Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-28

BECAUSE IllSS dSheu lOI NdttA, SIN
FilipinoS were shot. one was diSem-
bowled and others were bayonetted
Those who survived the beStial-
ity were herded like cattle into
small enclosures which reeked with
the stencil from the decaying bodies
of men whom they once knew.
In contrast to the staggering
death toll described by the three
officers, the Japanese have report
ed only 1855 Americans as having
died from disease in the camps in
the Philippines.
The army and navy made it clear
that nothing in the report was
hearSay-that it contained only
facts which the officers related
from their own personal experience
and observations"
The three officers we're Com
mander Melvyn H. Mccoy. U.S.N..
indianapolis, now on duty in this
country; Lieutenant Colonel S. M.
Mellnik, coast artillery, Dunmore,
Pa, now on duty in the southwest
Pacific. and the late Lieutenant
Colonel (then captain) William E
Dyess, air corps, Albany. Texas,
who was killed recently in the crash
of a fighter plane at Burbank,
/ Calf.
AT Camp O'Donnell prisoners had
to stand in line six to 10 hours for
drink. They wore the same cloth
ing without change for six weeks.
Food was almost entirely rice. Twice
in two months they received enough
meat SO that about a quarter of
the prisoners managed to get a
piece an inch square each. They
received few vegetables on three
or four occasions.
WORKED TO DEATH
The Japanese worked many pris-
onerS to death. One week the death
rate at Camp O.Donnell was 20
Americans and $50 Filipinos day.
After two weeks it was so Americans
and 500 Filipinos day.
Prisoners taken on Corregidof.
including Mccoy and Mellnik, were
concentrated in a paved square
about 100 yards on each side for
a week. They numbered 1000 Amer
leans and 5000 Filipinos. There was
one water spigot. 1t usually was a
II hour wait to fill a canteen.
On May %, 1942, these 10000
prisoners were transported to Man
lila by barge, forced to jump off
and wade for about 100 yards, and
then marched through Manila in
what was intended to be triumph
al victory parade. But Filipino civil
ianS everywhere demonstrated their
friendliness. Those who tried to
assist collapsing prisoners with
ices, water and fruit were beaten
About June l American prisoners
at Camp ODonnell were separated
from their Filipino comrades and
moved to the Cabanatuan concen-
tration camp, where the three Of
ficerS met. There conditions Slight
ly improved. There was adequate
drinking water and muddy well
water in which to bathe. But the
food continued mostly rice.
Once the Japanese gave the pris-
oners three chickens and another
time so eggs for 500 prisoners
Then their propaganda machine
announced to the world they were
feeding American prisoners eggs
and chickens.
At Cabanatuan three officers were
caught trying to escape. They were
beaten until they could no longer
stand.
The next morning the three
Americans, stripped to their shorts,
the report related, were taken out
on the road in full view of the
camp, their hands were tied behind
them, and they were pulled up by
ropes from an overhead purchase,
so that they had to remain stand
ing, but bent forward to ease the
pressure on their arms.
They were kept in this posi-
ton in the blazing sun for two full
days. Periodically the japanese beat
them with two-by-four. and any
Filipino unlucky enough to pass
that way was compelled to bea'
them too. If he failed to beat them
hard enough the japanese beat
him. After two days of this, one of
the officers was beheaded and the
other two were shot"
On Oct Is, 1912, Mccoy, Mellnik
and Dyess, with 966 other American
officers and enlisted men were
crowded into captured BRITISH
freighter and taken to the Davao
penal colony. This time those who
fell out were thrown in trucks and
hauled along Food was somewhat
better, but insufficiently balanced
to counteract the beri-beri from
which many prisoners were suf-
fering. Oranges and lemons were
aboundant whereabouts, but the
Japanese would not allow the pris-
onerS to have any.
WORSE DAYS AHEAD
The commandant of the camp
spoke to the prisoners thus:
You have been used to soft
easy life since your capture. Al
that will be different here. 70.
will learn about hard labor. Every
prisoner will continue to work unit
he is actually hospitalized. Punish.
ment for malingering will be Sc
we're"
He made good on his word. Whei
the three officers escaped from
Davao April A, 1943 only 100 of tn,
2000 prisoners were able to work.
The officers reported the few
Red Cross boxes that reached tn,
men caused JOY beyond description
For some unknown reason, the
were delayed seven months in Jap
an proper.