Reese F. Lukei Jr.
3 October — 11 October 1944
Loading stores and supplies, troops and cargo and preparing for another to island invasion.
12 October 1944
1430 Underway from MANUS, Admiralty Island Group for Island of LEYTE, Philippine Islands – with troop loaded combat convoy with TRANSP Div 26 & 32
15 October 1944
Joined in with 130 ship convoy – total 145 ships – combat loaded.
20 October 1944
0600 Arrived off Island of LEYTE, Philippine Islands. Battleships, Cruisers and Destroyers bombarding –first wave landed at 1015; second wave landed at 1030. No enemy
21 October 1944
Two enemy air attacks today – Saw Jap plane shot down and burn on island. General McARTHUR landed and spoke over radio to Filipino people
22 October 1944
Two more Jap air attacks today – Jap planes disappearing fast.
23 October 1944
Three Jap air attacks – planes shot down. 20 US PT’s arrived today. No allied losses reported today.
24 October 1944
A bad day – Five Jap air attacks. Shrapnel hits Flagbridge wounding 7 men. One Army Sargent and one Chief Signalman and 5 sailors. US
25 October 1944
Continued Jap air attacks — enemy bombs dropped on island and in sea but with no damage. Shooting them down as they come in. Southern
26 October 1944
Still battling Jap air attack attempts – shooting them down as fast as they come within range. Jap planes coming in only one and two
27 October 1944
One air attack early in morning – rest of day quite. Air attack in evening and General Quarters ALL night. Jap bomber hit beach in
28 October 1944
0130 Started receiving aboard 350 survivors including 150 stretcher cases from sea battle of the 26th. Working all night, feeding, clothing and caring for men.
29 October, 1944
Saw Jap plane shot down and burst into flames at base of mountain on Leyte. A large number of P-38s and other Army fighters here.
30 October 1944
Rather quite all day — only 3 GQ’s. Army-planes keeping Japs away and under control. Heavy storm last night. Sea heavy and wind at gale
31 October 1944
0550 GQ – secured 0600. No action. 0610 GQ – secured 0715. No action. Usual routine day – only two GQs during day. About 1900
1 November 1944
Only 3 GQs today – but no action. Two DDs sunk in bombing and air torpedo attack about 50 miles south by Japs. Two DDs
2 November 1944
0345 GQ — secured 0450 0515 GQ — secured 0745 Usual routine — rather quite. Air attack at night. Army shot down 14 Jap planes
3 November 1944
GQ in early morning, no damage. 1745 GQ — secured 1945 1955 GQ — secured 2115 2315 GQ — secured 0645 (11/4/44) Japs trying to
4 November 1944
Started with usual morning GQ. 1310 GQ – secured 1400 2115 GQ – secured 0515 (11-5-44) Japs trying to break in but AA fire too
6 November 1944
0033 GQ — secured 0125. Just about noon just outside my stateroom there was a loud commotion like kids arguing. On looking out I found
7 November 1944
Two young Jap prisoners brought aboard today. Nothing exciting except for a couple short GQs.
9 November 1944
A couple GQs is all today. Our two Jap prisoners taken off the ship today.
10 November 1944
Five GQs early this morning and one short GQ about 1915.
11 November 1944
Three long GQs last night. Navy bombers sunk 6 Jap APAs, 2 DDs and 2 DEs plus several small craft off west coast of Leyte
12 November 1944
Two long GQs early this morning. Six Jap planes shot down. One Jap plane dropped a bomb on a LST and then suicide dived onto