The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1943-07-15

away? I didn't even bring it up; it
seemed so hopeless now. I went
back to my quarters and had just
packed to 60 when the phone rang.
I was to report to General Sharp at
the landing field at once, and bring
everything I had with me.
"It was grim waiting at the air
port. The priority list was made up
in Melbourne and each man had a
number. A plane would not hold
more than thirty, they knew, but
more than hundred were waiting
there. Because perhaps two, maybe
even three, planes might come. Or
perhaps someone whose name was
called would not show up, and your
number might be high enough on the
list to claim his seat. So they wait
ed-a1 young technicians, most of
them aviators, for this last chance
to get out, so they could fight again.
General Sharp had told me he had
telephoned Cox and Akers that they
were on tonight's list; why weren't
they here?
''At 1890 the list was called
thirty names, mine and theirs
among them, but only I answered
present. So they put an army tank
major and an air-corps captain in as
substitutes, if they failed to arrive.
But at 1925 here they came on the
run, so the captain and the major
were turned aside They were to
60 on the next planet there was
a next.
"Just before we got aboard, Cen
eral Sharp came over to tell me
good-by. He is a grand old man, all
six feet of him, commanding per-
son and every inch a soldier, as his
father and grandfather were before
him.
''He said this was probably the
last plane out, and he wanted me
to take a message to Macarthur.
Tell him the end here is drawing
near, and if help can't be sent, in a
few days Mindanao will fall OF
course, probably he understands
this, and maybe nothing can be
done
''Then he talked about us. 'Ev-
erybody left here In the islands
should realize he said, that those
who are called to Australia are the
ones who will be most useful for
the work ahead. Those who leave
are the men for the job, regard
less Of rank and years of service.
The rest of u.s. he said, consider
ourselves as being expendable,
which is something that may come
to any soldier. We are ready for
it, and I think they will see that we
will meet it squarely when it comes
"Then they called my name, we
shook hands, and I climbed aboard.
Each of us who were leaving I'M
strapped our ass and handed them
out through the planes windows to
the fellows who were staying be-
hind. They'd be needing them bad
ly and we wouldn't"
"And Peggy?" someone asked.
''There were three seaplanes sent
out from Australia to Corregidor at
the very last" said Kelly, (which,
among other people, were to bring
out the nurses. One of them was
shot down off Corregidor, but the
other two loaded and got back to
Lake Lanao, where they gassed up
for the big homeward hop while
Sharp held the Japs back from the
lake. One Of these two got safely
away; the plane Peggy was in
cracked I'D on the take-of. So now
we won't ever know.
"But as our big ferry-command
bomber swung wide out over the
field after the take-off, you could
see the island and then the path of
moonlight glistening over the water,
lust as we used to watch it gIisten
from the tunnel entrance at Corregi-
dor. And suddenly I remembered
the last thing she said to me-her
voice was just as clear as if it had
been two seconds ago, instead of
many weeks, over that signal-corps
telephone in the army hut on Ba-
taan, after I had told her this was
good-by. Well she said, it's been
awfuIly nice, hasn't it?' And her
voice had sounded clear and brave,
but seemed to come from far away"
THE ENID