Tribune: "Seven U.S. transports sunk or damaged off Tacloban.... Kamikaze Attack Squadron again in action."

"Japs hold Dagami positions" in Leyte. A U.S. correspondent is quoted as saying that an American artillery battery "had to fire 1,000 shells" at night to check "the heavy onslaughts of the Japs."

"U.S. warships lost in Taiwan and P.I. battles identified" (from Domei, Stockholm) "according to reliable information." None are named of course, merely identified by class. The total box score now reads 375 ships including 53 carriers and 18 battleships.

. . . .

The air raid siren woke us up in pitch darkness at 0430. Someone nearby made the mistake of turning on their lights, drawing two rifle shots in their direction. I heard a steady drone of American planes high above the clouds heading to targets outside Manila. Japanese planes started warming up at 0500, but only a few took off from each field at dawn.

An air of tense expectation hung through the light mist of this cool day. The sun stayed hidden and a light drizzle started soon after noon. Shortly after, the alert sounded. A pair of light Japanese fighters or observers flew east. The lead plane's undercarriage was fully retracted but the other plane had one wheel down — stuck or damaged.

At 1100, a friend collared me to ask if I'd seen or heard about leaflets dropped by American planes. One side had a large "V" above the initials "ECLGA^†—MMD" and the number "21" below. I forgot what he said was on the other side.

Zonifications continue in the outlying districts. The latest were the San Lucio barrio after four Japanese officers were killed in the area, and the Santol District after the Padre Burgos School shoot-out two Mondays ago. All males between certain ages were taken, potential suspects were given the third-degree, and the rest were freed after 36 to 48 hours without food.

The Japanese are studying the census of the various districts around Manila very carefully. An educated man from Tokyo is taking the census in Maurice's district: "I studied philosophy, logic, mathematics, trigonometry and differentials. And I studied languages," he says with a smile. Then his countenance darkens as he throws his chest out and assumes an air of epic heroism: "But this is war ... and I owe my life to my country." Then quietly: "D'ye understand?" A moment later the performance would be repeated with different words — the smile, the serious mien, the pause, and the inevitable "D'ye understand?"

^† East Central Luzon Guerilla Area

continues...