March 18, 1945 - Arrived at Leyte Island. Got mail aboard.

March 10, 1945 - Passed Leyte. Evening - going through Suragio Straits.

February 8, 1945 - Arrived at Leyte P.I. Anchored in Bay. Evening - Moved anchorage.

February 4, 1945 - Heard artillery firing all day. It turned out to be Japanese. They had surprised our boys with it and the infantry couldn’t move ahead until our artillery units caught up. 1640 - got underway for Leyte.

January 17, 1945 - In Leyte Gulf - Evening - anchored in San Pedro Bay between Leyte and Samar. There are a lot of natives in canoes around the ship.

January 12, 1945 - Morning - GQ - We got a report of 10 or 12 Jap planes in the area, but only 3 or 4 came over the gulf in our area. We fired at one but he was out of range. One Jap plane made a suicide dive high altitude out of range of the anti-aircraft guns straight down through the flak and hit a destroyer. It was so far off that we couldn’t see how much damage was done. The ships on the beach where we were got a lot of firing as the Jap planes came right by them. Just after we got a flash white, a Jap plane came over. It had got by without the radar picking it up. We fired at it with a lot of other ships but it got away. 1600 - Getting underway for Leyte.

January 4, 1945 - Passing island of the Philippines. Evening passed into Leyte Gulf. Night - Going around Dinigat Island and through Saurigo Straits.

November 16, 1944 - Arrived at Leyte about 2 am and GQ sounded. We shall continue GQ (general headquarters) the rest of the day. We beached about 8 o’clock and began unloading immediately. Finished unloading shortly after noon. Retracted from beach and anchored in bay while waiting for other ships to unload. We had two or three air raids while at Leyte, but no planes came over. They were further up the beach. We beached at Trainian Head at San Jose this time, just across the island from Ormoc Bay. Night - started back for Hollandia.

November 15, 1944 - Due into Leyte tomorrow morning. A carrier and two more destroyers came to escort us.

November 13, 1944 - Skipper gave a tank today telling us to expect some excitement as a Jap fleet is reported to be operating in the vicinity of Leyte.

October 23, 1944 - Before daylight, still shelling the beach. Morning dive bombers are bombing and straffing at different spots on the beach. They were there all day yesterday too. The town of Taclobin, which we can see across the bay is a pretty nice looking place. At least it has a few permanent buildings in it. A bunch of Philippino boys and men came aboard this morning. They rowed out in their dugout canoes. They are small dark skinned people. They talk pretty good English. They went to regular American schools until the Japs came. Most of them had finished the seventh or eighth grade. We gave them some clothes and something to eat. They way they talked the Japs were really cruel to them. They were really proud to see the Americans. They wanted guns to fight the Japs with. Night, left Leyte. Had air raid, but never saw but one Jap plane - too far off to shoot at it.