Evening star., 1942-11-07

BY CAPT. WILLIAM LLOYD
OSBORNE and CAPT. DAMON
CAUSE.
As Told to Lee Van Alta.
(Fitth Installment of Fourteen.)
fC1pt. Cause continues his
personal story OF the escape from
the Philippines. In the preced-
ing installment he has told how
he and Sergt. Baker Ualked
through sleeping japanese
military camp in despniring
effort to reach safety. Just as
they ,Dere approaching the haven
OF river mouth, Baker grabbed
Capt. Causes arm and pointed
up the beach. A group OF 20 Jdps
tOere trotting toUdrd them, Wav-
ing and yelling).
Our first thoughts were to turn
and run. Then we realized that
would only awaken the whole camp
and start full-scale search for us.
told Baker to wave and yell some
thing, anything, so long as it sounded
Japanese. We moved slowly up the
beach, gesturing and yelling en-
Enthusiastically until we reached q
sand dune which formed half
barrier between one beach and an
other.
We started running as fast as our
legs would carry us and were in the
shark infested waters of the Manila
Bay surf before the group chasing
us--apparently thinking we were
soldier friends out for stroll-were in
sight. We churned out about 100
yards into the bay and began the
long swim back to Camp Cab Cabin,
where we believed our lines had
been reformed. japanese search
lights from their shore positions
were raking the water constantly,
apparently watching for possible
landing parties. Baker and I finally
decided that we had better split up
for the better protection of the other
if one was caught. I never saw him
again.
heard the big guns of Corregidor
booming ear-splitting lombard
ments all night as I managed to
keep on going. I was hungry, weak
and tired; it was almost 48 hours
since I had food, fresh water or
sleep. I swan ashore just before
dawn, to be greeted by Filipino
civilian who had seen me approach
ing shore in the half-light of early
morning. With the exception OF
Sergt. Baker, he was the first friend
I had met for two days. From some
where he produced pair OF Army
coveralls, native cigarettes, some
cold cooked rice and fresh water. 1t
was the best food I have ever
tasted-almost like feast. Water,
l knew then, was the finest drink
man could have.
Bataan Surrendered.
AS I ate, he told me the news.
Bataan had surrendered to the Jap
anese. For a few minutes couldn't
believe it. 1t seemed impossible that
all the months of hell during which
the men of Bataa1 had suffered so
cheerfully and courageously had led
only to defeat and new suffering at
the hands of the japanese. I looked
over toward Camp Cab Cabin--the
American flag no longer few. 1%wass
dazed and bewildered", ana think +
was crying a little. I mumbled my
thanks to the Filipino and started
up the trail. The news explained
evefythiAY- -t1iggala Japanese p6rty'
on the beach, their apparent disre-
gard of normal precautions around
the camp, and the strange lack OF
local action since the night we first
started down the river after our es-
cape near Limay.
I cannot fully describe the scene
nor my own reactions as l ap-
preached Camp Cab Cabin. 1t
seemed as if the world had gone
mad-as indeed our world on Bataan
had! Japanese soldiers were rob-
bing American officers and enlisted
men of everything Of value. saw
them paving through the few tat
tered personal papers the men had
saved from the shambles OF the
Bataan and Luzon campaigns, rip
ping up everything they thought
worthless and putting in their own
pockets what they wanted.
I watched them tear watches from
American wrists and slap or prod
with a bayonet those men who pro-
tested. Many Americans were still
wandering about aimlessly, appar-
emily as dazed as was. At that
time-only a few hours after the
surrender-the japanese hadn't yet
put all the men into concentration
camps. Perhaps they realized the
men were too weak, too worn out
physically and mentally exhausted,
to move very far anyway. Some
Americans had collapsed by the
trail and the Japs were taunting
them to stand if they dared. The
Jap soldiers were rifling the pockets
evidently of dead Americans. There
wasn't a Ninnonese officer to be