Pearl Harbor

Spent the morning collecting data on combat tactics.

Gunnery hop this afternoon. Met “Phil” Phillips and John Franklin of VF (Fighting) 72 at 9500 feet over Barbers Point. They both flew F4Fs against me. Had quite a time for about 45 minutes trying to evade their runs. Stood little chance against them though, even though I really wrapped that old PBY up several times. Finally at 1530 Phil pulled up alongside and motioned he’d meet me later at the Tennis Club Bar.

After the usual fight for drinks, we sat down on the terrace to discuss the afternoons “battle.”

Phil is one hell of a nice kid. I sure hope he gets back to his wife in one piece when this war is over. He had a narrow squeak the other day when his hatch tore loose, gashed his scalp, and knocked him cold at 12,000 feet. He came to just in time to avoid crashing into the sea.