March 20: Boys did not leave because scouts had not finished work. Will leave tomorrow. I talked to Art and Jim twice today. They are coming here Friday (three days) and will stay here a week or ten days so I decided to leave with the first bunch. Domke and Dolan are also going.

Lt. Morrison with two guerrillas

Terrible day - rain and snow all day - snow stuck a little. Read and talked all day. Have had two rolls of film developed and all came out OK. Wrote to Chia Ming and sent him the pictures. Got offer to fly for the Eighth Route Army after the war at a good salary (probably in Manchuria). Got a bill from Mr. Lee and then to bed at 9:30. Bill was for “Services Rendered”!

March 21: Wednesday - we leave this morning. Overcoat but not cold out. Some snow on ground - first day of Spring. Off at 11 AM - Etling, Wells, Lovell, Kamiak, Fall, Tobey, Dolan, Domke and myself. Have mules with saddle packs and it is a pretty good deal. Turned out nice day - walked every other hour. Arrived at 6 - ate at 8. River ahead is too deep to cross so we must wait one day and then travel on the long north route so everyone is pretty sore. Learning two lessons - patience is a virtue and to argue is to lose friends. I have a cold again but not bad. To bed at 10.

March 22: Up at 9 - good sleep. Washed socks, hanks. Looked over communications and saw stolen Jap wire. Loafed all day and slept a little. Ate early - 4 PM. Bull session till 8 and then to bed. Was fine day - will travel tomorrow. Message from 20th Air Force came at 8:30 PM. Offered to drop supplies and is Doctor absolutely necessary so I called Kelsey and told him to answer that it was not necessary.

March 23: Up at 7:30 - breakfast 8 - off at 9 - another nice day. Walked every other hour and we forded a number of streams up to the mules belly. No mountains yet. Got holster and sewed it to suit me. Arrived at 4:30 after 60 Li. Rather tired - very dirty and hungry. Will not eat till 8. This 8 AM to 8 PM without food is hard to take. Have been deloused for a couple of weeks but expect them any day now since we are on the road. My top teeth are very black now even though I brush them twice a day. Have paste now - used to use face powder. These saddle packs are swell - hold a lot and keep it fairly clean. Dirty hole for a bed tonight but we are very tired so won’t mind. Expect to travel tomorrow and every day for two weeks. Good supper - it surprised us and we ate like hogs. Bull session for an hour and then to bed at 9 PM.

March 24: Up at 7 - packed for early start. My bottom lip hurts. Nice day. Off at 8:45, after pretty good breakfast. Walked every other hour. Arrived at hot springs at 3:30 and all took baths - it was a great experience. Felt fine after it. Three more Li made fifty and our destination. Peanuts and rested till chow at 7. Clean room - short racks. Weather still fine.

Short break for rest on the trail

Figure Yenan thirty days from today. Fair supper - lots of rice. I think we would die of hunger without it. Japs 30 miles from here. To bed at 9 and slept with head at foot of bed for first time.