Detroit evening times., 1945-10-02

llC JdpdliCoC hlui NCA .
taken many Of our numbers,
On board the little freil
room because more and more
II took us until Jan. 20 10 I
old tub. II was zero weather a
exposure.
The Japs forced the strongest Of
us TO carry the dead men up TO
the icy decks and toss them over
board. Ten 20 twenty went 10
their final resting place every
day
We got a small cup of
rice and four to SIX table
spoons of Water each day.
more than one morning We
owoke to find a man stiff
in death still cIinging to
the tiny cup OF rice.
This made us afraid 10 sleep.
And we decided 10 take turns
waking one another up every two
hours. We rubbed each others
hands and feet. And whispered
encouragement 10 men whose
spirit was dying
ONE man who weighed $50
" pounds when he was cap
tured. weighed 81 pounds when
we helped him down the gang
plank at MOjii.
We were divided into groups
and 10 officers and myself were
sent 10 a hospital. Seven OF us
could walk and the Japs made US
work although our wounds were
not yet healed.
We did every duty. Scrubbed
floors, cleaned latrines. served the
Japs-snd buried the dead
Nobody got medical treat
ment for the first five days,
and. of the 1I0 officers in my
group, only 80 survived.
They were killing US off fast.
We stayed in that hospital until
Feb. 26 Of this year and then
were sent by train IN E4kgeka
camp No. 22 about three hours
ride from =MaiiI
This was q coal mining camp
and We officers were not com
PEELED 10 work, probably because
none Of as was strong enough 70
mine even II -we--oT they
wanted US 10
Here nobody beat US. l don't
know why. because another beat
ing such as the one ! got from
Laughing Boy would have killed
me.
The food was terrible. We got
three hundred grams Of rice and
soup made Of radishes every day
There were plenty Of Red
Cross packages around, but the
Japs refused 20 give US any
part OF them.
They wouldn't even give us
chewing gum and the Japs
themselves won't chew gum.
stayed there until April. tink-
ering around. Then one day we
were taken 10 Fukuoka, put
aboard passenger train and
made an S-hour trip 10 Fuson,
Korea. From there we entrained
for three days and two nights 70
arriving on the Emper-
or's birthday
WE HAD wonderful Manchurian
w food on that train. Fried
chicken Pork. Fruit. They were
the first good meals most Of US
had had in three years.
But Ws went right back 10
the old routine at Mukden.
Rotten food and little wotsr.
But no one abused me there
and was compelled TO salute
every Jap eooiie. You con
imagine how an American Off
Ger felt boWinR and serapinE BE-
fore those damned rats.
We learned the war was over
through japanese "yardbirds' on
Aug. Is. Two days later the
Russians came and threw the Jap
guards into our cells. That was
sweet. Plenty sweet
Some Of us wanted 70 90 TO
"work" on the Japs but an Ameri-
can general refused TO give US
permission. / think / could have
made up for what Laughing
Boy" did 10 me. But then maybe
I'll meet him someday. I've been
and thinking what III
do 10 him when / meet him.
1t wasn't long before transport
planes dropped in and flew us out
TO Manila and civilization again.
Since I got back TO the Philip
pines amid old familiar sur
roundings, I'm crazy TO get
home to my wife. Jean. She's
the finest girl In the world.
l want 10 eat good American
food. breathe good clean American
air, look at good clean Americans
again.
American food Boy, that's
something to look forward to!