The Blakeley At Dock

USS Blakeley
New London
May 28, 1919

Dear Mother,

The ship is still tied up to the dock, and I don't think we will leave before the first of the month now. Mr. Dashiel, 3rd officer in charge, said yesterday that we were supposed to have gone to Hampton Roads for target practice before we join the fleet. We have been appointed flagship [Ed. note: Division Admiral's ship when he is underway] for the 7th Division, which takes in a bunch of destroyers.

Don't think there is much chance of our going across soon, so I don't care where we go from here. The DuPont came out a couple of weeks before we did and she is over already. The reason we aren't is because we are fooling around with a new invention on the listening device.

We all went swimming in the Thames River today -- climbed into our trunks and just jumped overboard. The water was pretty cool but it won't hurt anybody, for the weather is fine the last few days.

Can't get the check cashed here -- could have if I had taken it over when I first came, and waited for it to go to Texas and back, but we weren't certain of staying long enough. Anyway, I don't go ashore much so am making my old suit do. I'll rock along without a new suit for a while. I'll tear the check up if I don't cash it by the first, which I think I won't.

Am certainly glad Edwin has gotten a good place and at the same time go to school. Maybe he will stick to it and get an education. When I get out I'll guarantee he can get one if he will only go away to school after graduating there.

Got Donovan's letter yesterday afternoon. Tell Edwin to drop a line or two during his spare moments.

Grace Hapgood said she was going to be in Philadelphia on the 13th of June, but we won't go back there til about the middle of July, so can't see her unless I'm in New York and can run down.

If peace is only signed by the last of July, I ought to be out by the last of August. That would make a year in the service and a year I won't regret losing at all.

I have a couple of postcard pictures of the Blakeley I am going to mail to you. They won't go in an envelope.

Another destroyer, from the west coast, came in last night and we stayed up til about 10:30 talking to them with the blinker. They went out this morning to New York.

We went canoeing again. I surely do wish we had a good body of water at home so we could get a canoe. Whiteside went to a dance at Ocean Beach tonight, but I'm tired and sleepy so I didn't go with him.

Give Judge Weldon my heartiest congratulations as well as my love.

Your affectionate son,
Heywood

(Postmarked New London, Connecticut, May 28, 1919)