Jan. 4, 1942 (Sunday)

SS President Polk

Wind and sea still heavy – Pendola says he’d trade everything he has for a bunk that’d sit still for just five minutes.

I wake up sometimes at night just like a cat on on a tin roof – clawing at the sheets trying to stay in the bunk while the whole cabin drops out from under me. Then the ships bottom slaps the sea, and jolts one so hard, his teeth click.

The dining room has been under-populated these last few days. In fact we have had several incidents – people being caught short. Last night a whole table full of loaded dishes tipped over with a resounding crash, and cheers from the galley.

Manila has fallen! Can’t understand why we are making a better showing against the Japs. Rumor has it that we may go to Batavia – I hope so.