“Cactus,” Carney Field, Guadalcanal

Called out on a night strike group last night to try and stop the Tokyo Express from reinforcing Kolombangara. The attempt was unsuccessful. For three nights running now the Tokyo Express has been unloading at Vila with little or no opposition. What in hell is wrong with the ship Navy? Where are our fleets of motor torpedo boats? The Kula Gulf area is perfect for MTB operation. No, the ship boys have had their bit of action for the season — the “triumph” of Kula Gulf. So, now the aircraft can battle the Jap navy night and day for the next few months, while Japs load Vila with troops which will help kill the poor damned Marines and soldiers on New Georgia when they are ordered to Kolombangara. The Japs must have almost 15,000 men on that island now. As Patrick Fleming says, “The big ships in our Navy are swell ice cream freezers.” Armored soda fountains!

Patrolled 750 miles on Sector #7. Stinking weather (500 miles on instruments). No sightings.

Heard this evening that the Coastwatcher on Vella Lavella reports the landing of about 150 Helena survivors from rafts. Those are the boys I’ve been waiting to hear about. Hope the hell they all made it safely and none landed on Kolombangara.

Four Jap carriers and supporting force are reported at Truk. A VB-102 plane spotted two heavy cruisers and a destroyer near Kavieng, headed this way.