Tues. Jan. 26 – Morning off. Got up about 10:30. Took a mission to patrol Buna, T.O. 11:30. On the way over, or rather, after we got across the mountains, Porter had engine trouble and decided to come back. So he told Porteous to come back with him, but as usual, Porteous didn’t catch on. Porter left me to lead the remainder of the flight; I told Porteous to follow Porter. He left, but Porter couldn’t find him, so Porter came back and told me to accompany him, and Mayo to join Gelatkas’ flight. So Porter and I came back, Porteous soaring along about 3000 feet above and ahead of us, never knowing where we were. Porter was really griped at Porteous. Sat on alert till 7:15. Played Poker in the evening and won about (LB!)16. No mail. One heavy raid about 3:30 A.M. The first time the three bombers came over, the lights picked them up at once and
they hauled back out to sea. Then about 5 min. later they came back in. The lights caught them again, but no A.A. was fired because a P-38 night-fighter was up after them. He was apparently unable to reach them before they dropped their bombs, which they did on Wards’, a large number of heavy bombs which started fires, hit ammo and bomb dumps, and got on Beaufighter. The P.38 returned unsuccessful. But A/A would have had a wonderful opportunity if the P-38 handn’t been up there.
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