Much excitement in Santa Mesa as the Japanese closed the Bridge from 0600 to 0900 to all, including the Embassy staff and even "Deputy Military Governor" Figueras and his martial law unit. He too had to go home. The report is one Japanese soldier or officer was slain nearby. I was stopped and searched twice on my way downtown at 1000. Over 150 Japanese sentries patrolled the area between Trabajo and the Bridge, and rumors were rife of a zoning. I heard that one family woke up to find a bloodstained pair of khaki shorts and a khaki shirt, which they promptly burned to avoid complications.

The Tribune is the usual: "Battleship, 4 transports sunk ... off Mindoro"; "Foe ships flee Mindoro ... not one seen afloat"; "Foe in Ormoc checked"; "Japs now in position to smash U.S. supply line." We've heard it all before on the Solomons, Bismarck, New Guinea, Marshalls, Marianas, Morotai, Peleliu and Leyte campaigns.

Four fires clearly visible from the Santa Mesa Bridge at 0930 appeared to be on the Bay side of Bataan/Mariveles. They weren't big, but to be visible from 20 miles away is something — the guess is four ships are afire. American planes passed high above, heading north. The Japanese airforce, having given up attacking Leyte, retreated to safer bases in the north to concentrate on Mindoro. A few twin-engine jobs passed by on their way there, flying very low to avoid the American planes.