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.
We are sweeping very early again, with same type gear. The more we sweep the more we become careless. We used to be on edge seeing ships blow up from mines. Now we just go on as if nothing is happening. We are anchored in tonight. The weather is so stormy I doubt if we have any air raids.
We headed for the northwest anchorage about daylight. We swept with m-type [magnetic sweep] gear until early afternoon. It is out turn for patrol duty tonight. Our position is just a few hundred yards from Jap held territory. We are so close now, you can see flame-throwers in action. Shells are whistling over our heads. I wouldn’t be surprised if we were hit. As soon as it is dark, we will be much safer.
During the day we done odd jobs that had to be done. In the afternoon, we had a mail call, not much, but a few. Right after dark we had two air raids. Several ships were hit, causing heavy casualties. Luck is still with us. I hope it holds out. We hear a rumor we may go back to [Saipan], or calmer water soon. The stormy season will soon be here. It is to rough for small craft, to withstand.
No air raids today for a change. It was too cloudy and stormy. We re-fuelled from a tanker, and took on stores from a CMS.
Two or three air raids again. I don’t know of any damage done so far. Many times they attack the patrol ships, and call it a day. Tonight we will be up again flushing the evaporator. I have never flushed one before, so I don’t know how long it will take.
Air raids during the day again. One suicide-plane hit a large seaplane tender, with heavy casualties. Robot bombs are adding up our casualty list. Several planes were shot down before they could do any damage. We worked all night on the main engines. A sleeve was cracked, and leaking badly.
We received stores from an AKN[?]. From they gave us, and that which we took ourselves, we received quite a variety. Air raids again during the day. For some unknown reason all of the raids have at daylight instead of darkness, as they were before, the majority of the time.
We are still getting repair work done, on our radar, and sound gear. Air raids were off and on all day long. The Japs have a new weapon now, a “Robot-Bomb”. They have fins and rudders similar to an airplane’s. They are launched from bombers a few miles out. A man inside, glides them into a ship. They have been pretty effective.
I worked on the air-compressor all day. We are going to have to get some new parts pretty soon, as we are out. GQ sounded just after chow. We moved from place to place, screening. Several ships were hit by suicide planes, causing heavy casualties. It was condition red, flash-green all night. Today was our biggest and best day for days. Without no warning we received mail. It was old, but it was mail. That is all that counts. It is funny how a little mail change a fellow. We are all jolly fellows now.
We anchored in all day. Just doing repair work on machinery and etc. We borrowed another show “Submarine Alert.” It was very good. We went out the channel and anchored, for sound watch, and look out for suicide boats. The Japs were very close. You could see their gunfire, and our flamethrowers. Most of the island is secure now. Our equipment is scattered all about. Airfields, roads, and etc. are too our use now.
It looks like we might stay here for a few days. There is plenty of work to be done. We could sure use a little time. I have spent a very full day today, from daylight until mid-night. A couple more days, and the work should be pretty well caught up. The fellows borrowed a movie, off another YMS for tonight. I would like to see it, but it will be impossible.