Evening star., 1945-10-26

Dooley, myself and Uramura-away
from the concentrated fire between
us and the north dock. He took us
to Corregidor's tiny airfield, in the
vicinity of Cavalry Point, close to
the landing beaches. The Japs still
were debarking men and paused
only long enough to stare truculently
at Dooley and me.
The Jap colonel contacted Bataan
by radio and ordered a~Jap boat to
come over and fetch us. We then
walked down to Cavalry Point and
waited.
1t was nearly o'clock by the time
the Jap boat arrived for us. 1t was
a 50-foot tank barge with a letdown
front and mounted 2A Inch gun.
1t had difficulty reaching the shore
line, so it put over a rubber raft.
Two Jap sailors jumped into the
water beside the raft and swan and
pushed it to the beach. 1t took the
four of us to the tank barge in two
trips.
Left for Bataan.
We showed off for Bataan and
Gen. Homma.
The first man I saw when the Jap
assault boat nudged against the
small dock at Cabcaben, on the late
afternoon of that dismal May 6, was
Maj. Bill Lawrence. Lawrence had
been first sergeant of my regiment
years before when was colonel of
the Sd Cavalry back in the States.
With brief exception, he had been
with me ever since.
Bills face brought back a rush of
memories of the States, tormenting
memories at time like this.
Hello, general" he said, helping
me out of the Jap boat. II came
over with Gen. Beebe and Col. Pugh.
They couldn't find you at the north
dock on The Rock so they came
ahead. They and Sergt. Carroll just
took Jap truck and went off to
look for you, figuring you might
have landed some place else"
The Jap colonel took brisk charge
OF things now. From several Jap Of
ficers at the Cabcaben dock he
learned that I was to meet Homma
at home about three-quarters of a
mile northeast of Cabcaben, up the
main east coast road of Bataan.
Drive in Silence.
The colonel ordered a car. Tom
Dooley and got in, followed by the
colonel, 1t. Uramura and Bill Law
renee. And in deep and reflective
silence we were driven up the road,
the same one down which our I'd
Corps had been ruthlessly driven in
the final days of Bataan.
We arrived presently at a porch
circled and dingy white house, not
far from the beach, and walked up
on is porch. A few minutes later
a truck drove up, carrying Beebe,
Pugh, Carroll and group of Jap
soldiers. Beebe, Pugh and Carroll
joined us on the porch, and the
tense and silent wait for Homma
began.
For the next hour we just stood
there on the porch, growing more
restless by the minute. 1t was wait
broken only by the arrival of a Jap
soldier with some cold water, which
all of us drank eagerly. We had not
eaten for "a hours.
After another period of waiting
we were suddenly ordered to move
off the porch and line up on the
lawn in front of the steps. This was
for the benefit of Jap newsreel and
still cameramen. They took our
pictures over and over again for
about 30 minutes.
We were still standing there when
Homma arrived that evening.
Tomorrow: Lit. Gen. Homma's
threat to annihilate the men
and women of Corregidor if all
forces in the Philippines do not
surender.)
(Copyright, 1916, King Features
Syndicate, Inc. Reproduction in
Uhole or in part strictly prohibited.)
The Mr.. and Mrs. Necker men,
H.. H..