forget their fear of bombs.

When we had left the States 
I had no idea what port we would dock,
so I had been unable
to contact my father.

He was at that time living 
just outside of and working in London.

While I was visiting there 
he was at work and no one was able
to contact him until after I had returned
to the ship.

Later my cousin was able
to get in touch with the port authorities 
and he and my father were given 
special permission 
to see me on board.

It was late when we finished talking.

One of the ship’s officers,
after hearing their story let them sleep 
in his cabin that night.

Next morning they went ashore 
and watched as we pulled out.

It had been quite an emotional time
for me as I had not seen my father 
since I had left England 
at the age of five and that turned out
to be the last time I was to see him.

Our next trip was
to France.

I believe this was where 
we picked up German Prisoners of War.

I do know when we were told 
we would pick up these prisoners 
a few nurses started to strip the beds 
as fast as we would make them up.

Most of us felt these German boys 
were only doing what they had been ordered
to do in the war.

Our chief nurse talked
to these nurses and from then on 
things were back to normal.

Our stay in Cherbourg was brief 
but we did visit the town.

We were impressed by the sight 
of the beautiful flowers being sold 
in the market area.

But we were rather horrified
to see bread unwrapped,
being sold,
with flies buzzing around it.

After leaving Cherbourg that trip 
instead of heading back
to our usual home port of Charleston,
South Carolina we went
to New York City.

We arrived on VJ Day.

That evening many of us celebrated 
at Times Square.

The bells rang and the horns blew.

Everyone was glad the war was over.

In New York,
I believe,
one or two of our nurses got off the ship
to be discharged.

Other ones got on.

One was Lt. Sylvia Bromberg.

She and I became good friends 
and have remained so since.

The next trip took us down 
the Atlantic Coast 
into the Caribbean.

I remember how blue the water was 
and seeing giant turtles.

Our next port was Cristobal.

Here most of us got 
our first taste of bread fruit,
papaya and other tropical fruits.