We reached our objective alright, and are off to an early start. Two AM’s lost their pigs, and we recovered them. They are so big, we have very little space left. Right after dinner, we started laying san buoys. We are quite alone now with all these subs and etcetera. Somehow, no one cares. We have seen as rugged a duty as you will ever see, and gotten through alright. So, why worry now. Now we are spotters. We race to a san buoy, and circle it until the convoy catches up. We race ahead to another one and etcetera. One sub was picked up 1,000 yards away. He finally dived away, so was forgotten about. This evening, as the preceding evenings, we will leave the mined area and patrol in formation, throughout the night, resuming our work early the next morning. So far, we have been very lucky as far as air raids and sub attacks and etcetera are concerned. It won’t hurt my feelings if we never do again. We could all use a good night’s rest.
We were told our new assignment and etcetera. We are to sweep a 40-mile area southwest of [Okinawa] about 70 miles. The objective is [Sakishima]. Twelve AM’s will sweep both sides, covering an area of two miles a sweep. They will make two 40-mile passes a day. Six YMS’s will lay san buoys, be buoy spotters and etcetera. PGM’s will be our air-supporters. They will keep circling close by. Four DM’s will protect us from surface craft and etcetera. In all, there will be about 40 ships. In addition there will be four Hellcats and four Avengers, which will help a lot. This minefield is right in a sub lane—70 some odd subs have been reported. In addition to this, there are four main airbases on [Sakishima], where a big share of suicide planes come from. We were told to expect the worse, and hope for the best. If everything goes well, we should be through in a week. At 2300 we are to start out on our objective, and be there by sunrise to get an early start.
We took on more anti-aircraft ammunition today. We were already loaded, but now we have it every place. This next assignment must be something. Or, they expect a lot.
The Mona Island [ARG-9] should finish us up today. We also flushed the evaporator today. There were two GQ’s throughout the day. The Japs must be getting soft. They are slacking off.
We have one more day to get our repair work done, so there will be a lot of night work to be done. We had a show aboard, but missed some of it because of a little extra work. The days are getting better as we go along. Spring must be here. No rain, which is very unusual.
We tied alongside the Mona Island [ARG-9] this morning. They are going to do several repair jobs on us. Everything is priority, because of this big deal coming off. We received water today, which was greatly needed. Two GQ’s today.
We tore our [air compressor] down to take aboard a repair ship (USS Mona Island [ARG-9]). If it does not work this time, it will never work. We are about out of water this morning, and can’t get any. There is a water shortage, because of so many small craft in here. The usual GQ’s.
We are getting ready for a big push somewhere, so will have a few days’ availability. Two GQ’s tonight, but not much excitement.
Today is a perfect day—no rain or clouds, just the sun and a cool breeze. At 1100, we are underway. The storms have passed, and we are on our way to sweep. By early afternoon, we started sweeping off Dead Man’s [Quick][?]. Tonight we are to anchor in.
It rained off and on all day long. But it was still a nice day—so calm and quiet that it made you want to stay forever. Or, at least a few weeks. The natives were all about by daybreak. They are sure a busy bunch of people, always doing something. They are along the beach picking up something. I don’t know what. But they stay there all day. Their gardens are built on the slope of the hill. The biggest ones are much smaller than an acre, yet they seem to have plenty. The average house has a grass roof, and something similar for the sides. However, there are a few modern houses of brick. This typhoon is over, and another one reported, so we will stay in tonight. Bogies are about all night, but fail to see us, as we are so hidden in the small channel.
We started out early this morning to sweep. Soon after we had left, a broadcast was sent to all small craft. “A typhoon is coming. Head for cover immediately.” We headed for the northern end of [Okinawa]. We went up a small winding channel about eight or nine miles. All the way, we passed villages. All the natives came down to the beach to cheer us. So many of their men had been killed or were taken by the Japs that all was left was the old men. We finally anchored by the biggest village off them all. Hundreds of them came down to the ships. Sailors were giving them candy, cigarettes, and etcetera. They are sure a happy bunch of people, and twice as happy to see the Americans come. Some of the habits of these people are revolting, and some are amusing. For instance, if at any time they want to use the head, they take their dress off, and go about their business there and then. It made no difference who was there. They put their dress back on, and continue with what they were doing. The scenery is like something you have always dreamed for. Everything seems to have its own appointed place. How I long to have a camera. Never before have I seen such beauty on the hillsides. Everyone says they would like to spend the duration here, including myself.
We are ready to go again. Everything is in shape. We had one GQ today, shortly after dinner. You would think this bad weather would hold them off, but they never miss a day. We received second-class mail today. It was all in pretty bad shape. The way the Navy handles mail, it is a miracle it gets through as well as it does.
We are still laying in and doing odd jobs. A few more days in and we should be in pretty good shape. The skipper was transferred today. Everyone hated to see him leave. He was an up and up skipper. You shoot square with him and he would do the same with you. Again, this evening was very bad weather. It was so foggy you could only see a few yards. We only saw one bogie, and he was trying to find something to hit, but couldn’t.
Our steering cable is broken in two, so we lay in a few days. In the meantime, we will be able to do a lot of undone work. I saw the 302[?] again today. They are anchored off our port-beam. This evening was very stormy, and cloudy. Nevertheless, we still had our bogies. Good or bad weather, they still come.
We are trying something new today—laying san buoys and anchor floats way out to sea. There is scuttlebutt that we are going towards the China coast, as a decoy. Anchor, and wait for the Japs. I have also heard it called suicide detail. We have been lucky before, but it will take more than luck this time. Again we had two air raids. It was so stormy neither could see each other.