February 24, 1942
Tuesday. Finally got under way at about 4:30 p.m.and headed southwest and then south. I seem to be developing an extreme dislike for "rebels" and am trying to keep only "yankee" company. It irks me to have to try to make out what someone is trying to say when he's talking softly, out of one corner of his mouth, drawling words out and then seem to whine at the same time. Out of this jargon you're supposed to make out the english language.

Headed into some rough water at a good speed [at] 6:45 PM. I immediately began to get sick. The ship swayed and actually began to creak for the first time. While climbing the stairs, your foot would hang in the air for a time and then gradually move downward to meet the rising step. When reaching for a rail, it seemed as if the rail were moving always farther away from you.

February 25, 1942
Getting into pretty warm weather—it's 88 degrees in our sleeping section and getting hotter all the time. Was out on the main deck aft until 10:00 PM watching the cool waters slide by. The water reminded me of the rapids in Kawishiwi River. The nights are very beautiful (for U boats too) but you can't enjoy them because every available square foot of deck space is occupied.

February 26, 1942
Some of the boys are now sleeping in the swimming pool room and out on the Promenade Deck. A half hour in the sun and you're baked red as a lobster. Found out that the Queen Mary recently carried Italian and German prisoners. One of them scratched "Benito Mussolini" on the wall just outside our sleeping section. The Germans and Italians were kept separated to prevent fights. They probably slept in the very bunks we are using at present.

The best part of the ship is forward on the Sun Deck where the wind roars continually almost strongly enough to knock you off your feet.

The food is poor compared to American standards primarily because it is cooked the English way. It's either so dry you can't eat it or else it's swimming in some terrible "custard" sauce that tastes like plaster. No seasoning is used at all.

The water is beginning to taste flat from standing in tanks so we eat oranges (at 2 cents each) and drink Cokes all day long. Thousands of bottles are consumed each day.The pile of corks under the bottle opener sometimes gets a foot and a half high before it is swept away. No garbage is thrown overboard during the day because it leaves a fairly distinct trail for the enemy.