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November 23, 1945:
We boarded ship (the U.S.S. Hermitage) and set sail on Thanksgiving
Day (most appropriate to be thankful). We sailed through the
Mediterranean Sea and passed the Rock of Gibraltar on November
24, 1945. Then headed on the high seas of the Atlantic - destination
New York.
We spent eleven days on the high seas. It
was on this trip that would change the course of my life. I secured
information from the shipÕs library and read up on the
G.I Bill of Rights. So I decided that I would go to college.
After a lot of thought I decided to major
in Agriculture. I concluded, that from my observations in a defeated
Germany, that the farmer had it the best. He wasn't begging for
food, he drove the hardest bargain when dickering for schnapps.
The German farm family seemed to be dressed better than other
Germans. In fact the farmer seemed less affected by the war than
any other German.
NOTE: I never regretted this decision.
I'd do it all over again.
We played pinochle, poker, shot craps, and
were in a very happy frame of mind. The trip was a smooth one
and I used to stand on top deck just watching and being mesmerized
by the parting waves that the ship created as we sailed on. It
was very common to see a school of whales. Finally, we begin
to see sea gulls following us. This means we are approaching
land.
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