August 18, 1943 (Wednesday)

“Button,” Espiritu Santo

Departed for Button this noon in company with Joe Hall. Our two planes are the first group to leave Cactus on the way to the states. We will wait here at Button till they arrive. When we are in good shape will shove off in three or four plane sections for Kaneohe, via Tutuila and Christmas Island.

This entry closes this diary as it is necessary to carefully conceal it in my effects to get it back into the states. If I’m caught it will probably mean a court-martial. Anyway it can‘t compare to a run over Kahili, so here goes.

This new field, Bomber 3, at Button, is all Navy, and it‘s a lulu. It’s up in the mountains and is cool and has excellent drainage.

VB-104 is here and is leaving for Cactus in two days. Their PB4Ys have Sperry Ball turrets in the nose. Very snappy looking.

Were escorted in from Cape Cumberland this afternoon by two New Zealand P-40s with the following color scheme: