Amanuensis Monday - Letters Home from William Robert Blades March 5 and March 15 1941

U.S.S. Livermore (429)

N.Y.C.  N.Y.

March 5, 1941

               

Dear Mom and Dad:

Had a fine time in Brunswick.  It was the first time that a big ship had ever been in Brunswick. The people were lined up on the dock from one end to the other.  We landed there Thursday and Friday.  Saturday and Sunday nights different clubs threw a big party and boy what a time.  They had us plastered all over the front page of the newspapers for four days.  We didn’t have to spend money for eats or drinks.  The people would do all the shouting.  Boy! I’ve seen the shock of my life when a little kid 5 years old boy came up to me and started to talk and he had a swollen jaw and I wondered what it was.  He had enough tobacco that would choke a horse and spitting away to beat the band.  The people never seen a ship as big as this and they thought it was the biggest ship in the world.  We even got into the movies and rode taxis at half price.  The people even came down in the cars to take us to church.  We left Brunswick Monday morning and got in Charleston last night.  We are going to Norfolk, VA.  March 12, and take on stoves, from there I don’t know where we go.  I am going to try and get leave in Norfolk if we stay there any length of time.  I will send some pictures and you send some pictures of Judy and the kids if you have any.  Give my regards to all the folks.

Lots of Love “Bill”

Charleston, SC

U.S.S. Livermore (429)

N.Y.C.  N.Y.

March 15, 1941

               

Dear Mom and Dad:

Getting along swell.  I am sending some newspaper clippings that I forgot to send from Brunswick, Georgia.  There is word going around that we might be in Provincetown, ass next Friday and then proceed to Boston.  How true it is I don’t know but every on is talking about it.  We are leaving here Tuesday morning and we might go to Boston or we might come back here.  We get paid today and I drew out $5.00 and left $5.00 on the books.  April 15, I will be getting $36.00 a month because I will be 2C Seaman the 29th of this month. 

Tomorrow I am setting up a mess for 18 men for breakfast dinner and supper for a fellow who has week-end liberty and I get $2.00 instead of going ashore and spending my pay.  They have mess boys who set up the tables and they get $5.00 extra a month besides their tips.  All we do is sit down at chow time and eat instead, like back at the training station when we had trays.  We were going to Norfolk, VA to take on stoves but we took them on here.  Show the clippings to the folks.  I will write again soon unless I come home unexpectedly.  Give my regards to the folks.

Lots of Love “Bill”