Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-06-27
MARK
In The South
Pacific Ocean
special to THE DETROIT TIMES

tured Nips react alike. tn
are frightened stiff until they
find out that their leaders lied.
and that the Americans have no
intention of shooting them.
You undoubtedly read about
the Jap down here who was SO
pleased with the treatment he
received that he did voluntary
broadcast, begging all his fel.
low-soldiers to lay down their
arms and surrender.
He told them they could not
hope TO win on Bougainville.
and that the Americans were
Very kind, and that his conf
rades were foolish to be dying
for a lost cause.
That story was widely printed
in the United States in the early
part OF April. They told me
the sequel to it here today.
About a week after that
broadcast. high-ranking -Ameri--
can officers held a conference.
This Jap had been so co-opera-
tive that they decided on q
most unusual plan for him. They
were going TO set him free and
send him back to his own lines.
When he returned 10 his own
troops. this Jap would be liv-
ing evidence of the fact that
Jap prisoners are never harmed
by their American captors.
And If his fellow-soldiers
hadn't believed his broadcast, or
if they felt he had been forced
TO speak as he did, they would
certainly know the truth when
he appeared among them per-
feetly well and unframed.
A fine move-except for one
slight hitch. When they brought
the Jap prisoner in and told him
they were going TO set him free.
he collapsed.
go back with that Japan,
army:" the Jap shrieked. w.
will have to Kill me first"
IN THE early days of the fight.
L ing on Bougainville we
caught several Nips who had
been living behind our lines.
They couldn't do much damage,
because they weren't able TO
get back 10 their own lines. But
they could steal food and hide
in the brush, and be something
OF nuisance.
One OF these birds was cap
tured during a movie show. He
fell from tree with a thud and
80 soldiers grabbed him pronto.
To the Jap interpreter he told
his story He had been living in
that tree for four days, coming
down IN the night for food and
then Scurrylng back up again.
Each night. he said.g he saw an
American motion picture from
his perch in the tree.
But Loretta Young was his
undoing. The Jap said ne had
always been Loretta Young
fan in Japan and on this par
ticular night the Bougainville
screen was showing Loretta
Young film. During a tense
scene the Jap had edged for
ward TO get better look at his
favorite.
A branch gave way-and the
next thing the Jap knew he was
d prisoner.
VERY early in the Bougain-
vile battle, when the ma
rlnes were expanding their
beachhead, a Jap soldier found
himself behind our lines. He
managed 10 steal complete
marine uniform. Then. by maxi
ing himself as inconsplcuous as
possible. he lived among on
boys for two days.
He allowed himself one NM
take. however. He still held on
TO his Jap rifle Everything
else abotft his outfit was ma
rine--but his rife was definitly
Japanese. Maybe he felt safer
that way
II ne DID, he was wrong On
the third morning, Shuffling
along with face averted. the
Jap passed a young marine pri-
Vate. The marines face Lighted
up when he saw the gun.
Hey, Mac" the marine cried
"where'd YOU get that slice
Jap rife"
The Jap muttered something
that didn't sound right 10 our
young marine. In fact, 10
sounded suspiciously like Japa-
nese. So the marine jumped on
the Jap-and boom. we had an.
other captive.
When Did You Last Buy . Bond.-
Brain Game
Questions are arranged IN order 81
diffieuhS. In scoring, give yourself
L..