15 October 1944

A typical day aboard ship proceeds about as follows:

6:30: Reveille. Hit the deck. All hands turn to. Getting up, dressed, washed, and brushed and then getting a bit of air on one of the open decks.

8:45: Our deck goes to chow. This takes about 25 minutes after which we go on deck again and spend the rest of the day there looking at the water and carrying and bull sessions, talking to WACs or entering one of the eternal poker or crap games. This is the only thing there is to do. Weather is getting warmer daily. We have freedom of the ship, except the boat deck and engine room and bridge.

16:45: Afternoon chow.

1800-1845: Blackout on ship. Lights in our compartment are always turned out at this time. No smoking on the open decks. If you want to read you must sit on the floor in the passageways or foyers.

1900: Taps. Everyone in quarters.

The above routine covers what activities go on aboard ship. We followed this without variation for 13 days. On the 19^th we crossed the International Date Line and therefore October 20, 1944 was checked off the calendar and as far as we were concerned it didn’t exist. Also on the 17^th we crossed the Equator and were issued membership cards in the Shellbacks by order of his majesty Neptunus Rex. The days that followed were routine and do not warrant comment.