Evening star., 1945-10-28

colonel In charge OF the 1nvadln
forces.
From him I learned that a secon
large complement of Japs ha'
landed at "Bottomside" during tn
afternoon. They were now in ful
command of the area between tn
west entrance to the tunnel an,
Morrison Hill, farther west. The
were blocking both ends of the tun
mel, our last possible hideout, an,
the Jap colonel in charge was ever
then in the midst of an order T.
his troops to attack "Topside,
western extremity of Corregidor
where some of our men still stoot
by their destroyed weapons.
Last Hope yanishes.
That was it. The last hope van.
ished from my mind.
BY feeble light we drew up {
surrender document which followed
the hard terms laid down by
Homma. 1t was just midnight wher
I scrawled my signature across the
bottom. The document, typed ir
the stiff Japanese version of Eng.
lish, read:
Imperial Japanese Army an6
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.
"(B) 1t is strictly prohibited to
destroy, burn or disperse arms, ma
terials, vessels and any establish
ments, either part or whole.
"Q Portable and easily movable
weapons to be gathered all together
in the vicinity of the assembling
places of the troops.
go Heavy arms, materials ano
equipment to be kept intact and the
location thereof to be reported with
. sketch.
"(3) Vessels in waters other thar
Manila Bay to proceed to the port
of Cagayan.
"(C) Defense measures, specially
those areas wherein land mines OF
sea mineS were laid, to be reported
with a sketch, and the actual posi-.
ton to be distinctly indicated by
suitable means, If such Is at al
possible.
-"D) Japanese prisoners of war, II
any, to be handed over Immediately
"(E) Further order will be giver
II such is found necessary.
Japanese Army and Navy viii
not cease their operations until the.
recognize faithfulness in executing
the aforementioned orders.
If and when such faithfulness il
recognized, the commander in chic
of japanese forces in the Philippine
will order cease fire. after takin,
all circumstances into considera.
ton"
Taken Under Guard.
When the terrible thing was done
I was taken under guard to the west
entrance of the tunnel.
4 And on the way I passed through
hundreds of my men, herded in {
place near the west end of the tun.
mel. They had been rounded III
while I was on Bataan that after.
noon, and now they stood there un.
armed in the hot night, without foot
or water.
AS I passed through them, man,
of those gallant fellows reached ou
and took my hand, or patted me OF
the shoulder and said, "It's all right
general, you did your best"
My eyes were filled with tears b,
the time reached the tunnel.
There, as an additional blow,
found Jap troops in full commans
of the interior. There were prac'
tically no Americans or Filipinos il
evidence, except the silent men OF
their hospital cots.
I went Immediately to Mai. Gen
George r. Moore and told him tina
I had totally surrendered. To hay,
refused any longer, I told him
would have caused the annihilatiol
of the people of Corregidor, at n,
permanent advantage to the mer
left on the other islands.
Moore agreed with me that, witt
no aid in sight, short period O
continued warfare in the southern
islands would in no way compensat,
for the massacre of the men ant
women on the fortified islands.
Dreadful Step Taken.
"But / feel I have taken a dread
ful STEP" ] concluded.
I went back to my room Will
Pugh, the sentry following us. w,
threw ourselves on our cots ant
closed our eyes for the first tim,