Evening star., 1944-02-11

The American pr1Soner-of-Wal
camp at Cabanatuan, IS miles north
OF Manila In the Province of Luzon
was a rectangle of about 500 by 70(
yards, bounded on one OF the shorter
sides by the road from Cabantuar
City and on the other three sides by
fields. These fields, untended since
the Japanese attack on the Philip
pines, now were overgrown.
The stockade was split /crosswise
into three groups of about 230 yards
wide each. Col. Mellnik had beer
there five weeks when I arrived
Both of us were in group /, nearest
the road. Each group contained
barracks for approximately 1000
American prisoners, mostly officers
although there we're some enlisted
men. Camp No. 2, 6 miles farther
into the jungle, was laid out along
similar lines. It's prisoners, both
officers and enlisted men, all were
Americans.
At the north end of our rectangle
was a moat which filled with water
during heavy rains. Nearly always
In this section were to be found a
number of prisoners dead or dying
of dysentery and starvation. There
was hospital for prisoners, stated
by American doctors but almost
wholly without medicines or equip
ment. There were usually about
$500 patients in this hospital.
Each of the three divisions of
Camp No. l was a separate entity,
partitioned from the other. Around
the prison stockade were elevated
sentry platforms, always manned by
guards with rifles or submachine
guns. Foot soldiers also patrolled
the stockade.
Col. Mellnik:
Escape was in the minds of nearly
all the prisoners, particularly since
the three young Naval Reserve en-
signs had walked OF into the jungle.
The success of this effort, however,
had made 1t more difficult for the
rest of us. 1t. later developed, Incl
dentally, that the three officers were
not as successful as we had thought.
One enlisted man from the 200th
Coast Artillery escaped from the
hospital in late July or early August.
This man, a Mexican. went to Ca
banatuan City and, passing as a
Filipino, worked for the Japs. Our
grapevine soon informed him that
the other nine men of his squad
had been marked for execution, so
he voluntarily returned. He was
beaten by the guards. shackled
loosely so he could walk, put on
permanent latrine duty and was
always followed by a guard who
held rope which was tied around
the prisoner. He was beaten often,
and at night he was locked up.
On another occasion five enlisted
men We're arrested by the Japs on
the charge that they had been deal
ing through the fence with friendly
Filipinos. Two OF these Filipinos
also were caught. All seven freely
admitted their guilt, pointing out
that their only crime was an attempt
to get more food.
Tied Up in Sun.
I happened to be present when
these men were questioned by Mr..
Niimura, the civilian japanese in
terpreter. His only interest seemed
to be in what the Filipino civilians
had told the prisoners, and what
the prisoners had told the Filipinos.
He showed no concern over the
question Of food, pointing out that
he was concerned only with the
aspect of the situation.
He wanted to know If the Fill
pinos had given the Americans any
news about the progress Of the war,
and whether the Americans had
said anything that might have en-
courage the Filipinos to revolt
against the Japanese. He got no.
where, for the simple reason that
the prisoners had been interested
only in acquiring food.
AS a punishment the seven were
tied up to stakes just outside the
camp and allowed no food or water
for 4s hours. In tying one of the
the Japanese guards had
done q bungling job, and this man