At sea (Atlantic)
3rd August 1943

Dear Mom, Dad & all:-

     Suprise!  And I do mean Surprise!  Eve and I will land in New York City or Brooklyn sometime tomorrow, so I'm writing this aboard ship to have it ready to mail in case we don't get a chance to phone or wire our first night ashore.
     We kept our coming as much of a secret as possible both because we could not hint of my movements, or of sailings, and to save you unnecessary worry.  Unless the Huffs gave us away I think the surprise must be complete.
     I will go to Ft. Monmouth, N.J. for about ten days and then hope to get a 15 day furlough for Eve and I to come home on.
     I've already told you about saving the top layer of the wedding cake which we have with us in a suitcase, so we can have a sort of wedding reception some evening when we get home.  Eve also has her bridal dress & veil along.
     We've had a beautiful voyage thus far.  We left London on Thursday morning and expect to disembark sometime on the following Thursday.  The weather is very warm now, the sun is shining brightly on this paper drying the ink as I write.  I'm sitting on the rail of the top (or boat deck) and Eve is standing beside me looking over the blue Atlantic hoping to see something besides water.  The ocean is as calm as Forest Lake although there is a strong wind blowing our hair about.  White waves and foam are splashing back from the sides of the ship in a myriad of patterns as we surge along through the water, and you never grow tired of watching them.  We are completely alone on the Atlantic.  A plane came over us each morning, but neither Eve nor I have seen them.  We have seen no other ships since we left port and I don't suppose we will umtil we come near the harbor of the big city.  I'm looking forward to seeing the good old Statue of Liberty tomorrow and New York for the first time the day after, as we won't be landed, I guess, until then.
     George spent Wednesday evening and all day Thursday at the Humphrey's and saw me off at the subway station, the last place he could.  Evelyn's folks saw her off at the train.  We did not travel together to the port of embarkation as I had to go with the other officers on a troop train.  We sailed from the same port I had arrived at nearly two years ago.
     We're both looking forward to that happy day, now so close at hand, when we will see you all at home; and I know you will be waiting just as anxiously for our arrival in St. Paul.  We will come by train as far as I know and will wire our time of arrival so you can meet us.  I still have very little idea of what will be expected of us after our arrival at Monmouth, so can't give you any further information as to my possible time or arrival in St. Paul.  So, until I can enlighten you further, I'll sign off and say Cheerio from somewhere in the blue Atlantic.  It's a bee-you-tee-ful day on the Atlantic.

Love to all and we'll be seeing you!

Bob & Evelyn.