Evening star., 1945-10-28

colonel In charge OF the invading
forces.
From him learned that second
large complement of Japs had
landed at "Bottomside" during the
afternoon. They were now in full
command of the area between the
west entrance to the tunnel and
Morrison Hill, farther west. They
were blocking both ends of the. tun-
mel, our last possible hideout, and
the Jap colonel in charge was even
then in the midst of an order to
his troops to attack "Topside,
western extremity of Corregidor,
where some of our men still stood
by their destroyed weapons.
Last Hope Vanishes.
That was it. The last hope van
iShed from my mind.
BY feeble light we drew up a
surrender document which followed
the hard terms laid down by
Homma. It was just midnight when
I scrawled my signature across the
bottom. The document, typed in
the stiff japanese version of Eng
lish, read:
Imperial japanese Army and
Navy are only prepared to accept
surrender all forces under your
command
ITO troops operating in other
part Of the Philippine Islands the
order shall be given to disarm
voluntarily Immediately and to take
the understipulated steps.
Those remaining in Northern
Luzon to assemble at Boyongbon or
Bontoc and the commanding officer
to present himself to japanese Army
in Baguio and notify him of their
surrender, Those remaining on
Panay Island to assembled northern
environs of Iloilo City, on Negros
Island in the vicinity of Bacalod
City, and the commanding officers
OF both regions to present them
selves to japanese Army in. Iloilo
and notify of their surrender.
Those remaining on Bohol Island
to assemble in the vicinity of Roai
and the commanding officers to pre-
sent themselves to Japanese Army
In Cebu and notify of their sur
render. Those remaining on Leyte
Island and on Samar Island to as
semble in the vicinity of Tacloban
and Catabalagan, respectively, and
the commanding officers to present
themselves to japanese Army in
Legaspi and notify of their sur
render.
Assembly Points Listed.
Those remaining in the district
OF Lanao and Zamboanga in Minda-
mao Island to assemble in the vicin-
ity of Iligan and those remaining in
the district of Malaibalai and
Agusan Basin to assemble in the
vicinity of Malaibalai and Butuan
and their commanding officers to
notify Of their surrender.
Those in other islands not men
toned above to assemble at any
convenient places and notify the
nearest japanese Army of their sur
render.
THE order shall be carried out
within four days.
"CB) 1t is strictly prohibited to
destroy, burn or disperse arms, ma
terials, vessels and any establish
ments, either part or whole.
"O Portable and easily movable
weapons to be gathered all together
in the vicinity of the assembling
places of the troops.
r, "'t2l Heavy arms, materials and
equipment to be kept intact and the
location thereof to be reported with
a sketch.
"(3) Vessels in waters other than
Manila Bay to proceed to the port
of Cagayan.
"(C) Defense measures, specially
those areas wherein land mines or
sea mines were laid, to be reported
with sketch, and the actual posi-
ton to be distinctly indicated by
suitable means, if such is at all
possible.
"(D) japanese prisoners of war, if
any, to be handed over Immediately
"fE) Further order will be given
II such is found necessary.
Japanese Army and Navy will
not cease their operations until they
recognize faithfulneSs in executing
othe aforementioned orders.
se "If and when such faithfulness is
recognized, the commander in chief
OF japanese forces in the Philippines
will order cease fire. after taking
all circumstances into considera-
ton"
Taken Under Guard.
When the terrible thing was done
I was taken under guard, to the west
Yentrance Of the tunnel.
! And on the way I passed through
hundreds of my men, herded in q
place near the west end of the tun-
: mel. They had been rounded UP
while I was on Bataan that after
noon, and now they stood there un-
armed in the hot night, without food
or water.
AS I passed through them, many
OF those gallant fellows reached Out
and took my hand, or patted me or
the shoulder and said, tits all right
general, you did your best
My eyes were filled with tears by
the time I reached the tunnel.
There, as an additional blow, ]
found Jap troops in full command
of the interior. There were prac.
tically no Americans or Filipinos ir
evidence, except the silent men or
their hospital cots.
I went Immediately to Mai. Gen
George F. Moore and told him thai
I had totally surrendered. To have
refused any longer, told him
would have caused the annihilatior
of the people of Corregidor, at M
] iUermanent advantage to the mer
left on the other islands.
fMoore agreed with me that, witt
no aid In sight, short period o.
continued warfare in the southern
iSEAnds would in no way compensate
for the massacre of the men ane
women on the fortified islands.
Dreadful Step Taken.
But feel have taken a dread
full STEP" / concluded.
l went back to my room with
Pugh, the sentry following us. WI
threw ourselves on our cots anf