Evening star., 1942-11-13

personal story OF the escape from
the Philipptnes.J
We weren't more than half mile
away from Bataan when Japanese
reconnaissance plane roared over
and dropped fare pattern almost
completely around our small boat
Immediately. we fell fiat on the bot
tom of the craft, allowing it to drift
with the tide. The plane circled fol
several minutes and was apparently
satisfied that our craft was just q
drifting banca. AS the Jap plane
few off toward Manila, We heaved
deep sighs of relief and resumed
padding in an effort to get out OF
the flare zone. 81
Then a new sound came to our
ears-the throb Of a fast motorboat
approaching. We ducked again and
once more allowed our banca tc
drift. The Filipino lieutenant and
peered cautiously over the gunwales
"a speedy japanese patrol boat was
within firing distance of us. We
ducked again, faster this time. The
enemy vessel approached within 30
feet. AS its engines idled gently all
Of us prayed long and fervently. The
Japs remained there for about five
minutes then, apparently content
they raced off again into the night
We had two close calls within 40
minutes.
We rowed for 18 hours, continu-
ously bucking both wind and cur
rent. A dozen times I tried to take
the oars away from the Filipino
privates and give them rest but they
wouldn't hear of it. If they couldn't
help the Americans win back the
Philippines, they said, they were de-
termined to help an American get
away from the Japanese.
Late the following afternoon we
landed and separated our forces, !"
the lieutenant and I remaining to-
gether while the privates struck out
for themselves. We pushed through
the dense jungle underground for
nearly an hour until we found our
selves on the outskirts of native
village. We speedily were informed
that we had arrived there exactly 10
minutes after a japanese patrol of
30 men had left the village for Ma
Mia. Fearing that the japanese
troops might return, we remained in
the barrio for only few hours.
However, through the lieutenant, we
were able to secure clothes to re-
place our tattered garments, and a
Jug OF water. 1t was the first LIQUID
We had had for two days. BY mid
night we were ready to move on,
our plans being to travel cross
country, avoiding villages as much
as possible and strike for the noun
talns, walking always by night and
living off the country as much as
possible.
Traffic of Death.
We slept the first day in a we'll
concealed ravine at the side of one
OF the provinces most Travelled
roads. All day We watched as Japa-
nese trucks rolled by, jammed with
high explosive shells. technical
equipment and men. We learned
later that they were bound for
enemy artillery positions. 1t was
this road which fed the men and ex-
ploslves to the positions which were
eventually to force Corregidor's
capitulation. We wished earnestly
for some means to disrupt the traffic
OF death II only for few days but
there was nothing We could dove
didn't have so much as a cap pistol
between us.
The next II days were night
mares for both of us. With the ex-
ception Of some cold rice and some
native fruit, we had no food, and it
seemed as II we were lodging Jap
anese patrols every minute of every
day. They were everywhere in the
area. Five days of our 11-day trek
to temporary security were spent in
scrambling up and down the rocky,
rugged, steaming mountains of
1uzon, completely without food.
The days were so hot I would walk
in my shorts, if we felt it safe to
move at all. and the nights were
so cold that the little protection
afforded us by leaf covering was
welcome.
On April 26 I ate my first full
square meal since leaving Bataan
Is days before 1t was at the home
Of friends of the Filipino lieutenant
somewhere in Juzon," and it was a
feast such as I had never dreamed
existed. There were big platters of
chicken fried in coconut oil. native
Ash concoctions; chicken, rice, onions
and peppers cooked to make a savory
stew. For dessert we were served
native candy-the first I had eaten
since mid-December.
Filipinos Beg for News.
All through the meal neighbors
with gifts for "the Americana"
would arrive-food and clothes prin-
cipally. 1t was almost pitiful the
way they begged for news of Bataan
and Corregidor All of them had
sons or brothers or fathers on
Bataan or THE Rock" and they had
heard nothing from them in months.
But even as I answered their ques-
tions I knew 1t was time to be on
the move again. Filipinos love to
talk and a chance slip would not
only spoil my chance of escape but
would bring disaster to those who
had befriended me.
Under cover of darkness that
night left for a point two days
walk distant. My friends described
my destination as the safest place
to hide out until I could make my
plans for escape For nearly three
months I lived in, the flimsy one
room hut I found when I arrived
at the designated point 1t was a
dim, cheerless place. but 1t was a
safe refuge, and that's what needed
most.
There were no furnishings of any
kind. I slept on the floor. in spite
of the lizards and huge but harm
less spiders which roamed non-
chalantly over me every night.
Each day I would walk the mile to
the nearest stream for water and
to rendezvous with the other friends
who were providing me with food.
%ol