June 6, 1944
D-Day the beginning of the end for Europe.
June 8, 1944
Philip’s first ship:
Francis Marion
Seas Shipping Co.
c/o Postmaster, New York
June 9, 1944
With Papa Hodge’s assistance, we are now moved into the West Wing of Fenway. Thea is working hard to pretty-it-up for Phil’s return.
God bless him and bring him safely home.
July 10, 1944
Thea received first allotment check today $75.00.
September 5, 1944
Thea received first report card for summer session Hunter College Philosophy – A, Personal Hygiene – B, Music – A.
September 8, 1944
Thea is officially accepted as a student at Hunter College for Women of the City of New York. School begins Sept. 20.
September 18, 1944
Philip telephoned from Baltimore to say he’d landed & to give Thea directions for coming down at once. Mother Hodge helped Thea pack and arrange to begin school late. Thea too excited to think for herself eager & yet fearful.
September 21, 1944
Home to Roslyn. Philip says he isn’t excited now about going home; he came home to Thea 2 days ago. What a handsome brute he is. Now wearing summer grey’s.
September 22, 1944
Thea trotted off to school today.
September 28, 1944
Philip took the tests and qualified for the certificate of Able Seaman.
October 2, 1944
Philip joined the NMU – CIO.
October 16, 1944
Philip signed on with the crew of the “S.S. Michael J. Stone” (Lykes Bros. S.S. Co.) now berthed at Jersey City, N.J.
October 18, 1944
Philip sailed today. My love goes with him.
Christmas 1944
A lonesome, worried Christmas for us all. Philip is “somewhere on the Atlantic,” Max is “somewhere in Asia,” Dad Hodge is in Italy, Daddy Drell is recuperating from his sixth operation, “Gramp” Miller has pneumonia, and the war has taken a turn against us. We must remember the bleakness of this year for people in other lands and be thankful for what we have.
“God bless us, everyone!”
January 3, 1945
Wonderful anniversary gift: Philip telephoned from Galveston, Texas, where his ship docks this afternoon. He will take his 3 week’s shore leave with Thea’s 3-week’s inter-term vacation. Happy, happy day.
Two years have passed. How wonderful marriage is!
January 19, 1945
Philip and Thea met at the Hotel New Weston, Thea coming from a final exam and Philip arriving from Galveston with a handle-bar mustache. We will spend the weekend here and the following week at Fenway. We plan after that to visit Mary at Rochester, Mummy and Daddy Drell at Phila., Sid at Princeton. Three whole weeks together!!!
February 14, 1945
Valentine’s Day. By a stroke of fortune, Philip was assigned to Captain “Red” Mortenson’s ship S.S. African Dawn today, sailing at once, probably for India.
Thea’s grades averaged 3.6 or A-.
May 6, 1945
Philip arrived home from India, brown as an Indian himself. Wonderful, wonderful to see each other. We never grow tired of our returns.
June 13, 1945
School is over for this semester; exams are finished. Philip is working as Deck Maintenance on the S.S. Edwin S. Nettleton (Wm. J. Rountree Line). He likes the work, the officers, the crew. We are living in Thea’s town apartment, keeping house and being “just people.” Lovely days!
June 22, 1945
Philip sailed today. This promises to be a long trip. Well, that much more of school will be completed. Small consolation! Love can be unhappy, too.
August 12, 1945
Philip is sailing from Marseilles for the South Pacific via the Panama Canal.
Japan is making moves hinting at surrender.
August 14, 1945
President Truman atΒ 7:00 p.m. EWT announced the surrender by Japan.
The War is Over.