| On our way to board the ship which
is to take us to foreign duty I talked with other G. I. 's and watched the
lights fade out in this city which represented home to some of these boys.
Here’s hoping they have a round trip ticket.
The first morning aboard the ship, which is a freighter converted into a
troop carrier, I learned we were just steaming out of the harbor. I rushed
to the upper deck in hopes of a last glimpse of "terra firma". One of the
numerous M.P.’s Put a quench to this curiosity. Seeing several officers
standing further down the rail I suddenly chanced my lot with theirs
thinking maybe the next M.P. wouldn't notice me, but the officers did. So
back to my allotted space below I went. It would be interesting to describe
our living quarters, but this in detail will be a story after the war is
over, however, I can [say] that we sleep on suspended bunks, horizontally
one G.I. commences where another leaves off, with a passage lengthwise
between each two rows of bunks, all bunks high. Each on his own "bed"
manages to store his own equipment and still sleep quite comfortably. Of
course there is the ever-present persistence in airing a few complaints.
The first major medical operation on any
member of our company occurred today when Pfc Harold Mann underwent
appendectomy. It is reported he, and the doctors who operated for the first
time at sea, are in good condition.
Many of us have especial assignments such as
standing watch, kitchen police, military police, messengers, all of which in
most cases is "a pain-in-the-neck" for those concerned. My assignment
happens to be that I work on The ship’s daily news paper. Today the other
G.l.’s who work on this assignment were stricken with "mal de mer", (sea
sickness to you and me). I am going to stop this rambling before I follow
suit. --30-- |
