Viewing page 128 of 140

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

pg.125

changed a condenser, put it back together again without too many parts left over and tested it. It works.

The Navy is shelling the Japanese homeland but in spite of the voicings of many wishful thinkers I don't think an invasion is imminent. Too much more preparation is needed before the time is ripe.

Large numbers of B-29's going over tonight. The 21st Bomber Command announced that B-29's have 2000 emergency landing on Iwo. Figuring ten men per plane, and that's a conservative figure, 20,000 men owe their lives to Iwo. That is four times the number of men who were killed trying to take the island.

17 July 1945
I was sitting in the squad tent this morning when I heard the sputterring snarl of a P-51 low and very close. I lost no time in scooting out of the tent to see a P-51 on fire making an emergency landing on the strip. The pilot set is down beautifully but ran off the end of the runway. As the plane nosed into [[strikethrough]] a soft [/strikethrough]] dirt of the side of the hill the/ ^[[pilot]] clambered out unhurt.

I pulled detail this afternoon collecting all the loose lumber lying around the area. Had a great time dashing madly between tents in a weapons carrier shouting "Yoicks! Yoicks" "To the hounds". The whole thing appealed to the pyromaniac in me - it made a beautiful fire.