Evening star., 1944-02-16

fully, placed in an inner pocket
three fragile handkerchiefs which
I had found in a tunnel on Cor
regidor on the day of surrender
and which I devoutly hoped would
some day be able to present to my
wife Betty Anne and my two little
daughters Anne and Jean. There
was barely room underneath nv
clothing for my precious mosquito
netting-all the remaining space in
my musette bag had been filed by
another of my most valuable pos
sessions, half-roll of toilet paper
which also had been boarded from
Corregidor.
Where are you going with the
mosquito netting?" asked an ell
derly lieutenant colonel, one Of the
occupants of my barracks.
I wanted to tell the lieutenant
colonel of our plans, and invite
him to come along, for he was a
personal friend. But we had all
agreed that we would not involve
any of the other American prison.
ers in our escape plan; when ques-
toned later by the Japs they would
be able to give honest and innocent
answers. And, like the majority
of the other prisoners in the camp,
the lieutenant colonel questioning
me was In such poor physical con-
dition that he could not have with
stood the hardships which we ex-
pected to face in the jungles.
This net? I'm going to wash it
during the noon rest hour today.
It's full of bedbugs again."
TBut we don't work today-this
is Sunday"
For the moment I had forgot
ten.
Il know" I replied lamely. I'm
taking out part of my detail to
build rain shelter in the coffee
plantation. We've been coming in
soaked every night"
This latter statement was true:
and If he suspected anything he
did not say so.
Had Flowing Detail.
One member of our party, Capt.
Shofner of the Marine Corps, was
in charge of plowing detail 1T
was comparatively easy for him to
get out of the prison confines on
the logical ground that he was 60
ing to change the grazing location
of the Indian steers used In plow-
ing the fields of the prison farm.
With him were the other two ma
rine officers, First Its. Jack Haw-
kins and Michael Bobervich, and
also Second 1t. Samuel Grashio,
the Army pilot who had flown with
Col. Dyess on Bataan
The escape problem for my party
was somewhat harder. In this
party, besides Col. Mellnik and my
self, were Col. Dyess and 1t. L. A.
Boelens of the Army Air Forces.
and Sergts. r. B. Speilman and
Paul Marshall.
The first test to face us was the
main gate, leading from the prison
confines into the prison farm. This
we somehow passed safely, despite
the bulky appearance caused by the
hidden underneath our
Once out of sight of the gate we
quickly ducked into coconut
grove and began to sneak Indian
fashion toward the spot in the
jungle where we had previously
hidden our equipment. At one
point We had to cross a prison
road which was always patrolled
oy a Jap sentry-there was no 9TH
er way to go. When we reached
his spot we formed into ranks and
marched boldly into view. As we
passed the sentry called for "eyes
eft" and as the others complied |
gave a snappy salute This we
never did except with an OCCASION
al guard who was a little less Sc
we're than the others; in payment
for his kindness we thus attempt
ed to give him face" with his
In this present case the Jap ap-
was so surprised that he
returned the salute and smiled
toothily as we marched on past.
Shortly we had joined the other
party and had gathered around
our equipment, now soggy from a
week of rain, and much Of it USE
less. But we were in the jungle.
And, for the first time, we began
to breathe with the feeling that we
had a chance to get free.
Tomorrow: Flight to Australia. ~
Copyright. 1914, by the Bell Syndicate,
Inc)