Pearl Harbor

Liberty today! On my way into town I stopped off the drydock No. 2 — the Minneapolis — to see Lew Larson. Stayed for lunch after an interesting chat. He’s been in both the Coral Sea and Midway scraps. Anti-aircraft director officer. Got a letter of commendation from his skipper — damn good.

On into town for a “luau” — a Hawaiian feast. Native food — fish, poi, roast pig, yams, pineapple, and barrels of liquor! The pig roasting was most interesting. The pigs were filled with hot stones, wrapped in leaves, and buried for a few hours! When they were dug out, they literally fell apart with tenderness. Best pork I’ve ever eaten. The poi tasted like fermented mush — not very appealing — to me.

Went down to see Pat Smart later and brought Tony a load of chewing gum. After dinner and the children to be put to bed, and the blackout had started, we went for a moonlight outrigger canoe paddle in her private lagoon. She’s a damn fine girl. As I was drying my feet from the leaky canoe, who drives in but Pat’s friend General Delos Emmons., The senior Army officer aviator for the Hawaiian Islands. He seemed quite a nice fellow. I ribbed him a bit about his pilots always getting lost and screaming to us for help. Shoved off and headed for the Royal Hawaiian – no room. Tried the Moana, with better luck.