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

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 soon 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.

Emergency

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

Doc Steingart the dentist

and Doc Bushyager the physician

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

Cyst

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

Monotonous

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

Yiddish

 Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

U.S.S. Ocelot, FPO San Francisco

Thursday 15 February 1945, 7:30 PM

My Darling,
     The mail did alright by me. This morning I received two hankies from Libby for my birthday, the February Esquire and the National Jewish Monthly. This afternoon I got more letters. One was a letter from Libby asking me where I was. Of course it is impossible to tell. It seems they have a flier friend operating out of Pearl and she thinks he might be able to look me up.
     The valentine you sent me was made especially for me it would seem or are there other guys like me around? Well Sweet you'll never know how much a little thing like this card means to me.
     Your letters were postmarked February 1, 7, and 8 so those in between are still coming. I see you are still teaching. As long as it isn't too much for you I'm sure we can use the extra income. Talking about income, don't pay that additional income tax until you've checked my books. I seem to remember a similar bill coming through while we were in Dago and I believe the payment was made. It was drawn (the check) on the Bank of America and should be entered in the day-book. Anyway check the cancelled checks for the three months that we were in Dago and the books as well before you make any payment.
     Such excitement! Mary is crazy like a fox. Bet that suicide she pulled was all planned in advance. I bet Willie will behave for awhile--even though it's a short while. Dr. Shafer is an osteopath not a chiropractor but one is as bad as the other. However there is no use explaining the difference between MDs and other so-called "doctors." Stay out of it--don't say anything. You remember we tried once and it didn't do any good.
     You have my insurance papers. However for access to a PX use your outpatient or commissary card from San Diego as identification.
     Dear you are too sensitive. It may not be quite proper to address you as Eleanor Steingart. Yet many women, including your sisters Ruth and Deb, use their given names in return addresses. I'm sure that nothing was meant by having you down as Mrs. Eleanor Steingart and don't make any issue of it.
     Hope the "Fearless Five" got my letter. I sent it in care of the Goodfriends long ago.
     Army life will straighten Dick out. Part of one of you letters is missing. There is a page listing outstanding bills. There is no beginning to the V-mail letter from Sid Stein. Guess you forgot to enclose it. It is 7:55 PM so I'll dash to the movie and finish afterward.

9:55 PM

     Back again Sweet. We had an old movie tonight but I enjoyed it even though it was the second time. It was "Hold Back the Dawn" with Charles Boyer, Olivia De Havilland and Paulette Goddard. About an Austrian adventurer who marries an Azusa (?) school teacher to get by the immigration laws. Remember?
     Today was a normal day. Worked this morning, not hard, but steadily. Also this afternoon until 3:00 PM. Then I had a coke, bought some soap in the ship's store and returned to my room to read my mail. I censored a few letters. Talking about censoring mail, one of the men on board, Jewish, writes to his parents in Yiddish and I censored his letter today. It was only a very short note but it took me several minutes to make it out. I don't believe I've read any Yiddish in 7 or 8 years. I suppose all his mail will be brought to me. In a short time I'll be able to read it as fluently as I used to. A little practice is all I need.
     Then I glanced through a Coronet, showered and dressed for dinner. After that I enjoyed another beautiful sunset and then came down to my office for our little visit.
     Sweet, do you remember that day we spent at the Oregon Caves? Do you recall the hotel dining room with a stream running right through the middle of it? Remember the happy couple having lunch, looking at each other and holding hands? Could that have been us? Yes it was and there will be many more such days and soon too.
     Honey, I'm going to sign off now. Good night darling until our visit tomorrow.

Love

Gil

P.S. Is Sid in the Solomons? It isn't probable that our paths will cross but then one never knows. I'll drop him a note anyway though my address certainly won't be any key as to where I am. Nite, nite.

Gil

Over Gunwales

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco
Wednesday 14 February 1945 11:40 PM

Dearest Eleanor,
     Hello Sweetheart, how is my Valentine tonight? I began this letter at 7:00 PM. I hadn't gotten any further than the heading when I got a call to leave the ship. You see the ship's officers were invited to a party. I couldn't leave until the doctor got back. Well as soon as I got word that he was aboard I was off in a flash.
     It was a pretty nice. By the time I arrived almost everyone there was as tight as hoot owls. I proceeded to try to catch up but gave up when I saw how impossible it was. I understand 70 bottles of whiskey and 12 cases of beer were consumed so you can see it must have been quite a party.
     Anyway we got back to the ship at a few minutes past nine. I was drenched to the skin from the ocean spray that blew over the gunwales of the boat we came back in. I had a cup of coffee and went down to my office to write this letter. The doctor and a commander were "shooting the breeze" so I joined them. A few moments ago they decided it was time to break it up so here I am.
     Wasn't quite as busy today. Had a full program but I wasn't rushed and was able to work along leisurely. Cleaned up for the day at 3:00 PM.
     Today's mail consisted of a letter from you and a card from my mother. I've heard lots of talk about "Fighting Lady" and hope we have that movie aboard soon. I also liked "Sunday Dinner for a Soldier."
     I'm not at all surprised about Linda's report card. She takes after her Mommy and Daddy so why shouldn't the report be good. I did write to her in yesterday's letter and will write again next week.
     I had hoped your mother was completely recovered by now. A week or so ago, she wrote me she was better. Wish someone could prevail on her to see a doctor. Self medication especially with sulfa drugs is dangerous and should be stopped.
     I see you are having trouble laying "Forever Amber" down. It is the kind of a book you don't want to stop reading. See, I told you so.
     I'm glad you are going ahead with summer vacation plans. A change will do all concerned a lot of good.
     I didn't mention last night's movie. It was "Face in the Fog" and it was just as well not to have mentioned it. Tonight's picture was an oldie, Carol Lombard and Charles Laughton in "They Got What They Were After." I didn't see it because I went to the party.
     So darling another of my monologues is just about finished. However it would be incomplete unless I told you how much I love you. How much? Well how deep is the ocean? How high is the sky? That Sweet will give you a rough idea about "how much."
     Good night honey, it is past midnight and time I turned in.

Yours alone

Gil

Shore Launch