February 26, 1943 (Friday) 

“Cactus,” Guadalcanal

TBF hop again called off due to bad weather at Buin last night. Swam in river, washed clothes, and slept. This business of getting up each night and standing by airplanes waiting for takeoff orders for an hour or so, and then having operations canceled, is damn tiring, despite the fact that we don’t go out.

Joe E. Brown gave a show down on Pagoda Hill, after giving a similar performance up at the “front” earlier. The squadron of which his son (Joe E. Brown Jr.) used to be a member before his death in a crash, is the Army B-24 outfit which is taking the beating along with us up here.

Local talent also contributed to the show. The song that brought down the house was “Atabrine,” set to the music of “Tangerine.”

“Atabrine, oh delirium, etc.”

Davis (“The Tiger”) went back to Buttons. This combat flying has reduced him to a whining skeleton. I feel sorry for him, although I will admit I never cared much for him.