Surabaya, Java

Was mistaken about the number of planes lost. VP-101, -102, and -22 are now ALL VP-101. VP-101 and -102 originally had 28 PBYs between them — three are left of that original number. In two days VP-101 and -102 lost ten planes at Manila. VP-22 brought 12 planes out from Pearl Harbor — six are left. Also the Dutch contributed five of their PBYs. The Dutch seem rather disgusted with the U.S. after all the “big talk” about impregnable Manila (and Singapore) to have the whole works collapse and fall back on their meager defenses, which are excellent despite their limited funds. They tried again and again to purchase plans for spot cash in the U.S. — only to be turned down in favor of England (lease-lend). The planes we did sell them were ones we didn’t want. In the “Tabarin” nightclub this night, was damn near caught in a brawl between Dutch and American sailors — I hear that they had one here a week or so ago, in which four Dutchmen got killed — however, this one, due no doubt to the number of officers present, just barely got started when it was stopped.

Bought a very fine Balinese kris from a Celanese who works in the Oranje Hotel — a very interesting fellow — formerly chief American Express and Cook and Sons guide for this part of the world.

Brownie very likely got back from Balikpapan in one piece after having two or three big holes canonned in the bottom of this plane by “Zero” fighters. As usual, the damned army didn’t show up, if it hadn’t been for the heavy cloud cover, Brownie’d have gotten it for sure — that’s twice now our planes been saved by these clouds up there. Jacobson was followed through the clouds by those damn Jap “Zeros.” Three brand-new ones (yellow paint job with red and white decorations) got on his tail and wouldn’t give up for love nor money. Yellow bastards.