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pg.93

barometer hit a new low of 29.35 inches of mercury, lower than the lowest mark reached in the forst storm when it went down to 29.37. Scores of tents and shacks collapsed in other areas. Fortunately for us the only thing in our area that didn't stay up was - you guessed it - the latrine. Two of our big antennas on the trailer [[strikethrough]] wer [[/strikethrough]] had been taken down as a precautionary measure. The other two stood the blow. 

This evening we had a bull session which lasted until two in the morning. Just as I ducked into bed I heard three P-61's take off. Sensing something, I arose went down to the unit and tuned into Agate frequency. There was a "bogey" our there coming toward the island at 17,000 feet. Blue two plane we being steered by Agate Seven. Flash red, control yellow was announced to all planes which meant to stay away from the island because our ack-ack would open up on any plane venturing near the island. The sirens were sounded, the island blacked out. I fired up the set and we went on duty prepared to land any plane while the island was under blackout. Another P-61, called Blue three was spoiling for a fight because at one time during the beginning of the fun he was advised to orbit his position "... we will give you a crack at him if he gets past Blue Two,"said Agate Base. 

Agate Base (the big radar tower atop Mt. Suribachi) had the Jap,plane on their radar all the