2Glenn McDole Oral History No. 1317, 64.
3Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 131.
4Escape and Evasion Report No. 23, 16.
5Bondad, “American War Prisoners Who Escaped the Massacre at Pto. Princesa on Dec. 14, 1944,” Record Group 331, Box 1112, Folder 2.
6Pedro S. Paje 1948 testimony from Seeichi Terada et al. trial, Record Group 153, Box 1354, 417.
7Manlavi, Palawan’s Fighting One Thousand, 30–31.
8Rufus W. Smith, 1983 University of Kentucky Oral History.
9Pedro S. Paje trial testimony of September 7, 1948, Record Group 153, Box 1354, 420. The interpreter was Kintoku Uehara.
10Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 131.
11Bondad, “American War Prisoners Who Escaped the Massacre at Pto. Princesa on Dec. 14, 1944,” Record Group 331, Box 1112, Folder 2.
12Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 132.
13Rufus Smith, UNT Oral History No. 788, transcription, 31; Carlos Placidos guerrilla diary, December 10–24, 1944. The survivors were particularly interested in the coastwatcher group that had set up a station near Captain Mayor’s headquarters. Sergeant Carlos Placido was in charge of the four men who had helped secure safe passage from Palawan for the nine survivors of the lost submarine Flier in August. Placido’s men had the only working radio in southern Palawan, and they communicated to the U.S. Army that American prisoners of war had been liberated and were in reasonably good health.
Two of Placido’s men had been sent farther north to man a remote radio station near Inagawan while Placido remained near the Brooke’s Point home of Harry Edwards with his other two men. Placido had long since run out of gasoline, so their radio set was now functioning on coconut oil and battery power from a windmill generator hooked to Edwards’s rice mill. Another coastwatcher group under Master Sergeant Eutiquio Cabais was stationed much farther north on Palawan.
Coastwatcher Ray Cortez had been married to a local girl in a simple ceremony on December 21, with Sergeant Placido serving as his best man. On Christmas Eve, Placido made doughnuts, and the entire group enjoyed midnight services conducted by the priest. The second wedding ceremony on December 29 was conducted to solemnize the Cortez couple’s union.
14Eugene Nielsen Oral History, UNT No. 802 transcription, 46.
15Ibid., 46–47; Nielsen, “World War II Stories,” transcription, 25. Captain Solander, from Iron River, Michigan, was twenty-seven, flying with First Lieutenant Wayne Lucas Schandelmeier as his copilot.
16Nielsen, “World War II Stories,” transcription, 26.
17Rufus Smith, UNT Oral History No. 788, transcription, 31.
18Sides, Ghost Soldiers, 17–19.
19Ibid., 269–282; Henderson, Rescue at Los Baños, 170–171.
20Glenn McDole Oral History No. 1317, 68.
21Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 133.
22Patrol Bombing Squadron Fifty-four war diary, January 1945; Carlos Placido guerrilla diary, January 21, 1945. Placido, whose 978th Signal Service Company men who had helped arrange the previous PBY, had asked for more supplies from this PBY when it came to get three more Americans. “It was supposed to bring us about four tons of supplies and equipment,” Placido wrote in his diary. “We only got radio equipment and medicines, however. Four tons? Heck no! Just about 1,500 pounds, that was all.”
23Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 134–135.
20. THE LONG ROAD HOME
1Rufus Smith Oral History, 33.
2Eugene Nielsen statement of March 16, 1945, from Manila Report No. 49, RG 331, E 1214, Box 1111, Folder 6. The 6th AAF Combat Camera Unit filmed a twenty-one-hundred-foot documentary, narrated by the MIS-X (Military Intelligence Service, Experimental) officer in charge at Morotai, Captain Eykes.
3Joint survivors statement of March 16, 1945, from Manila Report No. 49, RG 331, E 1214, Box 1111, Folder 6. G-2 officer Perry Nelson accompanied them to Hollandia, where Lieutenant Colonel Joseph H. Steger offered them hope they would be headed home soon.
4Ibid., Sides, Ghost Soldiers, 323–325.
5Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 135. McDole was down to 113 pounds.
6Glenn McDole Oral History No. 1317, 72.
7Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 137.
8Villarin, We Remember Bataan and Corregidor, 183.
