Well, we expected the Legaspi to try to get out last night. We watched her closely and this morning she was still here –but the Don Esteban with President Quezon aboard had left– perhaps for Cebu, although we don’t know. It means that his health is very and the tunnel is no place one with T.B.
I heard today that in moving supplies from Manila to Bataan the Dept. Qon had asked for 2 piers and 14 days. He got 1 pier and 5 days. Hence much stuff had to be abandoned in Manila.
We had a visit from the C.O.’d of the 200th and 515th AA regiments today. I’m glad they came. I showed them the camp. They invited me to come out to see them –Wish I could.
The shelling from the south shore goes on intermittently, We reply from time to time but with uncertain results. Some people here say the seacoast is “peg headed” (at least the C.O. –the story has it) and won’t accept information –good information– from outside outfits. It is said his guns open up with random settings on their easygoing devices –I don’t know, but the Japs still shell and many outfits I know of can tell quite accurately where their guns are.
In their shelling the Japs have concentrated on Ft Frank and Ft Drum. Damage has not yet been serious. Their aim isn’t too good –not bad however. They sank the H.B. Neptune at Ft Frank when she went over for a ration run. The Neptune tried to dodge the shelling by “standing off” until it stopped and leaving for a while when it was resumed. After a bit of back and forth dodging the Japns landed one right in the gasoline on the forward deck just as the Neptune tied up for the third time. The boat burned. No personnel were lost or seriously hurt. I think the Japs were spotting her movements from the adjacent shore.
I heard that Jack Davis (now commanding 12 inch mortar battery at Ft Frank) repelled a bunch of Japs who were gathering in the Calumpang barrio area with 75mm fire. I also hear that Ft Frank repelled an attempted landing on its own shores the next night. The Scout troops and Marines over there are doing a helluva fine job.