Ismir, Turkey

16 November 1952
"Well I just received the package that you sent me. I have opened it up and found the Reader's Digest and the can of cookies. I have eaten two of the brownies and have given one away already...I was going ashore with a couple of other fellows and see a camel fight. But about the last minute I decided against it as I am one fellow in a million that don't drink or go into places that sell it and the other fellows...would undoubtedly be drinking during some part of the day."

Cookies similar to the type Ruth would bake.

 

At Anchor...around the town of Ismir, Turkey

15 November 1952
"I received about 10 letters from you yesterday...Thanks a million for all the letter writing that you have done in the past few weeks...Did you know that Skip was operated on for appendicitis? He wrote me a letter from the hospital bed. Ellen stayed there all the time with him....I have written to Mom and Skip already and now I am writing to the sweetest little wife this side of nowhere."

 

13 November 1952
"Boy you should see all the "top brass" that we are having aboard this thing. We are having all sorts of Ambassadors and Ministers from all the foreign countries. Then we have Admiral Carney, he is in charge of all the forces in the Med. He is a four star admiral....Then we had some Army Generals from some of the countries over here. But I don't care how much brass there is on here, I just live the same way that I always have since I came on here."

Admiral Robert B. Carney USN

 

12 November 1952
"Do you still love me like you used to?...I just like to hear you say it again. We sure have had some good times together haven't we? I just hope that everything turns out for the best when we get together again. I mean that you get pregnant....The last time we just missed it...Well at least we have fun trying don't we?"

 

[still] At Sea on the Way to Ismir, Turkey

10 November 1952
"We are getting in some panties and bras but I don't know for sure when. Don't worry I'll be getting you some if I have to wear them myself....I just wish that I could give you something better than a trailer to live in. But you just wait Dear, someday we will have what we want....There was a fellow passing out cigars today. His wife gave him a baby girl...he was sure proud...I hope that I can do as good as he done."

 

9 November 1952
"Say, do you know what day this is...Just think, only two and a half months to go and I will be pulling into Norfolk again. I sure hope that you are on the dock again like you were when we came in from Cuba. Do you still remember the day. Well, I sure do, especially the nite....One of the fellows...said that I did not kiss you enough for being away from you so long. Well Darling, I hate to kiss you in public, as you very well know."

 

At Sea on the way to Ismir, Turkey

6 November 1952
"I am having a lot of troubles that I alone have to straighten out. I am beginning to believe that the sooner I get off this pig iron thing the better it will be for me. Now the division officer is trying to tell me that I am not doing my job right....I voted for Ike this year and I voted for the right one...I still love you like I always have."