Surabaya, Java

Reported to the skipper and exec this morning. VP-101 is all that is left of VP-101 and VP-102 — they have six planes left out of the original 22. Went into town and bought a carved box, some worked silver, and some batik cloth — all handmade and very reasonable. Would’ve liked to get a pair of iron-wood heads but I have no room to carry them. Saw Riley on the Pillsbury (DD), Harris is on the Stewart (DD) and Salisbury is radar expert for the area, Stewart is one of the communication communication officers on the staff, F.R. Fette has found a Dutch boat leaving for Rangoon — he may get to Chungking yet.

Saw Brown of Central Aircraft in the Oranje Hotel bar — less than two months ago was talking to him in the RCA building in New York City — it IS a small world. John Riley’s destroyer is riddled with shrapnel holes and aircraft cannon holes — it also leaks all over from hundreds of sprung plates — Corregidor Island took half its torpedo tubes — in other words it’s very snappy that little number.

Walked across field to see P-40 pilot and crashed P-40 — got caught in tropical squall — drenched. Brownie is going out on a hop to Balikpapan — a Borneo oil town — guided by Dutch. Jap convoy has been lying off of it for a week. The B-17Es want to bomb them — but can’t find them! — so Brownie has to send M-Os — suicide! (Zero fighters)  — God, these mosquitoes!