Search

Theorizes that the reason that they cannot release as many people is because of all the sailors returning from the Pacific and being released first; hears that a show at the Ship’s Company theatre was delayed a half hour so that the CO and his group could finish ice cream sundaes. Feels that the Navy should pay him and other yeomen more money since they need them so much as to keep them longer than other sailors; talks about expanding a furniture for cash business he used to run. Talks about his interaction with Martin, a German PoW; talks about how the way to get towards true racial integration is to find the way to have people “want to treat Negroes like any other human being.” Gets a call in the middle of the night from a man who was supposed to leave at 0005 and the dispatcher read it as 0500. Talks with Kennedy about the way the demobilization is going. Thinks about compiling a list of music that would interest “infants and youngsters.” Has now been in the Navy for 2 years; wonders more about the “freezing” of yeomen; talks about his political affiliations in college. He and Lew talk with a man named Phillips, who is a Zionist and wants to have more information about Jews and other racial minorities in the Camp library; says that the Chaplins’ School at William and Mary is closing. Writes about how Bill Maudlin is now satirizing service officialdom; the Navy is reclaiming all mattresses issued to men when they arrived.

Finally gets information about where he is moving, and when. Gets an interview to assign him to a specific separation center. Sends a lot of things he wants at home through the mail to Esther, instead of packing them. Finally gets the date and time that he will be leaving. Starts trying to say goodbye to people from the camp. Starts filling out all sorts of forms. Sends his last letter from the Camp.

Writes a letter detailing his morning routine at the Camp, probably from early in his stay there. Talks about people in a stay at the Williamsburg Lodge. Hears Lew talk about how Dorislee is immature; visits the Personnel Office and has fun pointing out two mistakes they made. Camp has been receiving letters from men who have been transferred. Talks about his feelings on his assignment to and at Peary and the way other men think of their assignments. Talks about a Romanian, now a US citizen, working at Peary. Talks about how the situation is in the office after Frankie has left, and how much work he does. Talks to Phillips about libraries and their purpose. Talks about plays at the Nixon Theater, which is in Pittsburgh. Thinks that if the war were to go on for another year or so, he might try to work for the UNRRA[United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration]. Sees nothing but grave potential danger in the after-war period. Talks about “books on and by Negroes.” Talks about marks that Lt. Kennedy gave out to the men. Thinks he might be able to get a GE electric iron. Writes what someone, possibly Lt. Kennedy, wrote for his recommendation for commission. Talks about race riots in Philadelphia. Sees families at the pool; sees the movie “See My Lawyer;” hears that trains are being cancelled for troop movements. Hears about men being moved and reassigned. Hears a bit from men still in shock about Roosevelt’s death. Talks about how the boot recruits and the chiefs are so eager to learn and get out of Peary, and Recht just calmly does his job. Talks about how nice it was to hear Esther and Sid on the phone; discusses transportation to Williamsburg, and its difficulties. Talks about sending food back to home. Hears about more men leaving for Cleveland and elsewhere. Does not see any of the men from his original barracks anymore; hears that most lawyers who come in believe they should be in administration or the legal department. Hears about a sailor who was in the hospital for 74 days but is still in the service. Talks about what he misses about Pittsburgh. Talks about the wife of another family, whose husband is also in the military, moving in with Esther; hears about the possible closing of the Camp. Hears some of the opinions the seamen have for yeomen. Writes a letter on Recht’s Furniture letterhead. Hears that the Captain of the Camp believes that the war is being fought to save Christianity. Two letters from the summer of 1940, written to an Eleanor, and not written by Herman Recht; letters have holes cut out of them, indicating censorship.

