“Button,” Espiritu Santo

Patrol today. Got almost to the Stewart Islands before I was forced back by the weather, which is been getting steadily worse, and confronted me finally with a solid, impenetrable wall of black water. Climbed to 10,000 feet in an attempt to get over it, but saw only an ascending series of dark, boiling clouds reaching up to 30 to 35,000 feet. Coming home the ceiling averaged about 1,000 feet. Below, the gray water. Above, the dark cloud ceiling. And between the two, stretching from ceiling to floor, countless, massive pillars of falling water. We dodged between them, hoping not to be caught in some dark, dead end. Finally, here and there, a shaft of bright sunlight streamed through to spot the gray sea with a brilliant blue. Finally, off in the distance, a fleeting, misty glimpse of Cape Cumberland’s dark cliffs – home again.

Went to the Officers Club and ran into Finkelday (of Floyd Bennett Field Elimination Base). Talked over the fate of our class, had a few drinks, and came home for supper.