Postmarked July 28, 1945

July 25, 1945

Dear Folks,

Hope you are al feeling O.K. As you can see it's the old story, I can't tell you anything as to where we are or what we are doing, except that we are somewhere at sea.

This ship, as you can guess, is quite a bit different from a D.E. In some respects better, in that their are more facilities than we had. But the Witter was a fighting ship with a crew too match, and she really has the spirit. I didn't think so when I was on her tho, then I was always griping about it. It just show you that a guy is never satisfied, altho I was lucky getting transferred when I did. I hope the next time I come home it will be for good.

I guess you people have been sweating out the dog days of mid-summer while I am enjoying the cool sea breezes etc.

I guess Dorothy is having a good time at camp, and Ralph is having a better time now that she is gone.

Naturally, we haven't had any mail for seeral days, but I hope we will find some waiting for us when we hit port.

I guess that's all for now.

All my love,

Paul

Samar Log July, 1945

Following shakedown, Samar sailed for the Panama Canal Zone.

Arriving at Coco Solo on 28 July [1945], she transited the canal and departed Balboa on the 29th. En route to Pearl Harbor, she received word of the Japanese surrender but continued on across the Pacific.

Postmarked July 20, 1945

July 17, 1945
Norfolk, Va.

Dear Folks,

Got Ralph's letter and I sure had a good laugh hearing about Vickies exploits and especially Uncle Willie's "faux pas." I can just picture the whole think and I bet it was a riot. I guess Uncle Will will look at signs in the future when he opens a restroom door.

Its been raining almost steadily for the past week and I mean really raining. I sure am glad I have my raincoat for without it I could never have even left the ship it has been pouring so hard and you no how long it would take to soak a pair of white in a heavy downpour. about 5 seconds.

How is the meat situation. The reason i ask is that the other night I had a steak in a restaurant that would know your eye out to see. It was over a foot square. i must have weighed over a pound and was juicy and tender. For $1.75 it was the best steak I ever had in a restaurant. You would ordinarily pay that for one half its size. I wish I could have taken a picture of it to send you. All right, Ralph, stop drooling all over the paper.

That's about all so I will close

With all my love,

Paul

Postmarked July 14, 1945

Norfolk, Va.
July 14, 1945

Dear Folks,

Got your letter of July 9 and was glad to hear from you. I tried to get the weekend but it was no dice. I don't imagine will be around hear much longer.

As I told you over the phone, I saw one of the Levine kids the other day. I don't know which one as I still can't tell you apart. He's on an aircraft carrier that got hit and is in for repairs and wll probably be in for several months. It just shows how some guys get the breaks.

Any day now, I guess we wil be headed for the big ditch. I I hope we cross the equator so I can take it out on those poor polywogs and make up for the beating I took going across. Oh, I admit it was fun, but it will be lots more fun dishing it out than it was taking it.

I can't think of much more to tell. I hope Ralph does not miss Dorothy too much now that she is at camp. I can just picture him eating his heart out.

Hoping to hear from you soon, I close with

All my love,

Paul

Postmarked July 10, 1945

July 9, 1945

Dear Folks,

Sorry I haven't written in so long but as I told you over the phone, we were out for a couple of weekends & I didn't have the chance.

I got your package with the swimming trunks and sent the towels and skivvies you asked for yesterday. I hope you get them O.K.

I tried to get the week-end off to come home but it was do use. It looks like we won't be around here much longer.

As you can guess it is plenty hot down here, as as bad as the Pacifac.

I guess everything at home is running normally and I imagine it is pretty quiet around the house with Dotty gone off to cap. I bet it just breaks Ralph's hear.

That's about all, so I will close with,

All my love,

Paul