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January 3, 1942 

Back with Sqd’n again, good feeling. Drove to Pilar, someone going to do some flying. Not much bombing today. Rumor has it that it won’t be long until we get in a few licks.

Dyess was at Pilar Field, half way down the east coast of Bataan, for a meeting with pursuit pilots based at Orani and Pilar. Col. George had decided to move all of his dwindling number of P-40s to the southern island of Mindanao to get them out of harm’s way, with the Japanese too close. Eighteen of the pursuiters were selected by Dyess to fly out the following day, nine from Orani Field (ten miles north of Pilar) and nine from Pilar Field. Two were from Dyess’ 21st–Joe Cole and Bob Ibold–both to fly out of Pilar.