The Ely miner., 1943-05-27

eve. painted it as a golden spot.
Only Bulkeley and knew that when
we got to Cebu we would be doomed
there was no gasoline there and
only a little in Mindanao. We could
never hope to get to Australia.
"But then there were the two cor
respondents-Clark Lee and Nat
Floyd of the New York Times, and
also Colonel Wong. They knew about
the Chinese trip because the Ad-
miral had authorized them to 60
with us. So we told them yes, we
were still going to China, but we
didn't know when-maybe not for
long time-and advised them if they
had any other chance to get out,
by all means to take it. Mean
while we kept on the boats all that
landing-gear equipment we had as
sembled for the China trip-so If
any hint of it had leaked out to the
crew, they would think it was still
on.
Meanwhile Macarthur had told
Bulkeley that Bataan would fall
shortly, and Corregidor would go
soon after-if it didn't get help from
the States Immediately. No help
was being sent. Apparently it
couldn't be gotten to us. Then the
Japs could mop up the southern
Philippines.
''It was a grim picture for us.
But here was our last big job. Mac
Arthur was the brains of the organi-
zation-the only general who could
take that territory back. The whole
allied defense depended on getting
him to Australia.
"Bulkeley was reporting to him
every other day, but Macarthur re-
fused to set date for leaving-he
wanted to stay as long as he could.
At this time the boys on Bataan were
back in their strongest positions
also their last-ditch defense line
and the Japs had had about all they
wanted monkeying with this line, and
were waiting for reinforcements. But
when news came that their General
Yamashita was on his way with
many transports, Dragging he would
capture Macarthur within a month,
our departure date was set for
March Is.
"But to keep the men occupied
and also to keep our secret, we went
right on with plans for developing
our shore base at Sisiman Cove. We
installed good cooks galley, fixed
up the mess hall, screened in every
thing, as though we hoped to live
there for months.
eve even took all our clothes off
the boats and moved them into the
nipa huts ashore.
"On the fourth of March there
came nice break for me. Peggy
got me word that she had been
transferred to Little Baguio hospital
on Bataan, relieving one of the girls
who had been working too long un-
der fire, and got the idea Of invit-
ing her down to our base for chow
and to spend the evening. DR.. Mel
son, who had been looking after my
hand, was also on Little Baguio, and
I invited him and his girl friend, too.
"You should have seen my ship
perk up when told them. The skip
per was going to bring girl
aboard! They had the ship all spit
and polish, ready for the big event.
My cook, Reynolds, and the Fill
pino mess boy were tickled PINK.
They were going to show the arnyl
'You see the week before I'd gone
over to Little Baguio-Fd had only
breakfast and arrived on foot late
in the afternoon fer my dressing, to
spend the night and walk back. But
they told me, regretfully of course,
of a new ruling: rations were tight
ening-they were down to dried fish,
plain rice, and one slice of bread
so absolutely no visitors could get
food at the hospital. So I went to
bed supperless, got up, watched them
eat breakast-they said how sorry
they were they couldn't offer me
any-hiked back all those miles over
the hills, and at nine o'clock, sit
ting at our own mess table, ate sew
enteen hot cakes as fast as Rey-
nolds could turn them out of the
pan.
Nov their one idea was to show
the army what real navy hospitality
can be. It's true Peggy brought the
cofee-we were out of that-but they
rustled the rest It started off with
fruit cocktail, then real pot roast of
fresh meat with brown gravy, and
in this a whole can of mushrooms,
which they'd been boarding for some
big occasion. Then rice and canned
peas and beans, a delicious apple
pie, and then coffee Ike only we
can make in the navy. There was
never such dinner. Then we sat
and talked, while the little
waves Tapped along the cove.
ST told Peggy I wanted to see her
again, and soon. She said they were
keeping her very busy, but she
might get night off on the fifteenth
or before. There was no way I
could call her, so she said she'd
get to the signal-corps field tele-
phone and ring me up about six
o'clock on the eleventh, when we
could make a definite date.
''I asked her If she couldn't make
it sooner, and she said of course
she wanted to, but didn't see how
she possibly could. I wanted to tell
her why I wanted it sooner. Then
! stopped myself. Because in a war
you don't tell anybody. Not any,
body. And if they have any sense,
and Peggy had plenty, they UNDER
stand this and don't want to be told.
$50 instead we talked about the
war, and how they were low on oui-
nine now-iust had enough to give
the worst malaria cases light slug
which would last only a short time
and how tired the soldiers were.
how uncertain everything looked.
It's uncertain for us In the ma