About the author: Leo Arhutick (July 4, 1919 — July 29, 2009?). Bay County, Michigan: a county online database has the following:
Arhutick, Leo; 1942 Aug11; WWII; Bay City; POW Japan, 1942, son of Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Arhutick, 314 S. Sherman.
The Pacific POW Roster has the following:
ARHUTICK LEO, PFC, 7030276, AC, 24 Purs Gp 17 Purs Sqn, MI, 617, Tottori,,Tok-05B-Niigata
He also appears in Tokyo-05B-Niigata Yanks and in Yokohama 18-D. The February, 2008 issue of Ex-POW Bulletin mentions that Leo “Art” Arhutick became a Life Member of the American Ex-Prisoners of War Association.
About the diary: Identified only as L. Arrutick (Arhutick), Corporal, 17th Pursuit Squadron, Nichols Field. Found in File “Diary of Cpl. L. Arhutick, [17th Pursuit Sqd’n] Nichols Field, 1941-1944,” Box 11, Entry 1054,Philippine Archive Collection, Record Group 407, National Archives. The Philippine Diary Project contains the Philippine portion of his diary, from December 8, 1941 to October 7, 1942, when he embarked on a transport ship bound for Japan.