I received your letter today as we will be sailing early in the morning for Honolulu. I will tell you how glad I am when you said “yes”. When I read your letter it seem that I had been lost all my life and found the most happiness thing to live for.

Sam’s Birthday is September 15 that will be the code for the date we will arrive in San Diego or any name stating date so you understand what date we will arrive back.

Gee jack I wish I had more time off while you are out here, so I could be with you more.

An excerpt from “The Life Story of a lucky Tennessee Sailor that Lived to Retire” by Abb R. Truett:
November, 1940, as we came up from the south to New York on a Standard Oil tanker, I was called by the Navy for active duty. The Navy dispatched me to the U.S.S. Santee at Baltimore as a Commissioned Officer. The U.S.S. Santee at that time was on oil tanker rigged for fueling ships at sea.