Several hours after each raid, we continue to hear explosions arriving every minute or so, which we figure are due to time-delay fuses. It's now 1440 and I've just returned from an errand to the Post Office. At 1320 I was biking over the Quezon Bridge under a full sun and the bluest skies this month with just a few specks of white clouds and a cooling wind, when I noticed a dark puff in the sky — only one. I stared up at the blinding sun ... and therein lies the tale of the fourth bombing of Manila.

I slipped down the bridge and into the Post Office just in time to see eight planes then several more and again some more dive into the Port Area. The planes looked like hunchback ducks in flight with their white bellies and dark wings. I watched them pull out of their dives — it was all too easy. For the second time today the Japanese were caught by surprise — the siren failed to warn us of approaching planes. As I strolled into the building to complete my mission, a bomb must have hit a munitions pile for it was followed by 15 seconds of loud and heavy reverberations.

I started for home at 1400, going slow to avoid working up a sweat. On Legarda I saw several people pointing up as a girl counted, "Six, seven, eight ... oh, so many!" I looked up to see the planes sailing majestically along, disdainful of the puffs exploding below them from the batteries at Camp Murphy. As the Manila batteries opened up, I looked for shelter ... and saw none.

"Psst, over here!" — signaled Mr. Landahl. From his house I saw 50 superbly organized dive-bombers hit Nichols — 25 planes circled overhead waiting for their turn as two or three dived. Landahl asked, "Where are the Japanese fighters?"

"Over there," I chuckled, pointing towards Nichols.

Back home now and I've just heard BILL BALDWIN'S broadcast from Pearl.

Believe me, every single ship that left its base to come to Formosa is still afloat — the Japs claim to have sunk 13 aircraft carriers, including the one I was on, but I repeat: Every single....

OK, this doubting Thomas humbly apologizes for his momentary loss of faith. OK, Bill Baldwin — "every ship is still afloat." Thanks a million.

continues...