((Following text is undated:))
Owen, my husband, was taken out of the camp one morning at nine-o-clock, by the Japanese for interrogation concerning the airport, and, as the day wore on, and he did not come back, I was in a dreadfully anxious state and wondered whether I would ever see him again. Thankfully, at nine-o-clock at night he returned, but I will never forget that day.
OBJECTIVE: Block Pearl River channels with anti-ship mines
RESULTS: B-24s drop anti-ship mines into the Pearl River
TIME OVER TARGET: Evening
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Three B-24Js from the 308th Heavy Bomb Group
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Twelve anti-ship mines, most likely a mix of Mark 13 and Mark 13-5
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None
SOURCES: Original mission reports and other documents in the Air Force Historical Research Agency archives at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.
Information compiled by Steven K. Bailey, author of Bold Venture: The American Bombing of Japanese-Occupied Hong Kong, 1942-1945 (Potomac Books/University of Nebraska Press, 2019).
Notes:
1st - 2 pces Soap 6.00
2/7/44- Baked bread 7lbs 4 oz. Gave 1lb to Lim 1/2 lb to May ((May Guest?)). Sold "Flowering Flowers" as prints to Kastman for ¥7.50
3/7/44 - 30 bars Soap @2.75 82.50 3 toothbrushes 6.-
30/6 - 2 Bars Soap 6.-
7/7/44 - Took own Shoes to Jok Kee. He wants ¥9.00 for ((?)) Heels + Girlie's shoes 3-00 ¥12.-
12/7/44 - Repair umbrella 3.00 Repair 2 buckets + Enamel Pail 2.-
Supporting information:
As the year dragged on, our spirits were raised when we noticed that the war was not proceeding too well for “Nippon”. Ships we were to have unloaded never arrived in harbour; others were struggling into port in a battered and damaged condition; hospital ships unloaded thousands of boxes containing ashes of men who had been killed on islands in the Pacific; air raid precautions were intensified; cigarettes, food, clothing, etc. were hard to obtain by the civilians; anti-aircraft guns were taken off ships for shore batteries; machinery in the factories were stationary, as precision parts were unobtainable; steel foundries were at a standstill due to lack of suitable coal. There was hardly a petrol-driven car on the roads, while lorries ran on charcoal, and some even on wood. The morale of the Japanese, previously so high after the quick victories at the outbreak of war, was now deteriorating rapidly, as the stark realities of total war were brought home to them.
No longer were the guards boasting of their "victories"; instead, they were uneasy, over the growing might of the Allies vast war production. Newspapers carried a pessimistic undertone, telling the people that air-raids on Japan itself were imminent.
At this stage we noticed that the attitude of the Japanese camp staff underwent a change. They either developed a friendly attitude, giving us items of news, and offering us cigarettes, etc., or they went to the other extreme and turned very vicious and brutal, punishing us on the slightest pretext. However, this did not stop our spirits from lifting, as we knew that the time was fast approaching when the "Rising Sun" would set forever.
Hot, dry.
Work on wall & wood chopping aft.
Oil, curry pwdr. cigarettes & 2 boxes matches issued. Canteen open am but due to none arrival of ordered goods many things ran out before all people were served.
P. Henriot (Prop. Minst. of France) assassinated 28th. Allies 25mls S & SW of Florence, Sienna. Advances made on all other fronts. US casualties to date. Killed 35,148. Wounded 86,789, missing 45,725, Prs’s. 36,467.
Jap Dr. ask Prof. Digby for a signed document that would state the Jap. Drs usefulness, ability etc. in the Camp & of the lack of cooperation afforded him by the Japs i/c.
Yamashita stated in jest “That he would be applying for repatriation soon”, during a conversation re parcels & repatriation for us. Perhaps his jest will become fact far sooner than he expects.
With Steve pm.