Evening star., 1945-01-14
Escaped Sailor Outwits Jops !
For 2 Years in Philippine Hills
Prisoner, Back in U. S.
Tells of Narrowing
Life, Foes Brutolity
BY the Associated Press.

BY the ASsoclated ffess.
MIAMI, Fla, Jan. 13-The Navy
permitted a 23-year-old sailor to
describe for the first time today
how he outwitted the Japanese for
two years on 'half-a-dozen enemy
infested Philippine islands after his
escape from a prison camp.
Aviation Machinist's Mate
Charles O. Watkins of st. Peters,
burg, Fla, was rescued last Au-
gust 81 before American forces in
vaded the Philippines
Some details of his precarious
existence and his escape were with
held because their publication might
endanger others who fed from the
Japanese after the fall of Cor
regidor and are living on the
islands as he did, by their wits and
with the help of friendly natives.
His worst experience came when
he was stricken with malaria in
January, 1914.
Sometimes I felt that I would die
on the island or else get killed. But
I never gave up. There was nothing
to do but just keep hiding and
living"
Gets 5000 in Pay.
Mr.. Watkins was rated a seaman,
first class, at the time of his capture
on May 6, 1912, and drew pay total
ing 5000 on his return to the
United States.
He escaped from camp on the
island of Palaman in August, 1912
with buddy, Aviation Ordnance
man Joe Paul Little of Seattle, who
was rescued first after they were
separated.
They met band of guerrillas
who had a radio set, but their efforts
to make contact with American
forces were fruitless.
In November, 1912, they ran into
about 20 escaped American soldiers.
They had a radio receiving set, :"
the sailor recalled, "and we got our
first news of the war since our cap
ture. We heard about the Ameri-
can invasion of North Africa in a
broadcast from San Francisco"
The life of a fugitive was rugged.
the sailor said.
We wandered from one village
and tribe to another" he said. Oc-
casionally we stayed with some of
the natives If they were friendly.
Sometimes we might stay a week,
sometimes month, but when we
saw We were wearing out our well
come We moved on"
The fugitives lived mostly on
rice. although some of the soldiers
had rifles, and occasionally they
killed wild cattle.
Then We would really feast on
fresh cooked meat and dry the rest
for future USE" he said.
But at least three times their
fortunes ebbed, and they ate mon
key meat.
1T tasted pretty fair-anything
tastes good when you get hungry" !"
he explained. .
Brother Believed Prisoner.
The sailors older brother, Dodd
Wayne Watkins, is presumed to be
prisoner of war. He has been listed
as missing in action since the fall
of Java.
The brothers were members of
VP Squadron 102. the "Patwing 1Os
whose Catalina flying boats made
history during the early stages of
the war. They were stationed at
Dlongapo, zambales, Philippines.
when war broke out. They were
separated December 18, 1912, when
podd was transferred. to Java.
Charles fought on Bataan from
December 26. ls41, until March /.
1912, when he was sent to Fort
Hughes. =.
Soon after they were made pris-
oners. Mr.. Watkins and Ordnance
man Little started planning their
escape. Their first effort, made at
night, almost resulted in disaster.
He saw his captors for the first
time the night. of May 6 after the
surrender of the American forces
that morning.
AAC luS 81 Jap W take us over
were privates," he recalled. They
took everything we watches,
rings, money. They took us up on
the parapet of a 14-inch gun and
We sat there until morning. guard
ed by machine guns.
Eating Man Shot Down.
"The next morning we were put
to work taking American food from
the magazine to the docks, where
other American prisoners loaded it
on ships for the Japs to take to
Manila.
Il was standing 40 feet away
when an American sailor was shot
and killed by a japanese officer who
was angered that the sailor was
eating can of food given to him
by a japanese soldier" he said
Another Jap soldier hit marine
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