13,005km apart

December 7, 2015

Cape Town is seven hours ahead of Pittsburgh. 

Pearl Harbor is 12 hours behind Cape Town and 6 hours behind Pittsburgh.

While Dad was writing in his journal at one in the afternoon aboard the USS Dickman Pearl Harbor was not yet under attack.  It was six am in Pittsburgh.

Roughly seven hours later while Marcella was writing in her journal-we can estimate a December afternoon would be between 12 and 4 thirty when it’s get dark-or almost the same time Charles had written, she had just heard the news of the attack on the radio.

13,005km apart  8080 miles

12/7/41         19^th day out—Man o man!  what a night we had, I noticed it first when I went on watch, the sea was really kicking up, in fact it’s the worst I have ever experienced so far.  It caused quite a bit of damage aboard ship for instance, in sick bay shelves, literally shelves of medicine were toppled off and broke, desks, file cabinets were turned over, dental equipment was wrecked, dishes were broken, in the pay office a safe weighing more than a ton broke loose and broke up desks, typewriters, file cabinets and what have you!  The galley was thrown into disorder, and everywhere aboard ship something was overturned or wrecked.  It was all so unexpected but still to look at the tremendous waves from the deck with the moon and stars shining on our port side and they coming at us on the starboard beam, well, it was something magnificent to behold.  It is 1300 now and its still plenty rough, I haven’t heard what the extent of the damage was.—It has been said we are to arrive in Cape Town the day after to-morrow.—I have the 1600 to 2000 watch, so  Lights out.

Dec-7-1941 Sun afternoon.

Dear Charles,

           Was sitting in the living room, and wondering where you were and what you were doing. We have just had a broadcast that Japan has fired on Pearl Harbor and also, on a transport in other words did not declare war on U.S. just fired with out any warning, well, we are in it now and May God help our Navy and Air Corp.

I attended a mass special for you this morning Charles.

It is possible Marcella Ranagan went to mass at the same time Charles was writing in his journal.  Her thoughts were with his thoughts and his thoughts were with her thoughts. 

5:54pm—Said Wali took me to the bank this morning and I wrote and signed a letter which the bank said they would scan and send to the Kabul bank and let’s see within three days, will I have an atm card.

9:00pm—booking rooms, getting advice, listening to Bocelli Christmas music, what’s missing aside from the obvious.

Such a stressful time yesterday, I have been better today, thanks for asking.  Going to the bank helped allay my worries to a manageable level and the rest of the day, what did I do but read journals.

My four thirty class didn’t come.  They didn’t come on Saturday either.  I don’t care if they come or not.  I told them on the day of their final test last week we would only have six classes before I left and I think they all want a breather, which is fine with me. 

So, tomorrow I’ll give a test and I still have to plan for tomorrow night’s last conversation conversation class.  I did nothing today to plan for it, maybe I’ll look a little, I don’t want the stress and if I go into the class not prepared for two hours I’ll slowly encourage everyone to slip out quietly humming ave maria. 

And speaking of Maria a student wanted me to write down the Hail Mary prayer I said for him as I showed him how the rosary worked.  Isn’t that the funniest thing you’ve ever heard today?