Evening star., 1943-04-25

over Toxic that Emperor Hirohito's
palace was protected by barrage
balloons
All pilots were instructed to avoid
bombing the palace but several ad
mitted that there was general agree
ment that any pilot disabled over
Toxic would dive his plane onto the
palace
Three members of one crew took
refuge in Buddhist temple while
Japanese soldiers searched vainly
for them.
Capt. ]. Royden Stork of San
Diego, Calf, the co-pilot of one
plane, stuffed his pockets full of
candy bars and cigarettes before
jumping.
Those bars were flung in every
i direction, my parachute gave me
such flip Capt. Stork recalled
1T was pouring rain and in no time,
my chute was soaked with water and
I was falling very fast. I couldn't
see anything in the dark so I was
in completely relaxed condition
when I hit the ground, otherwise I
might have been hurt. I must have
been knocked unconscious as don't
remember anything until I found
myself lying against tree. I lay
in the rain until morning before
starting out"
Chinese Villagers Helpful.
! Many others had similar stories.
Chinese villagers first were fright
ened and then extremely kind and
helpful in supplying food, guides and
transportation. Every one had
praise of the treatment accorded
them by Chinese villagers and guer-
rillas.
But for sheer fun, turn to the tale
! of 1t. Jack E. Manch of Staunton,
Va. To him, everything from Sergt.
Bither's parachute jump to his own
musical comedy identification by the
Chinese as friendly American
everything was huge circus.
Like the others, he bailed out and
| like some of the others he wrapped
himself in his chute on the ground
to protect himself from the rain.
Il jumped from the plane carry
ing two ass, one Luger and one little
pistol" he said, but when the chute
caught, it Tipped three guns off and
left me with one As and few candy
bars"
Whole Village Disappears.
With that equipment, he started
out the next morning to find help.
The first person he saw was wom-
an carrying bundle of sticks.
Pardon me. Madame" he said by
way of introduction. The woman
didn't hear 1t. Manch's soft drawl,
so he drew closer and said: Lady"
She took one wild look at my
six-foot-seven," 1t. Manch related,
land began running. She ran into
her house and slammed the door
I knocked. No answer. I pushed
on the door. 1t opened I was
starving SO I went in but nobody
was there. I looked through the
back door and saw the whole viii
lage disappearing into bamboo
thicket.'
ultimately, he found a Chinese
who sought to identify him.
First, he drew a japanese flag
and pointed to that" 1t. Manch said,
L didn't know whether he wanted
to know if I had bombed Japan or
was Jap myself I decided the
East was the idea so I held my nose
and waved the picture away. The
Chinese grinned and then brought
out clipping of an old Blenheim
and pointed to the English insignia.
I shook my head again. Then he
brought out a copy of the Sat-
urday Evening Post about four
years old. On the cover was a pic
ture of President Roosevelt. I
grinned and pointed to Mr.. Roose-
welt, then to me.
He got the idea and everybody
IN the room laughed and we shook
hands"
Led to Safety.
Ultimately he, too, found guerillas
and was led to safety.
Still operating in China against
the Japanese from the Toxic bomb
ers are Maj. Holstrom, Capt. Clay
ton J. Campbell of Orofino, Idaho;
Capt. Crouch, 1t. March, 1t. Fitz-
hugh, Master Sergt. Edwin w. Hor-
ton, jr., of Branstable, Mass: 1t.
Youngblood and Technical Sergt.
Douglas v. Radney of Mineola, Tex.
Sergt. Radney since then has been
credited with three probable Jap
anese planes as a gunner.
The whole spirit of the enterprise
was expressed in one brief COM
ment by Sergt. Horton as he bailed
out. He turned to the pilot, grim
ming, and said:
Thanks for the ride"