September 18, 1944

18 September 1944
USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE 86) Off Palau

The boys are beginning to call this ship the Sitkoh Maru as she seems to be operating better for the Japanese.

This AM the Air Officer got all us pilots on deck and showed us graphs they made on the test catapult shots all last night. According to them everything was functioning OK. About noon flight quarters was sounded and they manned a few replacement planes. The weather was beautiful altho not much wind. Everything was all set including all the boys standing on the sidelines waiting.

The plane on the catapult was set, the rev up, the shot, and another F6 into the drink. Pilot picked up OK but ship cancelled operations and received orders to return to Manus to repair catapult. What a day. I don’t believe they could get a pilot to man a plane again from that “gimmick”. Sooner or later one of them wouldn’t be fortunate, as thank God they all have been, in getting out without a scratch.

All day long we’ve been plowing the sea for Manus. It’s been a clear warm day and most of us have spent it on the forecastle discussing operations, watching our lonely DE up front, and watching the flying fish play about the bow. Some of those little devils can really scoot over the waves and they’re fascinating to watch.

Near sundown the DE reported a contact, took off in one direction and off we went in the other zigzagging like all get out. The DE never dropped any depth charges so guess it was some fish. I imagine we’ll put into Manus in a few days but don’t know when we’ll ever get aboard the Wasp. I’m ready at any time to shove off.