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In the early part of October 1960 my cell mate ask me why I did not keep a diary. I had been thinking about doing this but his question decided me to start. I bought this book specifically for this purpose.  It was orderded in October but I didn't receive it until early November.

I think it would be best to try to recall as much as possible of every thing that has happened to me since the morning of the first of May [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] until the present time and then keep a daily recording of my thought, impressions and daily experiences.

May 1, 1960
It is very hard to recall all that happened on this day.  It is definitely a day that I will never forget. I came closer to death on this day than any day that I can remember.
 
At about three o'clock in the morning, local time in Pakestan ^[[?]], I was awakened.  The night before I had been told that I might have to fly the next day so I had gone to bed early. Upon arising, I washed up and ate a good breakfast (it is a good thing I ate before I found out what my assignment was to be or I am sure I would have been too nervous to eat.) At about four thirty I prepaired myself for pre-breathing. While pre-breathing I received my assignment. The take off was to be at six thirty and I was to fly from Pakaston to Norway across the Soviet Union. I thought that baring mechanical failure of the air craft that it was safe to make this flight. Even though I thought it was safe it looked a very long way on the map and that meant that a lot of