Radio says Aparri and Vigan invaded. Don Bell said air raid on Manila. Hear there is a big battle off N. Luzon. What hellish fear that puts into one’s soul. First aid class really working. Yesterday I put on Club bulletin board suggestions for first aid kits — judging from what they brought to class the town must be bought out of Iodine, gauze, etc. ( Insertion: If these people learned nothing in the classes, some of them were able to get their kits into concentration camp where their value was beyond words.)
E.W. heard that the sawmill at 67 was bombed; so he immediately sent a driver up after the kids. Part way up the driver met an American coming down from there. The American said nothing had happened and advised the driver to return—that the children were all right up there. It’s a good thing I did not know about it until it was all over. McCann came back from up there and said an American plane had shot down 2 Jap planes over Suyoc. After hearing that, all seemed well with the world for a few minutes.
Mrs. Halsema phoned that the San Fernando Hospital was full of wounded, and that there was fighting near there. Baguio to be invaded through Bontoc. But when E.W. came from John Hay- at 5:45 he said a courier from Luna said Japs repulsed at Vigan and no fighting at San Fernando. Then Mac came again to say he had heard that 150 bombers had blasted Tokyo and on here to help fight. Well, I could outline first aid and sleep a little on that. These blackouts are such a nuisance—no comfortable place to sit at night—the kitchen is warm, but we can’t get any comfortable chairs in it. E.W. is so beastly tired every night. Lumber orders coming in by the million: board window fronts, air shelters, etc. Bureau of Public Works has all north bridges dynamited and ready to blow.