Thinks there will be a heightening of United States, British, and Chinese forces against the Japanese. The war will cause terrible scars and the people will continue to be greedy bastards. The cousin of “Louise” teaches music at William and Mary. –Music Department should hold a series of concerts for servicemen. Reading another Irwin Edman book, “Candle in the Dark” and “Yesterday is Dead” by Stuart Cloete. Has the German measles and is in sick bay—first time ever in the hospital. Radio says that journalist, Raymond Clapper has died in a bomber over the Marshall Islands. Has had ice cream every day since he arrived at the camp. Americans may take Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. Much increase in war bond sales since stories of Japanese atrocities became known.. Harold Ickes has announced that U.S. will construct a 1,200 mile pipe line from the Persian Gulf to the eastern Mediterranean. Listening to Mahler’s 4th Symphony played by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Food isn’t hot and half the time no salt or sugar. Thinks Germany will surrender with the next six months or so. Wishes that music departments at William and Mary and the University of Richmond would create a joint concert series. Hear a broadcast from Mexico City of Elias Breeskin’s group. New cereal –bran with raisins-amazed that both are in a single box. Heard Herbert Marshall and Monty Wooley singing “Mairzy Dotes.”

70,000 people at Camp Peary, 1,400 arrive in one day---all clothes stenciled “H.Recht”—gross pay $50; has worked in journalism, law and family furniture store; knows German, French and Yiddish; Address: Herman Recht, A.S., Plat. 1678, Area C-8, Camp Peary, Va.—75% of fellow sailors are married; HR is “almost 35” years old—barracks mates know that he is a lawyer; refers to request by Marian Anderson that the Daughters of the American Revolution suspend, for her concert, its segregated seating policy { In 1939 the DAR refused to let her sing in Constitution Hall); a military film shown on the base about “Jugoslavs” was not “unadulterated”

Got his first issue of the New Leader. Thinks it’s anti-communist but socialist. Oil line from the Persian Gulf to Alexandria will help ships in the Mediterranean area and those coming through the Suez Canal into waters near Burma and India. Western terminus may be Haifa. Reading “The Lone Wolf” – has succumbed to mysteries. Has read one by Raymond Chandler. Too late to find a “Will You Be My Valentine?” “Why do I need one?—you is my Valentine you is.” Hopes Esther can again spend 5 or 6 days at the Williamsburg Lodge. Read “The Great Impersonator” Heard from Louise’s cousin who teaches music at William and Mary. Hopes to attend a concert with her; Miss [Natalie Jena] Rosenthal. Fellow Seabee is going to IBM School at the camp. “That’s International Business Machines—big and complex things that punch out the card records.” A few hundred men are in the camp brig. New enlarged library. A “shul”, a synagogue for Orthodox and Chasidiim Jews has been built at the camp—the first for the Navy.

He is the only Jew in the barracks—other men are about age 28-38, mostly technicians. Sailors on 12-hour leave go to Williamsburg since they may not make it back from Richmond on time. Refers to Seabees in Casablanca, Sicily, and Salerno. He will be promoted from Apprentice Seamen (A.S.) to 2d Class Seaman and maybe to 1st Class Seamen at the end of boot camp. Volunteers for yeoman duty when call made for typists—plays chess—men 35 and older exempted from the obstacle course—regularly visits a rabbi. Tells Esther that he doesn’t save her letters because he doesn’t want to make himself homesick.

Helps other servicemen with their income tax forms. Esther receives a $50 monthly allowance from the government. Refers to Victory Tax, a wartime income tax. Got his transcripts in case he applies for a commission. He was 12th in a law class of 69. Finds the service is stressful—asks Esther to withhold some of her remarks about her unhappy lot. Received a letter of recommendation from Dr. [Judson Adams] Crane, Dean of the [University of Pittsburgh] law school. Couldn’t get a room in the Lodge for the Saturday and Sunday of her visit. They will stay in a house on Cary Street, off Jamestown Road; the landlord’s name is Whitacre. Talked to a “negro” from New York about treatment of blacks by whites; New Yorker can’t understand why blacks are not accepted as humans like other people and treated accordingly. He must restrain his temper at times when he would prefer not to and remain quietly satisfied knowing that an ignoramus is that regardless of race or rating. Talked to the Chief Petty Officer in charge of libraries and there may he an opening. Reading “They Shall Not Sleep” by Leland Stowe. Saw Hedy Lamarr in “The Uninvited.”