At Sea 

Sept. 6. 1945 

My Very darling: 

We just found out that our orders have been changed and instead of going to Guam, we've changed our course and are headed for Leyte again. I don't know why, as we have thirty or forty passengers going back to the states for discharge besides the thirty or forty men aboard our ship who have enough points. But that's the Navy for you. You never can plan on anything from one minute to the next. 

My opinion is that we'll be back in the states within ninety days. The Navy will have to decommission this ship before long, as she was built for the Maritime Commission and taken over by the Navy with the understanding it would be turned over to them six months after the war. After we get back, it would take a couple months to strip all the Navy gear off it and convert it over to all cargo. 

So, in that case, we can't have long to do out here. Besides, as soon as we get to Leyte, there are engineers coming aboard to inspect our boilers. If they're too bad, we may get home even quicker than that. 

Enclosed, is an advertisement, I guess, which I picked up in the ticket office of a theatre in Yokohama, Japan. We weren't to enter any of the buildings but you know me. In fact, very few of us got ashore. I big-dealed a rifle and two clips of ammunition and snuck over in one of the boats hauling supplies. I stayed about four or five hours and came back the same way. 

Well, darling, I suppose this will foul up our mail again and we won't get any for another month, but I just know you're OK and I love you so very much! 

Loads of Love and Kisses,