The Wilmington morning star., 1945-02-02
Rangers Find
1856 Yanks In
Luzon Prison
Force Penetrates Enemy
Lines To Carry Out
Daring Raid

CEN MacARTHUR'S HEAD
CHARTERS, Luzon. Feb. 1.--(P)-
Green,clad United States Ranger:
and Filipino guerrillas rescued 81;
saunt and ragged men, mostly
American survivors of the Bataar
death march and Corregidor
in a bold raid Tuesday night q
miles behind Japanese lines.
It was the first mass rescue
of prisoners in the Pacific war
carried out by 407 picked fighters
of the Sixth Ranger battalion anc
guerrillas.
stealthily piercing the Nuevo
Eciia province hills. the com
mando force led by 1t. Col. Henry
Mucci. Bridgeport, Conn, with the
Filipino guerrilla unit under Maj
Robert Lapnam of Davenport,
Iowa. hit the Cabanatua.n prison
camp near Cabu at Z ?. M, their
guns blazing.
The prisoners feared the firing
meant their liquidation by the
japanese mad started-an end to
their nearly three years of cruel
custody since the fall of Bataar
and Corregidor.
The gaunt and hungry men
lodged TO the floor, waiting. Then
Rangers burst into the barbed
wire-enclosed barracks with the
reassuring words:
Take it easy fellows. the Yanks
are here. We got this place, pals. y
Freed were 1876 Americans, %
British, some of whom defended
Singapore: three Netherlands ano
one Norwegian. Two of the men
died on the way to safety, their
failing hearts unable to withstand
the ordeal which climaxed their
three years imprisonment.
They we're all that were left Of
the Cabantuan camp, which once
held 10000 captives. Hundreds
had died from disease, malnutri-
ton or mistreatment. Others hac
been removed to work camps in
Japan.
Cleanup of the japanese guards
proceeded briskly, the 12l Rangers
and 286 Filipinos moving with
deadly precision,
With 10 time to lose, the res
cuers and rescued started thei1
night forced march back to Am
erican lines. Some of the prison
ers walked despite tropical ulcers,
wounds and bodily weakness. 9th
erS we're carried on the backs OF
Rangers. Some rode in carabao
carts.
The Japanese struck the column
IN persistent. tank-led attacks, but
the Americans and Filipinos were
not to be denied their prizes.
Fighting on the way back took
925 Japanese lives, better than one
Tor every rescued man, and cost
IN enemy q tanks.
The daring operation cost the
AVeS of q Americans and Fill
pnoS. Two more were wounded.
NO incident of the campaign
mas gwen me such personal salts
ldclon, Gen. Douglas Macarthur
SAD In his communique announc-
ing the rescue.
10 emphasize MS satisfaction,
1T awarded decorations to every
MEMBER OF the Commando party.
Cheering Dougnboys of the Am.
a-caA liberation army lined the
tsOao|ay as the prisoners were
uI"eh IN trucks and ambulances
W an evacuation hospital for fooc
ana new clothing.
some Of the prisoners appeared
sazeo' unable to realize their gooo
tuSlu 1 their return to friendly
. Most Of them plainly showed
,4in eIatlon. A few of the officers
s ,r wore wore their insignia of rank
h.4to. ''@0 managed to retain thell
4 otssd Army campaign hats
i.ua. wore overseas caps a
'amrAty angles.
i q, i ga filled the eyes of man,
4 saw Ae men Wien they once agai1
\ e o" me American flag and tn,
4 U FdtptHe N and might Of the new
1 me- States Army.
i me dream of liberation becam,
/ ve Seao la reality when the me,
\ T "r5e given q their first breakfas
| bis @sSs, meal. grapefruit, coffee
j vinc ei.s and Jam we're the con
] w itsefs. They tackled the foo,
Diet Diet m ead[huslasm bred on a prise:
4 Ra made up mostly of rice.
] s2ud 5l4 a,,n farther back, to tn
! Was @ eva, Evacuation hospital, Their
fac i more food for them and flu,
and ', dis Tor treatment of wound