Dec 19, 1942 [in a different hand]

XIV

have a different type of weather, and the se is beautiful beyond description, being a far deeper blue than the ocean you know at home. The sky is continually changing into thousands of shapes and colors, and I have stood on deck hours at a time, watching, watching, and wondering. I can well understand how a sailor can get to love the sea and never be completely happy on dry land. Most of the fellows find it monotonous and frightening, but I find it more fascinating all the time.  If I could, I would stay on deck all night, glorying in the cool breeze blowing in my face and staring at the turbulence and changiness in the constant and varying motions of the waves.

Going from the sublime to the ridiculous, I sit in here amidst the officers and can see no difference in their actions, make-ups, and conversations as compared to the enlisted men shoved down in the holds below. There is no gambling allowed on the ship, and they stop the men from gambling, when they see them with money showing, yet this wardroom has twenty card games in action now, and I doubt that any are for nothing. They use chepo, pencil and paper, other decks of cards, anything to disguise the gambling and settle at the end of the game. I think I’ll retire now and continue tomorrow, when I get the chance.

I’ll have to finish this letter, as I think we are approaching our destination very soon, and I want to get this letter into the proper hands, before the confusion starts around here. I’m in the best of health, thinking of you all always, and will write every chance I get. I don’t know about our new address as yet, so, if you want to, keep writing to my same address and perhaps the letters will all reach me.

I close with love to all and the hope that the wait will soon be over. Say hello to Naomi occassionaly for me.

Lots of Love,

                         Warren