Routine sweeping. It rained so hard all day, we were unable to do much work. Rain or not, we still had GQ. We have more by day than by night lately. That helps all the way around. We finally received a movie for our projector. We had given up hopes long ago. When you least expect it, here it is. The show we had today was “Old Acquaintance” [1943], starring Betty Davis. It was a very good show.

Routine sweeping, only this time a little more exciting. Air raids were staged all day long. Very seldom do they come in broad daylight. Let them come by daylight. They haven’t a chance. We will get them every time. The rain is still pouring. It looks like too cloudy of weather for any air raids tonight. We just received word that many ships were hit severely. I guess the last bunch really hit.

Again, routine sweeping. It is still raining off and on all day. At least we get plenty of fresh water for the washer. We had a mail call this afternoon. Not many, but a few letters. Air raids kept us up practically all night. Bogies were so close at times, you could hit them with a baseball, and I mean just that. Many were shot down. The others missed their objective. Luck was with everyone tonight.

Routine sweeping, same as before. It is still raining. At times it looks like a cloud burst, then the sun will shine. This Jap weather is just as stupid and etcetera as they are. Tonight was a rather long GQ. They just kept coming from somewhere. They are after our airfield, or I should say, their airfield. We just borrowed it and didn’t give it back. I think they are sore about it, because they are so precipitant about it.

Routine sweeping, the same as before. It started raining this morning, and hasn’t quit all day. Oh, how we like the rainy days. The Japs don’t like rain, so things are a little more peaceful. However, we still had one raid.

We started routine sweeping early this morning. By noon we were secure. I worked on logs all day, and finally caught up. Taking care of them is really hard on me, as bad as I hate to write. Two air raids tonight. Most of them were destroyed, and the others done little damage.

Early this morning we returned to [Nakagusuku-Wan; “Buckner Bay”]. They are still fighting it out. Some how they keep coming out of holes here and there. The city is just as flat at a highway. No liberty there. Bogies bothered us again. Very little damage was done this time. Or scout planes, and seas planes took a lot of our hands. I notice today some of the fellows’ nerves are going, and going fast. I hope mine hold out. I don’t get scared and freeze, as I have seen some do, but my knees get a little wobbly now and then. While action is going on, you fell fine. In fact you just can’t wait for something to shoot at. After it is all over, you begin to realize what has happened. Then is when you shake. My first plane is the only time I have shaken. But I have come mighty close to it many times.

Another fellow got transferred back to the States. Each one that leaves, gets a little closer to me. However I don’t expect to go back until the war is over. Just staying alive is our biggest worry. Bogies came by groups tonight. Many were shot down, while others done heavily damage. Now a few of them are dropping bombs, instead of suicide attacks. They must have finally found out, they haven’t much left, and had better save what they have got.

We received new water and flushed out our tanks. Now you can drink a little water without getting sick. I didn’t realize I drank so much water until them. We have had a few days availability, so we should get fixed up in pretty good shape. The ship is changing command soon. We don’t know just exactly what is going to take place, but we do know it saved our necks. We were to go with the bunch that left for the China cost. They call it suicide detail, because very few come back. They go so close to shore, they haven’t got a chance. Not enough fire power. Nothing unusual tonight except two more air raids. A little damage was done, but not much.

Again we finished early, and are on our way to another anchorage. If I ever learn the names of these screwy places. At least I know my directions, and one Island from another, all but the names. We received gas, and water from a minelayer. The water is fifty per cent salt, so we are worse off than before. Tomorrow we will have to change. At dusk we picked up bogies. They keep coming and going. Ships were hit about 1000 yards away from us. This lasted until after mid-night. Besides that I have to get up at 0330 to go on watch. The rest of the fellows are as tired as I am though. Maybe tomorrow I will get a little sleep.

We quit sweeping by 1200, and are on our way to anchor. We borrowed a show from LST-122. “Andy Handy Leads a Double Life”. It was plenty good. This evening Jap planes are quite plentiful. We have orders not to shoot, as we are being screen, and they may pass over without seeing us. Well it worked, but they came so close, you could hit them with a rock. It looks as though they are headed to another anchorage. There is a few reports of ships being hit.

We came in early today. Received water from an LST and another show. I think we got patrol again tonight. I sorely hope not. We will just wait and see. There is a suicide boat attack. We pick them up, and then they fade away. They are plenty fast, whatever they are. We are keeping guns manned all night.

I worked on the acoustic hammer all day, while we were sweeping. The sea is calm, and the weather hard to beat. We only had one GQ. tonight, and that was during the show. We don’t mind them so bad, if they will just wait until the show is over.

Same routine as always. We borrowed a show off LST-122. They are pretty good at lending shows. Maybe some day we will get one of our own. This evening we had the usual air raids. LSM’s were sending mousetraps ashore. For a while, it looked as if we were going to take the Island by daybreak, because there were so many shells flying.

We got an early start this morning, sweeping. I don’t how long we will keep this up, but I can think of many others things we could do, that is not so monotonous. We are anchored again, about in the same spot as before. There were three air raids during the night. Some of them we knocked down, some we chassed away, and the others done heavy damage, killing and wounding many. Once during the night we were attacked by suicide boats. They were destroyed before they could get very far.