April 29, 1942

—heavy artillery barrage on Rock on April 29th—26,000 rounds—took shelter in OP—over everything blown up—how no one got hurt, thank God, 24 240 mm and dozens of smaller shell holes within 25 feet of pits—Jacks starts to run. “Take another step and I will shoot you, you s.o.b.” (Would I really have shot him, I don’t know, but believe I would have if he hadn’t stopped.) Shrapnel in pants—cigarettes stolen—pin holes—Jacks—he refuses to fight—naval boats—wheeler firing—boats leave—relocated in B battery’s old HFD station—has been hit several times already—set up that night—fired next day—heavy bombing and artillery fire-barrage runs up to about 50 ft. of us, then skipped—started at shore and advanced up toward us—hole in side made by previous hit on shack lets debris drift to floor everytime a shell hits near or Wheeler fires—hope it doesn’t come in on us—Wheeler has had to vacate one ammo room—Japs have fired a live, a dud; a live, a dud; till they finally bored through the concrete—Yaeger wakes me—heard mg. Fire—heard japs are landing—says Wheeler on beach defense—CP says heard nothing—called again and said we know it is so, CP. “Stay where you are—have heard nothing—planes before dawn—(“No”-Cp.) “Yes”-we. CP—“Wait until daylight.” Into action—plenty of it-6000 rounds fired—have to help belting ammo—barrels hot—ordered to break guns and equipment—gun bolts—axe to barrel—dynamite—be at Hearn by 11 a.m—expected beach infantry fighting-