1st Journey

It is Dec 1944. I am stationed at Terminal island – between Long Beach and San Pedro. I arrived here in mid Nov from Navy Officers Indoctrination School in Ft Schuyler in upper New York City. I am assigned to a new Ship – Gardiners Bay AVP 39. It is near completion in Seattle Wash. Our crew is being put together at Terminal Island. My assignments are Signal Officer, Air and quartermaster Division Officer, Asst Navigator, and Asst Air Officer. I acquired other duties as time went on. My special training here is 1 week ship handling on board a 45′ boat with 4 other trainees, 1 week of fire fighting, 1 week of Navy signal training and 2 weeks at a special highly classified Loran Navy Navigation school at Treasure Island between Oakland and San Francisco the 2 weeks prior to Christmas.

When I arrived at Terminal Island they assigned me in the BOQ (Bachelors Officers Quarters). I stayed there a week and a fellow Officer was staying in Long Beach with the E W Vicks. He was in a big room in a small mansion and said I could stay with them. In the BOQ I had to do duty on the week-ends. So I moved in with the Vicks. He was a diamond setter – jeweler that made rings for Hollywood stars among others. They had 2 sons in the military service. The Vicks invited me to eat with them about half the time when I was there. I got to know them as real good friends. He later made Madell’s wedding rings and then later Madell & I visited them and they took us to the horse races at Santa Anita. The Vicks were both chain smokers of Lucky Strikes. They couldn’t get them off base – so I bought 4 packs for 15 cents a pack every time I went by the PX.

When I left after Christmas to go to Seattle – I left 1/2 full of Lucky Strikes – they thought they had struck “lode”. When I left Hong Kong China in Feb 1946 to come Destroyer – we landed in Terminal Island in early March. Vicks and they came and picked me up and I stayed with while I as being processed and being released to inactive. When I arrived back from Treasure Island the weekend before Christmas in 1944 all of my crew had already shipped out to Seattle. I had my orders also to report to Seattle. My cousin Helen Capps and her husband Griffin lived in Ontario, Calif. Her mother Cora Hurley lived a block up the street from her. Cora was my Papa Roy Whitson’s oldest sister. I spent 2 or 3 days with them over Christmas. We talked about old times and I learned more about Papa’s family from Aunt Cora. Then I went back to the Vicks and packed up my belongings in my 4 Navy suitcases and caught the train to Seattle. I had a bunk on the train and is was a great overnight ride up the coast. Our Ship was not finished but the living quarters were and I checked in and lived with 5 other Junior Officers in my new quarters on board.

Gelsey, you have a tape recorder and you are good at using it for a 5 yr old. We have a tape that you sent us for Christmas that we will always keep. You made another that I would like to have. It is a tape of you singing. Your 2 yr old Bro Nathan will not go to sleep without that tape playing in his bed. He says “Gelsey sings – Gelsey sings” and they have to put your tape in his bed and then he goes to sleep with you singing. A young Patsy Cline you are not at the time – but he thinks so. Merry Christmas – I Love you – Paw Paw.

Dale Whitson March 2008.