Dart is in an uncharacteristically forlorn state of mind today. He’s tired of the suspense about Japan. Did they really make an offer to surrender? Will Uncle Sam accept it? Is this blasted war over or not?

He’s also disgusted with his current assignment. Why couldn’t he have gone to Boston, Brooklyn or Philadelphia? Why must he be stuck in this “forsaken, good-for-nothing hole”? (Wasn’t he speaking kindly of the place just last week?) All he wants is to be out of the Navy and back with Dot and everything else he loves.

Right now, he’s almost wishing he was a drinker so he could go out and “pitch a drunk to end all drunks,” but people who do such things disgust him, so he can’t allow himself that indulgence. He warns her not to come near him or he’s liable to bite off her pretty head. “If you can love me after you’ve seen me in a humor like this, that’s all I can ask.”

He returns later in the day to write more. He reports that after ironing a suit of whites, eating two hearty meals and sleeping most of the afternoon, he’s feeling much better. “To be so much nearer than we were, yet  so far and unable to see each other seems to make me much ore homesick than a beautiful sunset at Ulithi or the most lonely watch at sea. Another thing that makes me that way is that so many of my shipmates are being married or having their wives come down here to live. There are still a few single fellas with whom I’ve made a couple of liberties but two of them were up at Lake Sunapee when I was at liberty yesterday.”

He’s learned that he might be able to get a 72-hour liberty when Burke is home, giving him 24-hours in Cleveland. That would mean he wouldn’t have to use leave time to see his brother. He wishes he knew more about when his leave might come up so he can start making definite plans.

He warns Dot to get caught up on her sleep because there won’t be much time for that during his 30-day leave. He wants to meet all the folks in Greenwich he hasn’t yet met, go sailing with the Millers, introduce her to some people in Cleveland and dance (a lot!) with his fiancé. He wants to spend at least a week in Connecticut and for her to spend at least that long in Cleveland.

He takes up a topic that’s been troubling him for some time. He recalls that she once wrote that she’s against long engagements with indefinite endings, but he’s concerned about their financial security. He wants them to have enough joint income that they won’t have to live with either set of parents, or ask their folks for financial help. He wants to finish his education so that he’ll have a more successful career, whatever that may be.

He plans to take full advantage of the GI Bill, but there are still serious problems with them getting married while they are both still in college. On the other hand, there may be more problems if they wait until after school to get married. It’s a problem for which he has not yet found a solution.

While it looks as though the war may be over soon, it’s still likely to be a long time before Dart is free from his obligation to the Navy. He wants very much to be engaged to Dot, to tell people she’s his future wife, to have that sacred agreement between them – but he doesn’t want to involve her in that entanglement if she’s uncomfortable with the uncertain timeframe. It’s something they’ll have to discuss seriously – and soon.

Changing topics, he tells her that last night, as he walked along the streets near the river, listening to the echoing whistles from nearby ships, he had a sense of impending disaster, even while the world talks of peace. “It seemed to be something in connection with the atomic bomb. A sense of guilt or remorse at it’s now being the lot of our country to develop that most dreadful weapon. Now we as a nation have an even greater heritage than the preservation of Democracy; that of keeping this bomb safe from the hands of those criminals who may use it to start another war.” That statement gave me chills. We’ve not been entirely successful at controlling the proliferation of atomic weapons. Did anyone imagine in 1945 that in 70 years we’d still be embroiled in trying to contain what we had put out into the world?

Because Dot suggested that he should try to let her know in advance when he plans to call her, he is now telling her that he’ll try on Sunday, August 19, although there may be something that pops up to prevent him from making the call.

She guessed correctly that a liberty he mentioned recently was in Panama. He’ll try to write to her with all the details because it was a beaut. Writing about it will keep him in practice.

He’s curious about what Cynthia wants to see him about, but he’ll make plans to honor her request when he’s in Greenwich. He’s glad to know that Gordon will receive his CEM rate in November, if the rates aren’t frozen by then. Better still, he should spend his time hoping that Gordon will be stationed in the States by November.

He ends this letter with “Quite a bit of excitement a few minutes ago. Some wild rumors of peace. Whistles, shouts, dancing around the room.”

Dot was happy to get two letters from Dart on Saturday – one of them so thick the postman had to add a stamp to it. She wonders why his letters still have to be censored. I wonder the same thing.

She and Janie went horseback riding the other day, as planned. Although they both made it home alive, there was a time when Dot thought only Janie would be able to make that claim. Something went wrong as Dot was trying to post in the saddle and her horse took off on a wild tear. Dot was clinging to Belle’s neck with all her strength while her feet dragged along on the ground and her life passed before her eyes. Somehow, she managed to scream and the horse “condescended to come to a stop” just as Dot was sure she could hold on no longer.

On Saturday night, Dot went to the movies with Janie, El and her folks to see “Christmas in Connecticut,” with Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan. Seeing all that ice and snow on the screen really helped cool them all off, and she can’t remember when she’s laughed harder.

Like the rest of the nation, Dot’s ear has been tuned to the radio reports from Washington. She wishes Japan would just hurry up and admit they’re licked and get this thing over with. She hopes the end to the war will mean he’ll be in this country for good. She begs him to get out of the Navy as soon as possible and to not volunteer for any special assignments. She reminds him that she didn’t join the WAVES, the Cadet Nurse Corps or work in a defense plant, so he owes her this one little favor. Seeing an end to bell-bottomed trousers and navy blue coats will not break her heart one little bit.

No letters tomorrow, but Dart will return on the 14th.