Sunday August 24, 1930

Josephine reported that today was a beautiful, sunny Sunday. She reported that there was nothing planned for today, but that there would be a picture show in the evening. However, there was a special ceremony in the afternoon. I wonder if she was unaware of it.

"The sun shining today - Just beautiful Sunday. There is nothing doing - we attended Mass at 8 o’clock - picture show tonite - it is so funny how many times we have to set our watch - my buddy is always sleeping - we eat five times during the day - breakfast then we have bouillon and crackers - lunch and tea and cake and then dinner - we had community singing last night"

Josephine attended Mass at 8 o’clock this Sunday morning.

Those of the Protestant faith who chose to assembled in the Social Hall where the purser conducted services. There were no Protestant clergymen aboard this voyage of the SS George Washington. I think there was a chapel where Mass was held daily (7 am on weekdays).

In her note, Josephine talked about how much eating they did – this was one of the notes from Josephine that I used to speculate about her daily routine aboard ship.

She was amused by how many times she had to set her watch. Never having traveled on an ocean liner, I don’t quite understand how the various time changes work on a ship.

When Josephine referred to her buddy who slept all the time, I assume she is referring to Mrs. Duhon, her cabin mate. It is strange that she refers to Mrs. Duhon as her buddy – that is the nickname of her son who died in the war (his name was Joseph M. Blanchard, named after his father).

This day was when the ship was approximately mid-ocean, half-way between New York and Cherbourg. There was a special ceremony planned for the afternoon. Josephine makes no mention of this in her note; maybe she did not know about it or did not attend it.

Around 2:30 pm the passengers and the ship’s officers gathered on deck for a memorial service for all the deceased servicemen from the war who were buried at sea. The ship’s engines were brought to a full stop in order to pay tribute to those soldiers, sailors, marines, and coast guardsmen who were lost or buried at sea during the war. The service opened with a prayer. Hymns were sung.

One of the Gold Star Mothers was chosen to drop a wreath into the ocean. I do not know which mother on Josephine’s pilgrimage was chosen for this honor; it may have been the oldest mother on board.

In 1930 it could not have been a mother of a serviceman who had been lost at sea; at the time of Josephine’s pilgrimage, those mothers were ineligible to go. Later legislation allowed these mothers to go on pilgrimage even though they would have no physical grave site to visit.

A bugler sounded “Taps” as the wreath was cast into the ocean; flags flew at half mast. The Ship’s Band played the Star Spangled Banner as well as other patriotic music, including “America.”




Source: written by Carolyn Ourso