(A-Day-minus two)
Wed. Oct. 18, 1944
Weather fine about 100 (degrees)
Task Force entered Gulf of Leyte and divided, Battleships West Virginia, Maryland and Mississippi with three destroyers proceed north to the Bay of San Pedro to shell White Beach and Lacloban Airdrome on Leyte Island, Philippines. The Battleships Tennessee, Pensylvania and California, with six cruisers and three destroyers shell Red Beach, S.E. of Leyte Island.
Dive bombers from our carriers can be seen diving on objectives.
Here it should be recorded the West Virginia fired the first salvo or l6-inch guns on the Philippine Island and she was flying the same flag it flew on December 7th 1941, when the Jape sunk her with 8 torpedos and 2 one-thousand pound bombs.
Air attack at twilight repulsed by Air Combat Patrol and Southern Force.
The Fantail and Flag of the USS West Virginia during battle of Pearl Harbor. This flag returned with a vengeance.
