Unable to write during last few days because of my malaria. I didn’t feel like doing anything. Felt like the old days in Bataan and the long, horrible months in the concentration camp.
Raids last Saturday. Saw planes bombing Grace Park. First few bombs immediately hit objectives. Black columns of smoke shot upward to sky. Planes dove and dove at objectives again and again. Thrilling sight.
When bombers come flying over, from northeast, they look like schools of little fishes swimming in clouds. Never saw so many in my life. Even Jap sentries in streets, shook their heads and remarked, “Takusan, takusan”, i.e., “so many, many.”
Read an Osaka Mainichi paper, a back issue. It was all about the fall of Saipan. This was a great loss to Japan, a severe blow on Jap morale. With its fall, Jap editor admitted that U.S. has perforated inner defense circle of Japan proper.
Meanwhile Manilans are anxious about Leyte battle. Question being asked by everyone “Why haven’t they finished with Leyte yet?” Some say: “It seems the Army of Kreuger is bogged down.” Reason for this was previous belief that Leyte would be over in “a couple of days.” Undoubtedly, “Leyte battle is progressing slower than expected.”
Continuous rumors of shelling in eastern coast of Luzon.