9Ponce de Leon, The Puerto Princesa Story, 126. A large group of Filipino civilians was still there, including Elizabeth Clark, Triny Mendoza’s sister. The group included Chief Torpedoman Hugh H. Pippin and Lieutenant Edward J. Pope Jr., a Yale graduate from Rye, New York, who was skipper of PT-134—an eighty-foot vessel of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 25 stationed in the Philippines.
10Ibid., 161. Lieutenant Antonio Palanca, Sergeant Vicente Aizo, and Pascual de la Cruz of Mayor’s company returned with the PT boats.
11VPB-17 War Diary, February 1945. Mulford, from Woodbury, New Jersey, and his VPB-17 were temporarily operating from the USS Orca (AVP-49) in Lingayen Gulf on Luzon.
12Deal to parents letter, March 25, 1941; courtesy of Sharon Deal Spears.
13Poweleit, USAFFE, 139; Thomas Tinsley Daniels military records; Hoyett Adams, CWO, U.S. Army, affidavit of July 27, 1945, National Archives Record Group 153, Box 1353. En route home, Daniels shared some of his story with a naval officer and with Warrant Officer Hoyett Adams, who had been a POW in Manila until U.S. forces overran Bilibid Prison. Daniels reached California on May 31, 1945, having spent three years, eleven months, and twenty-five days overseas.
14Lofgren, Stephen J. Southern Philippines Campaign. The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II. United States Army Center of Military History, CMH Pub 72-40, 10; Interrogation of Tomisaburo Sawa, July 31, 1947, 21.
15Carlos Placido guerrilla diary, January 1–April 19, 1945. Placido accompanied Captain Mayor’s guerrillas to Balabac Island on March 6 to secure boatloads of ammunition, food, and equipment for Brooke’s Point.
16RG 331, Box 1111, F4.
17“Palawan Massacre,” Report of Investigation Division, Legal Section, GHQ, SCAP, March 15, 1948. National Archives Record Group 331, Box 1276, p. 8.
18Nielsen, “World War II Stories,” transcription, 28–29. John Koblos received a telegram in Chicago from his son, Ernie, on March 24. He had received two prior letters from the War Department on January 12 and February 2, stating that his son was slightly injured but had been recovered from a POW camp. Now, the elder Koblos learned that Ernie was at Letterman General Hospital, “convalescing from slight malnutrition, condition good.”
19“Wedding Bells Will Ring Joyously in Unusual War Romance,” El Paso (TX) Herald-Post, April 6, 1945.
20Rufus Smith, UNT Oral History No. 788, transcription, 35.
21Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 139. Ditto, like McDole, would serve with the highway patrol after the war.
21. TRIALS AND TRIBUTES
1“Palawan Massacre,” RG 331, 28.
2Ibid., 29.
3Ibid., 31–32.
4Ibid., 35–38.
5Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 142.
6Ibid., 141.
7Ibid., 142.
8Ibid., 143.
9Pedro S. Paje, September 7, 1948 testimony, Seeichi Terada et al. trial, Record Group 153, Box 1354, 430–431, 441.
10Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 144.
11Ogden, Col. Bruce, “An Extraordinary Marine.”
12Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 155. Per his nephew, the horrors of war had taken a toll on Daniels, and he made little contact with former military companions, although he did enjoy squirrel hunting with some of his Blalock relatives. He lived on the sixty-five-acre farm of his stepbrother, Walter Blalock, for a while before establishing his own property west of the little Sugar Hill community.
13Nielsen, “World War II Stories,” transcription, 27; Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 155.
14Wilbanks, Last Man Out, 148–152.
15Smith Oral History, 36–37.
16Ponce de Leon, The Puerto Princesa Story, 152.
17Ibid., 153.
18Villarin, We
Remember Bataan and Corregidor, 188.
INDEX
The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. The link provided will take you to the beginning of that print page. You may need to scroll forward from that location to find the corresponding reference on your e-reader.
