PRL TE TEE ee UNE CARH ae

 

-
The Philippines
Dear Claire: ‘

UR,

We have been working ail day end up to 11 or 12 at nite letel; » and I have little
time to write. But I shell write this letter in in detail, little by little if n :
until it ig complete. Because, you see, I have seen Bill end telked with him, and I
know what it will mean to you end the folks to hear at first hend all about our meeting.

In this letter I shall not mention either the name or nunber of 2111's ship,

 

# which would violate security if

 
 
 
  

 

i . ony a resadved | & _— eal free Fe Paeet Oper~ |
‘ |

2 i neisunisy eine sili, ts tiem: spin & jeep end drove up to Fleet
d teres I was able to locate on a harbor chart, the exact location of the berth,

 

went to look for Bill's ship. te aretiea tte igi brah to at Ste :

t Cinss. At neon yester : } and 1 iumedistely sterted

to bother Nevy Operations. Thay could tal) mo nothing ef the inetion, but I finally
prevailed upon the signel officer te inte: t priority messages to try and raise the

ship by voice signal, but she didn't respond, You can well imagine what a dis

experience it was, knowing Bill was heresbouts and not being able to find hin. te She athens
noon, I went out again on the picket beat, without much hope. This time I bad o pair

of field glasses, After shout an hour of oruiaiz up the coast, I picked up the

silhoustte of a ship of the proper class, lying about two miles off to ster-board. Fe

went up to her and discovered thet she was « sister ship. Portunstely, I had the

M, which was enchored ebout 10 miles northesst. By this tine it wes growing quite late
and I was already overdue at the Flogship, to pick up our officer, However, we set
ae ee ee ee

    

 

 

. i : I was able te make out om the bow the aumbers I had been looking
ohh ‘eenwtie Bauathe Gecen teil: Imagine what « thrill it wes! We came slongside end
I hailed the Officer of the Deck end requested zermisaion to cone aboard. When be :
learned thet I had a brother aboerd, he wae most cordial, and celled Bill over the
announcer systems "Seanen firet cless Alien, report to the quarterdeck immediately.”
We chatted while waiting for Bill and suddenly I looked up end there he stood!

We stood and looked at each other for @ moment. I had the most curious sense of
uareality. Te see that boy, aboard a wicked little war ship, anchored in one of the |
| Spots in the world, the straits between two famous islends. %e shook hands end
| sort of embraced exch other and then I stood off to get « good look at him. Claire se
he looks grendt He is the seme #illie; ‘Af enything he looks younger than he did. lle
ae sivkpped to the waist and wes wensing bise dumneres ponte aad mnaauone, Around hia
ueck he wore « shell necklace. He is bronzed by the sum, well filled ont and ae healthy
leoking as # young panther. tho je Eran? nape liga cay roughed chem Ia
rd alan apathy iprind we 8 Sigs | ry blue. stniite taaieek Maen —

'S :