Evening star., 1945-01-09
3 Guerrilla Veterans
OF Philippines Want
To Return 10 Islands

Three Americans who waged guer-
rilla warfare against the Japs in
the Philippines from early in 1912
to October, 1914, are in Washing
ton today waiting to return and stay
In the islands.
"We can never forget what the
Filipines did for us and we want
to live there after the war;" 5s-year-
old Fred Warner, University of
Michigan graduate, now . first
lieutenant In the philippine Army.
declared yesterday in the ONCE of
Diosdado M. Yap, editor of the
news magazine bataan, in the Ma
tional Press Building. His COM
panions. Tech. Sergt. Gordon Smith,
U. s. A., rs, Of Simla. Colo, and
Staff Sergt. Joseph st. John, a,
Of Philadelphia, nodded in agree
ment.
The natives were warned after
the japanese invasion that any one
helping Americans would be killed" !"
1t. Warner said. They never told
US that, but informed US of Jap
attacks and brought LIS food. Some
were caught and killed. We don't
forget that"
Superintendent Of School.
The three men were in the Philip
pines on December 7, 1941. 1t.
Warner was superintendent Of Bay
bay National Agriculture School on
Leyte ct the time. He had been in
the Philippines since 1911. Serst.
Smith was at Clark Field, Luzon,
and Sergt. st. John was at Tacloban.
When the Japanese overran their
areas, 1t. Warner and Sergt. Smith
took to the hills. Sergt. st. John
and II other Americans, none of
them sailors, got into q sailboat and
headed for Australia, 1900 miles
away, when the Japanese hoard
threatened.
1--WE were told that II we did not
leave Leyte by S pm. We would have
to surrender" Sergt. st. John said.
I'VE pulled out about 3 pm. and
headed along the coast. None Of us
knew how to sail so We tackled all
the time. The water was full of
whirlpools so We took the sails down
and let nature take its course. Our
boat whirled around from one pool
to another and we spun our way
through. We had q live pig In the
boat, but it soon jumped out and
headed for shore. One OF the boys
said, THE pig has more sense than
we have"
Boat Was Capsixed.
ION May II, my birthday, the
wind came up strong and the boat
capsized about II miles from shore
We swan for it. It took me "a
hours to make shore. We all made
the shore but lost all OF our guns
and shoes. The natives gave us
food and clothing. A week later we
got out because word had come
through that all soldiers who did
not surrender by June 26, 1912,
would be considered guerrillas and
would be beheaded If caught. Our
bunch broke up into pairs and made
for the hills"
Sergt. Smith said he lived with
others literally from tree to tree,
cutting his way through the thick
underbrush with q bolo knife. He
had only enough food to last
normally for six days. He was
forced to make 1t last 28 days. The
food problem soon righted itself
with the help of the Filipinos. He
later became one of the original
members Of the Philippine Guerrilla
Forces" organized In August, 1912,
and led by Pvt. Clyde M. Abbott
Of New Mexico.
His job was to get soldiers and
materials. Serg. Smith, travelling
three days by boat. located 20 cases
|of dynamite and f1ve Americans,
one Of them q soldier. They started
around seeking other Americans to
fuse the guerrilla groups under one
organization.
Lit. warner stayed with his school
until April. 1942, when he graduated
the senior class, promted all those
remaining and went to the noun
tains. He lodged Japs from noun
tain to mountain and island to
island until he was admitted to .
guerrilla group by virtue OF owning
aa .3S-caliber pistol and 90 rounds
Of ammunition.
The three men were freed when
the Americans invaded Leyte in
October.