November 19, 1945

19 _____ I started the day off with a 2400 to 400 watch. Only four forty Mil. guns are being mand for a few days till we get clear of the area where we might run into a mine field.
_____ This morning we saw the last of the Jap islands _ one was a high volcano with smoke coming out of it. At 900 we turned out & we haven't seen land all day _ heard were pulling into San Franscisco or San Diego eather the 1st or 2nd of Dec.
_____ Today we holly stoned the deck _ the weather is pretty good so far _ we was out most of the day but the wind was a little cold. The ship is going as far as 47° north.
_____ Right now we seem to be traveling south east.
(260 days out of states)

[written in bottom margin across 2 pages:] at 1200 ship was 5000 miles from Frisco—31°North on 132 M. at 2200 ship was 31°N 135 M.
_______

The Japanese islands are dotted with volcanos, so it's hard to know which one Joe meant. Pictured are two such volcanoes on the island Hachijo-Jima.

Holly stoned = holystoned. As said before, this was a soft sandstone used to scrub and whiten the decks.

The Mobile followed the Japan current, which moves clockwise around the Pacific. They went southeast first to clear the Japanese islands and get out into the Pacific.