Evening star., 1943-10-08
Back From the Wars
D. C.. Man Says South Pacific
Strains Men to the Limit
Donald L. Mongum
Tells Of MonotonX
Heat and Jups

Dull mOnCtOnV, not SulKy Cu-
mate that corrodes the human
spirit, malaria, dysentery and other
tropical diseases, rains, floods and
earthquakes-and then the Japs.
Naval Ordnanceman Donald L.
Mangum, 81, sat in the living room
of his home at 2939 Fort Baker
drive S. E. and recalled his 20
months in the Pacific.
They ought not keep a man out
there more than a year. he said.
IT'S too tough on them.
First you think you'll get out in
six months. Then it's nine months.
After that it's strained hope that
you'll get out at all.
The realism of the thing keeps
pressing on fellows mind. The
upkeep on the bomters, on which
we worked, kept us busy constantly.
But monotony in the oppressive at
mosphere tended to make one care
less after year.
Mud Is Endless.
There were always mosquitoes,
rains that lasted for a week at
time, thick mud that covered the
ankles, and not too much of a va
riety in food Fresh clothes we're
covered with mold in two weeks.
Some of the fellows began not
to care if tomorrow ever came. Big
strong healthy fellows lay in their
hunks at night and you could hear
them sobbing. Some of them, like
myself, began waking up in the
middle of the night, thinking they
heard air raids.
1t became dangerous to ask an
other fellow to do something. You
never knew what was on his mind,
and when he might turn on you.
You always did it yourself"
Mr.. Mangum, who is recovering
from a nervous disorder, was trying
to convey an idea of the conditions
that try mems souls in the tropi-
cal zones of warfare He said these
conditions, and not the JapS, wear
the men down more than ANYTHING
else.
In February, 1899, two weeks after
he graduated from Eastern High
School, where he had been a cadet
captain and a cheer leader, Mr..
Mangum enlisted in the Navy. On
December 26. right after the Japs
struck, he went to Pearl Harbor.
Was Stationed at Oahu.
For a while he was stationed at
Oahu, Hawaii Then he moved on
to Guadacanal for brief period,
where he experienced a bad food.
Once in the New Hebridef. where
he spent the last six monss. there
were three earth uemor. in one
week
All Of this tends to show a per-
son how insignificant he is" MI.
Mangum declared. The only heroes
in this war are the dead guys
the rest OF them are just struggling
along"
AS an ordnanCeman, Mr. Mangum
helped with the loading OF bombs
and care Of gun turretS on the
bomberS at his field, Occasionally, he
Went along on patrols as tail gun
ner when someone in the regular
plane crews was sick. The patrols,
confined tc one section for lO-hour
stretches, were tiresome, he said.
On his fligh.s, no Jap were
sighted. But other planes in the
squadron had tangled with them.
The score was usually about six to
one in favor of our side.
Narrowly Missed Death.
Mr. MonO1ln7' e eyeS c1o,1HaG
described how he narrowly missed
death on one Of the patrol flights.
He said he had swapped with his
friend, "Goldie' Goldstein, of Balti-
more, at the lattcrs request. a sui
eide dive by Jap Zero into the
bomber killed all Of its crew.
Entertainment and letters are the
most important things for the men
in the Pacific, he explained, dcscrib-