Evening star., 1943-04-24
Harmon
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grazes you it is like someone pulling
razor down your leg"
Harmon pulled up his trouser cuff
There was a pattern of scratches
and healing cuts. There was the
same under his sleeves where swamp
grass cut him.
Every time one of those blades
touches your arm it is just like a
knife across your skin.
"You know how it feels to cut
your tongue when you're licking an
envelope? That's just how it feels. u
For four days and nights 1t. Har-
mon battled this jungle, cut his
way up hillsides, and waded and
leaped through swamps. soaked
with sweat and continual rain.
Sore, wet and always thirsty, he
finally found a native path which
led him to Francois, the most well
come guy I have ever seen in my
life"
Francois was black and spoke
only French. But Francois gave 1t.
Harmon his first cup of coffee and
first piece of bread in four days.
A native gendarme loaned him a
uniform and led him to the nearest
American base.
But before he met Francois, he
lost his emergency ration, coming
through the jungle swamp. His
drinking water haC all leaked out of
the battered cans and he had had
three scrapes with crocodiles. Once
he almost drowned crossing swamp
that went down Is feet or more.
I wanted to get out of this
place" 1t. Harmon said. II fought
like a tiger to get out. 1t took
dog g-headed, Irish courage.
Every now and then a voice kept
telling me Tom, 1t is not any use.
You're only busting your head
against brick WALL"
Il just replied BY God, I am
going to get out, if it takes a dozen
years
Il kept driving myself. If you've
got initiative, something to come
back for, it takes an awful lot to
keep you down.
I have got MON, pop, my gal
that's enough incentive for me-"
Tom said he must have been AZ
about 400 feet when he jumped from
his plane.
Chute Caught in Tree.
No sooner had the chute opened
than he was hanging from a tree
top. He swung himself over to an
other branch and climbed down.
He found wreckage, but none of
MS mates, SO he salvaged a jungle
knife, four cans of water and a
pair of flares from the wreck and
then started to hack his wav
through the vines and undergrowth
I had my pocket compass, SO
determined to go straight east"
ne said. Il knew that the coast was
there and that if kept going long
enough I would come out.
Il knew that if started to wan
der would be lost. I told myself 7
would keep going east for months if
necessary"
The country was succession of
hills and valleys.
IN every valley was swamp
sometimes as much as 10 miles
across. Every hill was a tangle of
weeds and vines, but nowhere was
there clearing or any place where
he could get his bearings.
on the second day he was wadinp
ana leaping through the swamp
when he saw an alligator about 5
feet long.
I reached out and pushed a loe
against him to chase him away. He
gave just one flip of his tail and
sent that log right back at me-" he
said.
L was scared, but he turned and
went OF another way, and was ]
glad!
Can't Swim in Swamp.
You know, you can't swim acros,
these swamps. There is too much ir
them. There are tree stumps with
sharp points, sprawling roots that
snag your feet, vines and weeds anc
much of everything all mixed up
You just have to feel your wa,
treadlng these masses of vines.
once In while when it's toe
deep you have to feel for a founda
ton, then spring forward"
1t. Harmon had his emergency
rations-a large hunk of chocolate
but he was rationing himself ano
the first night took only small
pieces, placing the rest in the knee
pocket Of his coveralls.
The second night, when he reached
for his ration, it was mush. The
swamp underground had ground the
chocolate to an inedible paste. He
reached for his cans of drinking
water, but the crash had battered
them so all the water had leaked
out.
After that I had only three
drinks Of water" he said. II was
frightened Of eating or drinking
something that would make me sick
but the thirst was terrible. My
mouth was all cotton, with tina,
sweat and slime all over me.
But three times I found swift
moving streams, followed them to