Kaneohe NAS
Had Hillis and Pierson out again this morning. Buzzed Beeza on my way to Barbers Point for landing practice. About 1030 my #4 engine started smoking so we landed and found an oil leak. Decided to stay at Barbers Point for lunch so that the engine could be fixed.
Took off again at 1330 and continued landing instructions. Once, as I started my take off, Fleming in #13 turned directly across my path down the runway, in defiance of all traffic. I jerked back the throttles and jammed on the brakes and stopped in time to avoid clipping him. For two cents and a gun I’d have shot him on the spot.
Pick up Wally Jones and carted him back to Kaneohe for the weekly dance (Wed. 3 to 6). Only a fair assortment of femmes. Wally managed to get as boiled as I’ve ever seen him. He later lost a lot of money shooting craps. He truly is the soul of irresponsibility.
Went with Fisler after dinner to see the skipper of VP14 (on the Exec’s, Fowler’s, invitation. Fowler was in VP101 in the East Indies). The Admiral has finally decided that VP14 only shall benefit from our instruction, as they are the next outfit to get B-24s or PB4Ys. As soon as we check out three complete crews of VP14’s we are free to return to Barbers Point in our squadron (Thank God). We are really throwing valuable time away over here as we are destined, according to the latest dope, to go to the Solomons area (Espiritu Santos or Guadalcanal) around 15 January, and should be spending all of our time practicing bombing and gunnery. Will be very glad to get out of the mess over here. Nobody seems to know what they are doing and headquarters squadron has everything thoroughly bawled up.
As an indication of the criminal lack of efficiency around here, this morning’s patrol set up is a prime example. On the station there are approximately 60 PBY-5 and -5A patrol airplanes. At patrol time this morning only 11 were listed as flyable, of which only seven actually got into the air. Seven out of 60 is not only asinine, but is criminal. Any halfway efficient squadron always maintains at least 2/3s of its planes in a flyable condition. We’re certainly asking for trouble here, maintaining a sloppy patrol like that. As Fleming says, if our “little brown brother knew, he be grinning from ear to ear, all teeth.”