January 20, 1945 - Some of the boys got a couple of roosters from the natives. One was a game and the other a brown leghorn. They got them to fight, but the brown leghorn wouldn’t fight. Had more air alerts during the night. We thought we were leaving for Finchaffen but got a change of orders and are staying here.

January 18, 1945 - Nearly everyone is playing with the natives who come out in canoes and trade straw hats, mats, chickens, and other junk for clothes and mattress covers. They are worse than Jews to trade with, you can’t beat them out of anything. Night - Air alert, but secured while air alert was on as we are not allowed to fire at night. The shore batteries were firing and the search lights were flashing around.

January 6, 1945 - Morning - flash red - making smoke - two boys were put in brig on suspicion of throwing two drums of smoke fuel overboard and endangering ship. In Sulu Sea - passing Panay - Had three air alerts in all.