February 6th, Friday

Routine bombing front and rear areas. Some of our men show definite signs of intense nerve fatigue. Others are getting used to the constant bombing. We are gradually getting the Philippine Army personnel to lay flat on the ground instead of cowering under trees during bombing, and we are suffering fewer casualties. Saw Major Herrick over at General Pierce’s headquarters. Telephoning General King, I got on the line by mistake while Major Herrick was speaking with one of his signal sergeants setting up a wire line on the west front while the infantry was cleaning a few Nips left over from the west coast landing and I could hear here small arms fire cracking over the telephone wire while Herrick’s sergeant was on top of the telephone pole. Herrick asked the sergeant where he was and the sergeant replied: “For Christ’s sake, Sir, I don’t know. I am somewhere between ‘asinine and quinine’ points.” Pretty good. He was somewhere between Anisasin [Anyasan] and Quinauan Points. Fort Drum, Hughes and Mills fired on by enemy artillery on Cavite. Hits on Corregidor and Fort Drum. No damage to Hughes and Mills by rapid fire from 140 [mm.] howitzers.