Evening star., 1953-04-25
BY the Associated Press

OI U1o RSSOSioIeo TIeSS
FREEDOM VILLAGE, Korea,
April 25.-Two American SOL
dierS who endured more than
two years of misery as prisoners
of the Communists told today
how more than 1900 comrades
died of exhaustion, hunger and
wounds in two North Korean
stockadeS.
M/Sergt. Gilbert Christie, AZ,
Of Montezuma, Ind, said much
over so per cent" of 5000 pris-
oners in his camp died during
the winter of 1950-51.
Corpl. John L. Waters, jr.,
of Beckley, w. Va, said 800 out
of 1.500 United Nations captives
died in Camp No. S at Pyoktong
between April /, 1851, and Au-
gust, 1852.
Most of the II Americans, four
British, and four Turks released
by the Reds today looked fairly
strong. A few walked haltingly,
One Yank saw the sign Freedom
Village" here and hurled his
crutches away in joy.
Sergt. Christie described Bit
ter march as a captive in the
winter of 1850:
Il, myself, was one of the for
tunate ones. I collapsed and
passed out and rode the rest of
the day on a COW. I had two
wounds-a fragment in the chest
and a broken ARMAND I needed
help from one of the fellows who
kept me balanced on top of the
cow"
Corpl. Waters said treatment
of prisoners did not improve "un-
til the last three months"
He was wounded in the leg,
hip and stomach near Kunu
November 26, 1850, and was
taken to a Korean hut so miles
north of the city.
"They started bringing in more
wounded until there were "a al
together within two weeks" he
related. MANY of the wounded
died. In fact, out of the "a, only
three are living"
Strafed by Allied Planes.
Allied planes strafed the area,
he said, since there were no
markings to show that U. N.
captives were held there.
They strafed us about a doz-
en- times. I was grazed slightly
in the back by a bullet"
Pvt. Melvin j. WoodhouSe,
Norfolk. Va, was captured in
1850. He said the Chinese sent
him and 19 others north with a
Korean guard as an escort. Only
three of the 20-man group sur
vived. He said deaths were from
Pneumonia and blood poisoning.
Pvt. WoodhouSe was captured
Nov. 20. 1850. after being shot
five times.
II received no medical treat
ment until July IA, 1851" he said.
Pvt. Woodhouse was captured
near Kunu when three COM
panies of the Second Division
were surrounded. All were killed,
wounded or taken prisoner, he
said.
"Out of my company, never
have seen but three men. I am
quite sure that was about all that
survived"
Without Treatment 2 Months.
Corpl. John King, 20, of Or
lando. Fla, said he was captured
April Is. 1851, but did not get
into a prison camp until Deem
ber. 1851.
He said he rode a truck the
entire way. He was a member
OF the Fifth Regimental Combat
Team of the Oath Infantry Di-
vision.
It was two months before he
received any medical treatment.
Then he underwent two opera
tions.
He said he had been hit in the
back, hip and stomach.
"All my operations were done
by gueSswork," he said. "They
felt me with their fingers and if
it sounded all right they said,
We will cut here.'"
Airman Hit on First Trip.
Airman &c William r. Hily-
cord of Columbus, Ind, a B-26
gunner. was one of three airmen
returned by the Reds. He had
bailed out Of his B-26 bomber
over Pyongyang in midwinter of
1851 on his first mission.
'"I lost consciousness when I
bailed out" Airman Hilycord
said. Il woke up in this Ko-
rean hut and the pilot was there
also. My right leg was broken.
left knee injured. back and left
arm paralyzed, and my chest
smashed"
He stayed nine months in the
camp hospital at Pyoktong. He
said he was much improved now.
Pic Th0nnoS EnH&u Of Fair