Aboard the USNS Meigs
August 19, 1953
Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper
Well Sunday night after I called you I went back to the barracks and we ate breakfast about midnight. Then about 2 am we started loading on trucks and they took us to the ferry boat. The ferry boat was an old passenger ferry boat. It was about 4 am before the ferry was loaded and we left the army dock at
Pittsburg. It was about 9:30 when we got to the Army Dock at Ft. Mason. Ft. Mason is right next to Fisherman's Wharf where we all were that day you visited. We rode by it that day in the boat that day when we went around Alcatraz.
The dock is painted, red, white and blue. We unloaded there and the Red Cross gave us coffee and cookies. We got on the boat than waited all day till 3pm before we left. The army band was there and played music.
The tug boats pulled us out in the bay. We sat there until about 5pm before we left.
We had a fire drill etc.
It got foggy before the sun went down. We went under the Golden Gate Bridge shortly after 5pm.
I didn't get seasick at all till later on.
Our compartment is really crowded. There are over 500 men in it. Our bunks are stacked four high. It is so crowded you can hardly move. No fresh air at all. Our bunks are kind of rectangle shaped steel pipe frames with rope holding canvas. They are comfortable. One blanket a pillow and no sheets. I am on the top bunk which I like OK. More room on top of you.
Tues morning we were on KP till around 3 in the afternoon. We really have good food. I got sick on KP. It was so hot down there and the ship rocked all the time. I went to bed about 6:00 this morning.
Today is Wednesday Aug 19, 1953. This is the first chance I have had to write since I got on ship. I think I will write one letter all the way because it will save stamps and I just as well write it all in one letter because it wont be mailed till we hit port anyway.
Not much to do but walk around deck. It is crowded every place you go. I think we must be about 800 miles out now. We travel about 20 knots per hour.
The water is real dark blue and that is all you can see, the sea. It is cloudy this morning but the sun got through in spots and when it hits the eater it's really pretty. This afternoon it should clear up a little bit. It was clear yesterday. The air is just right. Worm and not to hot or cold.
Continued..............
August 19, 1953
Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper
Well Sunday night after I called you I went back to the barracks and we ate breakfast about midnight. Then about 2 am we started loading on trucks and they took us to the ferry boat. The ferry boat was an old passenger ferry boat. It was about 4 am before the ferry was loaded and we left the army dock at
Pittsburg. It was about 9:30 when we got to the Army Dock at Ft. Mason. Ft. Mason is right next to Fisherman's Wharf where we all were that day you visited. We rode by it that day in the boat that day when we went around Alcatraz.
The dock is painted, red, white and blue. We unloaded there and the Red Cross gave us coffee and cookies. We got on the boat than waited all day till 3pm before we left. The army band was there and played music.
The tug boats pulled us out in the bay. We sat there until about 5pm before we left.
We had a fire drill etc.
It got foggy before the sun went down. We went under the Golden Gate Bridge shortly after 5pm.
I didn't get seasick at all till later on.
Our compartment is really crowded. There are over 500 men in it. Our bunks are stacked four high. It is so crowded you can hardly move. No fresh air at all. Our bunks are kind of rectangle shaped steel pipe frames with rope holding canvas. They are comfortable. One blanket a pillow and no sheets. I am on the top bunk which I like OK. More room on top of you.
Tues morning we were on KP till around 3 in the afternoon. We really have good food. I got sick on KP. It was so hot down there and the ship rocked all the time. I went to bed about 6:00 this morning.
Today is Wednesday Aug 19, 1953. This is the first chance I have had to write since I got on ship. I think I will write one letter all the way because it will save stamps and I just as well write it all in one letter because it wont be mailed till we hit port anyway.
Not much to do but walk around deck. It is crowded every place you go. I think we must be about 800 miles out now. We travel about 20 knots per hour.
The water is real dark blue and that is all you can see, the sea. It is cloudy this morning but the sun got through in spots and when it hits the eater it's really pretty. This afternoon it should clear up a little bit. It was clear yesterday. The air is just right. Worm and not to hot or cold.
Continued..............
