I went aboard the Salt Lake City when she was in Pearl Harbor being refitted with new equipment. It was quite a shock for us five on the condition the ship was in. Anyway, we went aboard and we were sent to the divisions we were selected for and needed. I was sent up to signal quarters above and the others were sent below to the prospective quarters.

I was escorted to the signal clerk and put to work immediately. Vito Monteleone was Supervisor of the watch and explained the working, watches and hours of our watches plus our duty and men that were on watch with me. Also we had a group of Marines who took care of two 40 MM mounts, besides having flight deck forward of our station's great quarters to be. All the action was there. Vito is Pat's brother and on my off time I would go down and chew the rag with the storekeepers, write letters, etc. It was on one of these days I was down chewing the rag with Pat Monteleone. We were writing letters and Pat pulled out his little black book with girl's names in it saying.... "I don't need these anymore, I'm getting married"....and with that statement he took the book and threw it in the garbage can opening as it fell.

"Golly Pat....What are you doing?".... I picked it up while it was still open and a Beatrice Noble's name appeared. "Who's this Pat?" Oh, she's a cutie. Short, just your size, she's swell. Write to her, she lives in Phoenix Arizona. So, what the heck. What did I have to lose? So I wrote to her. Well, as luck would have it a month went by, no letter. Another month went by, so I told Pat that she had not answered my letter. Pat said to write to her mother. He had her address and gave it to me. So to make a long story short, the mother answered me with a letter plus a "box of goodies". She had send an Italian Salami and a letter telling me she was sorry about Beatrice, but she was involved in her studies and was preparing to take the State Exam. It wasn't long after her mother's letter that I received a letter from Bea. Her letter was great. She apologized and informed me she had passed the State license and now was a Registered Nurse in the nursery at St. Johns Hospital of LA.

When the war was over, we went to Portland for the Navy Day celebration. I separated from the ship and went to the separation center. I went down to LA and Bea and I were married (will be 56 years Dec. 1st, 2000). At 80 years old, Bea and I have 3 daughters, 1 son, 8 granddaughters, 2 great grandsons and 1 great granddaughter.

How's that? :)

Maurice Lamoure