A Mother's Sea Voyage Log

What to do on a 23-day Atlantic crossing from New York City to Bremerhaven, Germany? Keep a daily log, of course. Margaret Warren, a 38-year old Army officer's wife from a small town in the Kansas Flint Hills with three sons, Robert 12, David 9 and Charles 6, was on her first journey out of the States to make a new home in Occupied Germany where her husband, an Army major had been stationed for the past several months. Christmas would come late this year for the Warren family, but not too soon for Margaret. Here's her diary of the trip, with no mid-voyage entries, presumably because she didn't like to repeat herself:

Friday, December 5, 1947: At 12:30 we were loaded into buses and taken to Staten Island by ferry where we boarded the ship (USS Huddleston). We embarked at 4:00 O’clock. The NY skyline was foggy. We could see Manhattan and the skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty in the distance. The sea was very calm, but I was sick before dinner, after dinner and at Midnight.

Saturday, December 6, 1947: The boys were sick. I took David to the dispensary for cough medicine. I was beginning to feel better. Everyone else was sick.

Sunday, December 7, 1947: I almost lost my voice. Went to the dispensary for treatment and got nose drops and APCs. Charles went to Sunday school and I went to church. Charles and David were sick, but went to the show. The weather was nice then changeable. Everyone sick.

Monday, December 8, 1947: The sea was rough last night. The boat rocked all night. I slept very little. There were plenty of dishes and furniture rattling this morning. Language class at 11:00 O’clock. Went to the show tonight. David went after seasick medicine this morning. Gave some to Charles too. The boys all OK tonight. Went to bed at 11:00.

Tuesday, December 9, 1947: Went up on deck everyday possible. I saw I Cover Big Town Wednesday and Holiday in Mexico Thursday. We had a strong E-SE wind and made slow time for several days. Played bingo in the afternoon.

Sunday, December 14, 1947: Went to church. Chaplain Cheatum gave the sermon. Went to community sing in the afternoon. Chicken pox broke out on board ship.

Monday, December 15, 1947: A beautiful day. Went to last German class and played bingo in the afternoon. Stayed up for coffee, but didn’t sleep afterwards. Monday night Charles coughed.

[No entries: December 16 through 22]

Tuesday, December 23, 1947: We have had good sailing the last week. I have read “Cannery Row” by John Steinbeck, parts of “My Home Town” by Senator Ford and “Chicken Every Sunday”. Saw a few shows. Everyday the same. I took out “The Building of Jalna” today. Saw Living in a Big Way. Roast duckling (for dinner).

Wednesday, December 24, 1947, The day before Christmas. Played bingo in the afternoon. Went to services at 10 O’clock and turned the clock up an hour and so to bed about 12:30 or so. Everybody celebrated till the wee hours so very little sleep the last 3 nights. Saw the lighthouse at Land’s End, at 9:45 lights of a city.

Thursday, December 25, 1947, Christmas aboard the Huddleston. We were awakened by Bing Crosby singing “Jingle Bells”. After breakfast we all went to the children’s party in the main lounge. Had lunch. A rest. Saw land in the morning. Passed the U.S.A.T. Belgium Victory about 3 P.M. Had a little bourbon before dinner, which helped my stomach ache. Had a wonderful dinner – grapefruit surprise, celery elives, roast turkey, peas, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, Waldorf salad, plum pudding with hard sauce and tea. After dinner spent a while in the loungeand then saw Claudette Colbert and Walter Pigeon in The Secret Heart. After the show, we had stopped . Saw the White Cliffs of Dover and lights of Dover. Took on the pilot. The Channel was very choppy. 36 hours to Bremerhaven. So to bed.