of your recent letters you said you didn't like it so I was prepared for the worst. I guess we aren't as critical as home audiences.
     Yesterday, we had a lieutenant report aboard for temporary duty. He looked Jewish to me and I guess I did to him too. He had looked up my records and came in to visit a few minutes ago. He has 44 points and is on his second tour of duty outside the United States. He hails from Cincinnati and tickled to be aboard because of the fact that we're probably homeward bound.
     He brought out his album and I did mine. I ran across some snaps I thought I had sent home. I didn't so here they are. They were taken a long time ago in Ulithi. Save them as I don't have the negatives. From the pictures you can assume two things. We always drank beer and played cards. That is right. What else could a fellow do?
     I got a letter from you marked 21 September and one from Dr. Ivie. He is still in Pearl and very unhappy. Until I read the second page, your letter had me quite worried. Thank goodness Linda is okay. She sure takes after her mother when it comes to throwing up.
     I'm glad Dave is a civilian again. He didn't fight a very hard war. He and Deb were together a lot more than we were. Anyway I'm glad he is out. Soon I'll be home and I'll be in civvies myself not long after that. You'll see.
     No more for now Sweet so goodnight and happy dreams.

Love,

Gil

PHOTOS TAKEN IN ULITHI
(captions Gil wrote on backs)

Whew is he stinkin!


Play Hearts and Drink Beer


Beer, beer, more beer
With Engineering Officer


The camera man must have been higher than us


Husking a coconut


Playing hearts and drinking beer on Mog Mog Isle

Heart, all hearts and the queen on spades too

Okinawa--Every Minute Seems to Drag

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart

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

Wednesday 26 September 1945, 11:00 PM

Dearest Eleanor,
     Another day gone. Another day less of being apart. Now that it looks like we will be on our way home soon every day, every hour, yes every minute seems to drag.
     Today was mostly a day of loafing. With about 250 men aboard there is little to keep me busy. I saw two patients this morning and one after lunch. That is all.
     I took a shirt and pair of trousers down to the tailor for some mending and had the gold braid put on my blue coat. I tried the coat on and it fits just right. So I guess I've held my own as far as weight is concerned.
     I got five more letters today. Two were of the 19th and three of the 14th. Your plans for Mexico sound swell but I was just waiting to hear what you would do about our girls. We'll change our minds more than once and we'll have time to talk it over when I get back. You see, it'll take from one to two weeks to decommission before I can go on leave.
     About leave--leave after overseas duty is limited to thirty days. However leave is cumulative, thirty days for each year of duty. By the time I get home I'll have almost sixty days leave due me, but the most I could take then would be thirty days. I would get the balance plus any additional time (2-1/2 days for each month of service) as separation leave. Anyway, as I explained above we'll have time to talk things over when I get back and decide what to do depending on the conditions at the time.
     About the Buick. I don't know what it'll cost to fix her up but I'd think twice about a new car. If our car sells for a high price so will the new cars. As our car depreciates, the prices on new cars will go down. Please dear, don't do anything foolish or hasty. I know of many other places where we can spend money to better advantage than on a new car. Don't do anything till I get home.
     We had another excellent movie tonight. It was "Christmas in Connecticut" with Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan. This is another movie I recommend for you to see.
     Today's mail also brought some additional snaps and they're well. I can't wait to see my family in the flesh.
     No more for now Sweet, so goodnight and sleep tight.

Love,

Gil 

Okinawa--Dope Holds

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart

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

Tuesday 25 September 1945, 9:35 PM

Dearest Eleanor,
     How is my Sweet tonight? In good spirits I hope. I am because the same dope holds for today as did yesterday--we are going home soon.
     Today was just another routine day with appointments all morning and nothing to do all afternoon. Just reading, cribbage and lounging around in our wardroom.
     At 5:00 PM I showered and dressed for dinner. Then the mail came. I got letter of the 10th and 13th from you, a real cute card too, and a letter from Deb with a picture of her pride and joy. What a monkey!
     Then after chow we sat around for awhile and then to the movies. The enclosed program is typical of the one put out daily. This movie was very entertaining. If you haven't done so yet, see it. Now here I am.
     Again your mail is old so there is nothing to comment on. By now you know that we've worked in both the 3rd and 5th fleet. Here at Okinawa the 7th fleet is in control at present. Since the flag moved off, none of the fleet action or movement effects us. Now we are under Service Force Pacific and have no function to perform. Maybe after we get fixed up on Guam they'll throw in a mess of temporary bunks and let us take several hundred men back to the United States with us.
     No more for now Sweet. I know the next few weeks, until we actually get underway, will be trying. But we'll put up with it won't we dear? Goodnight Honey and sweet dreams.

Love,

Gil

Okinawa--All Three

 25 September 1945

Dearest Linda and Norma,
     Here is your daddy again. I am at Okinawa now but I hope not for long. Soon we should be on our way home and won't we have a wonderful time together.
     Mother sent me some snaps of all three of my girls taken at Lake Arrowhead. All three of you look real pretty. Soon we'll be able to take more snaps and daddy will be right there with you.
     No more for now Sweethearts, so goodnight and God bless you.

Love,

Daddy

Snap of Gil's Three Girls
Lake Arrowhead

Okinawa--Four Striper

Lieut. Gilbert Steingart

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

Monday 24 September 1945, 11:00 PM

Dearest Eleanor,
     Hello Sweet, how are you tonight. Myself I'm all hepped up. I'm afraid to tell you this lest you be in for another disappointment, but here goes anyway. Today we had a four striper from maintenance aboard to look us over. He said that they'd fix up the Ocelot well enough to put to sea and send us to Guam. There we'll go into dry dock for further repairs and then back to the United States for decommissioning. Sounds too good to be true, but we'll know for sure in a few days. If this does come off we should hit the Pacific Coast sometime between the 15th to 30th of November and be out of commission not later than December 15. Yes Darling we have every hope of being together for Xmas and forever thereafter.
     Otherwise this was just another day aboard the "Mighty O." I had appointments all morning and part of the afternoon. I read awhile, played checkers and after dinner went to the cinema. Tonight's movie was a real oldie but a good one. We had "San Francisco" with Gable, Tracy and Jeanette McDonald.
     The mail brought six old pieces marked the 6th and 7th of September. There were two letters, two Tattlers, the Mishkon Tephilo Monitor and a letter from your mother. Nothing to comment on in your letters, but as of now don't send me anything except via air mail. If we do move as planned, regular mail or packages would never catch up with me until we got back. Gosh Sweet, I can hardly believe that we may be homeward bound soon.
     No more for now Sweetheart except that "I love you."

Yours forever,

Gil

USS Ocelot