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 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.