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May 7, 1942

Thursday Ft. Hughes

As the day started we learned that there were Japanese landing boats off our eastern point. They fired 1 pounders to see if we would resist and then came on in to a landing. At 1 a.m. they were in the “wardroom”, While the officers negotiated the men took what watches they could get hold of, smoked cigarettes which we offered, tried out their English, and offered us fresh apples — the first in over 4 months. At 3 a.m. we turned in again and slept until 7. We ate a hearty breakfast and then without warning were told to take our personal things and leave the casemate. We marched down the hill with what we could carry and want into the barracks, which, by this time, were nothing more than a concrete floor, four sides and a partial roof. They installed the officers on the bowling alley and put majors and above on a higher level in a place all by themselves. So far the treatment has been better than could be expected. In the afternoon they finally give us each half a can of evaporated milk. I used to loath the stuff but I gulped it down. After dark they issued 1/3 can of peas to each of us. Our biggest problem is water; we were practically out of it when they arrived. We are drinking evil-tasting stuff that has been stored in empty powder cans. It’s almost impossible to drink and doesn’t quench thirst. At night I slept (?) on the concrete deck. — Someday!