My mother married George Smith, USMC (deceased) in New Zealand in 1944. Up uniil this passage, most war brides from New Zealand and Australia were transported to New Caledonia, but because of problems with child birth, decease and infant death, they stopped sending pregnant women to New Caledonia. Most brides from New Zealand were shipped to New Caledonia on the Luraline. (I do not know if the spelling is correct and under which flag she sailed).

My Grandfather, Percival Thompson, aware that the General William Mitchell was arriving in New Zealand on the way to the United States, contacted a relative who was able to arrange passage for my mother. She arrived in San Pedro on March 3, 1945, the day after her 18th birthday of March 2. I was born March 15, 1945.

She says the ship must have put into Manilla or other Phillipines port because they embarked Filipino officers who were enroute to the United States for additional training.

The General William Mitchell left Melbourne, Australia, proceeding to Auckland New Zealand, embarking war brides on or about Feb 18 or 19, 1945. The Filipino officers had to be relocated to other accomodations on ship as the "staterooms" were given to the women. Pregnant women were given medical assistance and housed in the ship's hospital. My mother said there were about 6 other women in the hospital bay.

The voyage took about 13 days. She recalls a severe storm at sea, and the tremendous noise of the storm and loose items rolling around the ship.

There was a baby born on board the ship on March 2, and she remembers the ship's medical staff laying bets on the baby's size and sex. The mother embarked in Bombay with a final destination of Chicago.

My mother then traveled by troop train to Chicago where she was met by my father and took her to Indianapolis, IN where he was stationed at a logistics supply center. Then on to his parent's home Jeffersonville, IN.