Bataan, HQ, MIS
The general looks very depressed. He talked to nobody today. He stayed in his tent smoking his pipe silently. He must be brooding about something sad.
I told Fred when I said “Good morning” to the General, the old Fogie did not even answer, damn the impolite bum. (Sometimes I like him; sometimes I detest him.)
Fred said the General talked with him. Said the general: “Fred you talk pessimistically.”
Fred said he was taken aback but he replied: “I always try to take a rational and realistic point of view, sir.”
The General did not reply.
Leonie is down with malaria and dysentery. He is getting very thin. He does not trust the doctor.
No change in general situation. Occasional artillery duels, partial skirmishes.
(later)
Three U.P. boys are here. They are Angel Baking, Teddy Lansang, and Renato Constantino. They want to join our service. They are sergeants.
Leonie was indifferent about taking them in. “What can these U.P. guys do, anyway?” he asked Fred jokingly because Fred comes from U.P.
The General asked me if the three fellows are O.K. because he does not know them. I told them the three were good writers and editors at one time or another of a paper called Collegian.
The General said: “Ah, they are your rivals.” I replied: “I don’t know them personally. What are we rivals about?”
The General said he liked the Ateneo.
I told the General to take them in and I would answer for them because I believe they are intelligent fellows. “Put them under Leonie or myself.” I wanted to have them under me, confidentially.
I pointed out that maybe we could use them for some mission in Manila.
The General said: “Let’s try them out on little things first.”
It was decided that I should bring them the day after tomorrow to Corregidor and give them instructions on the way.
(later)
Very dark night. Maybe it is going to rain. If I get wet, my malaria will get worse. Hell!
Spent afternoon reading Tribune. Saw pictures of Manilans biking in boulevard. Noticed that marriage wave continues unabated. I wonder how Morita is.
Leonie looked at advertisements. This and that restaurant selling this and that pastry and cake. This and that show running this and that film. We felt very homesick. Leonie read some parts of “Personals” aloud.
The three U.P. boys are all right. They are regular fellows. I don’t know why there is so much tiff between the Guidon and the Collegian. Its just a case of not knowing each other.
Constantino showed me a diary with a drawing of his girl’s face. He is in love with her. I think she is a niece of Speaker Roxas. Lansang sketched her face. Lansang also likes to write poems.
Will bring them to the Rock tomorrow afternoon at about five o’clock. Told them to eat well. They laughed.
Several raids today. Some AA shrapnel dropped near our toilet.
Three operatives arrived from Manila. One had a letter from Mrs. Osmeña to the Vice President.
Another operative whom we gave up for lost arrived. He claims he was captured by the Japs and allowed to return providing he comes back with information for them, heh, heh. Sometimes Japs are naive.
The general bawled out one of our officers. He was sent to the front to observe conditions and he pretended he went but he really stayed in rear.