March 30, 1940

Navy ships are painted “haze gray” to make them less visible on the horizon, Francis Poltrack writes about this in a letter to the family,

March 30 - Interesting, is not it?
U.S.S. McCawley
Halo yoss!

     Scuttlebut flying thick and fast but this nautical heart refuses to be impressed. But I did receive your letter so therefore in order to have something to say in reply I herewith give to you the latest dope. (Straight dope. (or Scuttlebut which is a rumor in case you didn’t know)).

We’re going back to Guantanamo bay tomorrow. Where are we? Puerto Rico.
Maybe you’ve read about it but all  the ships are being painted “war” or “battle gray”.Sounds serious. My [Khakis?] also are war gray because I am very careless about where I sit or lean.

On April 12th we board the very good ship U.S.S. Barnet[?] bound for P.I. I repeat this is only Scuttlebut.

Ships I have been on:
U.S.S. Henderson
U.S.S. Little
U.S.S. Colhoun
U.S.S. Melville
U.S.S. McCawley
U.S.S. Wyoming (went to church)
U.S.S. Curry[?] Crossed it on way to Melville
U.S.S. (Don’t know the name of this one - bought candy on it)

Not much more to say 
See you later, yes?

Fran

P.S. (Going to chow, that’s why abrupt ending)


NOTE: Scuttlebutt is the correct spelling. There was a U.S.S Garnet and U.S.S Barnett, not certain which is being referenced in Fran’s letter.