▁period ▁of ▁rep airs ▁which ▁included ▁a ▁dry - d ock ing , ▁the ▁M TB ▁tender ▁anch ored ▁off ▁Sam ar ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁the ▁imp ending ▁strike ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese - h eld ▁island ▁of ▁Bor neo . ▁Depart ing ▁Sam ar ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁June , ▁Var una ▁ste amed ▁sing ly ▁for ▁T aw i ▁T aw i ▁in ▁the ▁Sul u ▁Arch ip el ago , ▁arriv ing ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁June . ▁She ▁spent ▁the ▁following ▁day ▁fuel ing ▁and ▁making ▁rep airs ▁to ▁boats ▁from ▁M T BR ons ▁ 1 0 ▁and ▁ 2 7 ▁before ▁getting ▁under way ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 8 th . ▁ ▁Ar riv ing ▁off ▁Bal ik p apan ▁on ▁ 1 ▁July , ▁Var una ▁found ▁that ▁rough ▁se as ▁in ▁Mak ass ar ▁Stra it ▁made ▁dock ing ▁of ▁the ▁P T ' s ▁to ▁be ▁almost ▁impossible . ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁mean while ▁rapidly ▁secured ▁a ▁beach head , ▁forcing ▁the ▁Japanese ▁def enders ▁into ▁the ▁hinter lands , ▁and ▁mines we eping ▁operations ▁cleared ▁a ▁channel ▁to ▁the ▁inner ▁har bor ▁of ▁Bal ik p apan . ▁There , ▁Var una ▁again ▁set ▁up ▁shop ▁to ▁tend ▁her ▁group ▁of ▁tor ped o ▁boats . ▁Up ▁to ▁this ▁point , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁had ▁made ▁little ▁resistance ▁from ▁the ▁air ; ▁but , ▁late ▁in ▁July , ▁the ▁enemy ▁began ▁nearly ▁contin ual ▁air ▁attacks ▁for ▁five ▁days ▁running . ▁On ▁one ▁such ▁attack