-5-     Monday, December 25, 1944 (Christmas Day) What a sad Christmas Day! After daylight we were marched about two miles to a school yard in San Fernando, La Union. There we were fed a half cup of rice and a tablespoon of salt in the morning and a half cup of rice and camotes in the afternoon. This was the first food since Saturday the 23rd. A small amount of water was also issued. At about 10:00 p.m. we were counted and marched about three miles to the beach, carrying the sick and wounded, where we bedded down on the sand trying to avoid the wind and cold.  Tuesday, December 26, 1944 After a cold and windy night on the sand we were fed a rice ball at 5:00 a.m.  About 300 men did not get one. We also received 5 spoons of water each. We were allowed to bathe in the ocean in groups of 100, this being the first opportunity since the 13th of December for most of the prisoners, to get a bath. We suffered terrifically from the sun with only five spoonfulls of water to slake our thirst. Col. Edmonds died on the beach. A tablespoon of dry rice was issued per prisoner.  Wednesday, December 27, 1944 Shortly before dawn we were awakened and loaded aboard a large empty horse freighter with the exception of a small group of about 259 under Lt. Col. Harold K. Johnson, Inf. which boarded another freighter. Fourteen sunken ships were visible in the harbor. Our convoy appeared to consist of two destroyers and about six freighters. We got under way while under an air raid alarm. A second air raid took place during the afternoon but our ship was not damaged in any way. We were given one meal consisting of 1/3 canteen cup of rice and 1/2 pint of tea. Lt. D. C. Brown was shot trying to jump overboard in an attempt to escape.  Thursday, December 28, 1944 Remained at anchor most of previous night due to moonlight and fear of submarine attacks. We were so crowded in our hold that it was necessary to lie down in relays. Air was plentiful; in fact it was getting to be considerably cooler. We passed the northern tip of Luzon about 10:00 a.m. Our ration amounted to 1/3 cup of tea and 1/3 cup of rice and fish. Three torpedoes were fired at us - all missed. On Lt. Col. Johnson's boat Snyder died of dysentery. Johnson's boat will be referred to as Boat #1 hereafter and my boat as #2. The information concerning boat #1 was obtained from notes kept by Chaplain Nagle. The ration aboard boat #1 amounted to 3/4 of a canteen cup of rice and 1 tablespoon of fish. On the 27th they were given 2 tablespoons of rice and no water.  Friday, December 29, 1944 At anchor for eight hours during moonlight, cooler and rain. Men use all type of utensils in effort to get rainwater. Two men died on my ship. Gunnery practice was held in the early evening hours. We were not issued water and received 1/3 cup of rice per man. Those on Boat #1 received about 1/5 cup of rice per man. Everyone is filthy and miserable. The Japs still refuse to make our medicines available to us. In fact they will not even permit us to get salt water to bathe the wounded.  Saturday, December 30, 1944 Three deaths on my ship. Food for the day was 1/3 cup of rice, 5 spoons of soup and 1/2 pint of water. Ships guns were in action from 8 to 9 p.m. Men on other ship given 1/2 cup of rice scraps.  Sunday, December 31, 1944 Three more deaths; fed 1/2 cup of rice. Night very cold. Apparently undergoing torpedo attacks all night long as the guns were firing and depth charges were dropped all throughout the night. Men on other ship not fed but were given 1/2 cup of water after 9 requests. Arrived at Takao Harbor during night.