Indian Ocean

Have heard the explanation of the great loss of life in the Langley–Pecos sinkings. It seems as though the Pecos, after picking up the Langley’s survivors, was attacked by bombers. In the excitement of the raid, someone yelled “abandon ship” and the soaked, bedraggled, cluster of men (from the Langley) on her decks proceeded to jump overboard. They numbered about 400 and were all drowned, as the Pecos continued her flight at full speed for two more hours, before she was finally torpedoed. Certainly an unnecessary tragedy.

The Japs (via Radio Tokyo) are doing their best to spread the suicide motif, as a demoralizing factor to us. They claim that the Saratoga (really the Langley) was sunk by six, or nine, suicide dive bombers, which is in no way true. They are just as frightened of death as anyone else, and in most cases, our own forces (Filipino and Dutch, and American) have displayed more of the suicide tendencies than the Japs.

Embarked on the SS Mount Vernon (ex-Washington) last night, and we shoved off at 0800 this morning.