Evening star., 1955-02-23
Ninth Of q Series.

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Ninth Of Series.
curious mixture-"Vanity Fair" I"
by Thackeray; Storm" by nya
Ehrenberg, the Soviet novelist
and newspaperman, and Dickens
"Pickwick Papers" T can't re-
member many of the titles, but
I went through 125 books, tracts
and novels.
1t was now early August and
I was beginning to get more and
more fidgety. One day, I said
to the interpreter, "I know the
war is over and demand to be
returned home"
He replied, What makes you
think the war is over? You are
letting your imagination run
away with you. The blood is
still flowing on the mountains
of Korea. Don't you think if
the war was over we would tell
you?"
This went on for two months.
My problem was to let the
Chinese know knew the war
was over without informing them
! had contacted the other pris-
oners, who had been told the
conflict was ended.
Asked to MemOrize Names.
Hal (American Air Force Capt.
Harold E. Fischer) felt I was 60
ing to be released before the
others and urged me to memorize
the addresses of the other boys so
I could get in touch with their
families. (Besides Capt. Fischer,
Of Swea City, Iowa, two other
Americans were imprisoned in
this Jail: 1t. Roland Ron)
Parks of Omaha, Nebr., and 1t.
Lyle w. Cameron of Lincoln,
Nebr. Like Squadron Leader
Mackenzie. all three airmen were
downed and captured during
the Korean war;
Another time, reasoned that
the Chinese did not know my
companions knew of my exis-
tence and would feel quite safe
If they so wished to put me out
of business. Then I was thrown
back to the despairing mental
state I had been in before the
boys arrived.
wanted permission from the
Americans to reveal to my cap
tors that they had told me the
war was over. This might finally
force the hand of the Chinese.
! was afraid to write them a note
on this because I got the feeling
the guards were wise to our
method of communication. So
for two days, of and on, I
shouted at the guards, obliquely |
asking the boys if I could reveal
the fact that we were in contact.
On the second day, I heard
what I thought were cries Of |
approval.
Writes Note to Commander.
On October /, the Chinese hol- |
iday which marks the forming |
of the Peoples Revolutionary |
Government after the ousting |
of Chang Kai-shek, I wrote a
two-page note to the command
ing officer explaining in detail
the contact that I had with the
other prisoners and demanding
my repatriation.
All during the interrogations
they kept insisting that they
always told the truth. AS I
handed the note to the interpre-
ter. said:
This Is an example of the |
truth you have been telling me
for the last two months. I have |
known all along that the war
is over and now I again for the
hundredth time demand my
repatriation"
The interpreter appeared very |
surprised. But he merely said: |
ut is only for your own good
that we did not tell you so that |
you would not worry about it."
He promised to show the note
to his superior officer and left.
Shifted to Small Cell.
On October 6. I was handed q
bundle of new winter clothing.
This ominous move did not help |
my spirits very much. The next |
day I was moved back to my
previous small cell. On october
13, I was taken before an inter-
rogator and two interpreters.
From his dress. the interrogation
to be a very high-rank-
ing officer.
He tried to get me to admit
that I had been flying over China
when was shot down and that ]