Struck by Bomber at Mindoro
Late the next month, while in a Mindoro bound convoy with 30 PT Boats and 50 other vessels enemy planes made life tenuous. ... On December 30, a Val bomber came in low on the starboard side and crashed Orestes amidships causing heavy damage and the loss of 45 members of the crew. Accompanying LCIs finally brought the resultant fires under control and the craft was beached.