Abe, Lieutenant Isao, 151
Aborlan, Palawan, 85, 114, 240, 243, 246, 251
Abueg, Governor Alfredo M. Sr., 285
Adams, Technical Sergeant Jewett Franklin, 295
Adkins, Corporal Robert Arthur, 156, 295
Aida, Captain Sakutaro, 125
Alamo Scouts, 251
Alas, Apolonio de las, 219
Alba, Elizabeth Clark, 114, 238
Alexander, Nita Smith, 284
Ancheta, Mary Anne Mayor, 244, 252, 286–87
Ancheta, Dr. Valentino, 286, 287
Anderson, Private Robert Sterling, 156, 295
Araujo, Sergeant Henry Hernandez, 160, 295
Arisan Maru (Japanese hellship), 147–48, 301
Arispe, Private First Class Heraclio Solie, 58, 295
Arnoldy, Corporal Arthur Anton, 295
Aroose, Ben, 54
Austin, Commander Marshall Harlan “Red,” 123, 127–28
Australia, 11, 17, 20, 22, 54, 84, 87, 89, 90, 111, 117, 123, 124, 127, 128, 245, 248, 252, 253, 260, 264
B24 Liberator bomber, 136–38, 143, 146, 238, 249
Babuyan, Palawan, 61, 260
Bacon, Private First Class Bobby Terrell, 77–79
Bacosa, Valentin F., 243
Bacungan, Palawan, 237, 260
Bailey, Private First Class Homer Ray, 295
Baker, Private Herbert, 295
Balabac Island, 62, 85, 87, 115, 116, 123, 125, 126, 252
Balabac Passage, 125
Balabac Strait, 126
Balatong Point, 87
Balchus, Corporal William Joseph “Willie,” 28, 29, 37, 151, 152, 166, 187, 194, 197, 200, 210, 219–22, 229, 230, 236, 244, 247–49, 256, 257, 266, 269–70, 284–85, 299
Balchus, Helen M. Wisniewski, 270, 284
Balchus, Joseph R., 285
Ballou, Sergeant Billy Eugene, 49
Bancroft, Private First Class Everett Richard Jr., 38, 131, 156, 167, 168, 175, 180, 295
Bantulan, Palawan, 260–62
Barbey, Vice Admiral Daniel Edward, 257–58
Barna, Private First Class James George, 75–79
Barnes, WT2c Carl Ellis, 295
Barnes, AOM3c Darrell Leroy, 295
Barta, Jean Vaughn Koopman, 280
Barta, Joseph P., 281
Barta, RM1c Fern Joseph “Joe,” 19, 21–23, 29, 37, 82, 106, 132, 139, 156, 164, 167, 176–77, 190–92, 199, 200, 202–03, 214–15, 236, 239–40, 246–47, 251–53, 257–60, 276, 279–81, 299
Bartle, Sergeant Charles Warren, 131, 295
Bataan, 6–12, 17, 20, 22, 118, 249, 286
Bataan airfield, 6, 9
Bataan Death March, 14–16, 38, 50, 66, 103, 277
Batak (Filipino tribe), 44, 45
Battery Crockett, Corregidor, 68
Battery Geary, Corregidor, 20
Battery Hearn, Corregidor, 18
Battery Keyes, Corregidor, 21, 22
Beason, Technical Sergeant Benjamin Franklin, 295
Bigelow, Sergeant Elwin Earl, 81
Bilibid Prison, Luzon, 30–31, 37, 69, 70, 79, 89, 90, 109, 119, 131, 147, 251, 287
Bingham, Boilermaker First Class Cordell, 102–03
Binuan Station, 216–17
Bishop, Darlene Deal, 262
Blackburn, TM2c Wilbur Burdett, 295
Black Jack (Japanese guard), 107
Blalock, Henry, 263
Blalock, Walter, 104
Blinky (Japanese guard), 105, 133
Blow, Lieutenant Rex, 111
Bogue, Betty Wearing, 259–60, 278, 279
Bogue, Sergeant Douglas William, 1–2, 25–27, 29, 31–34, 37, 102, 132, 154, 159, 164–66, 173–75, 190–92, 199, 200, 202, 204, 233–36, 240, 241–43, 246, 247, 251–53, 257–60, 269, 274–76, 278–79, 280, 299
Bolo Battalion, 113, 126
Bondad, Rufino G., 204
Bongabong Stock Farm, 34
Bonife, Captain, 115
“Boots” (POW nickname), 69–70
Borneo, 87, 252, 273
Boswell, Corporal John Ray, 81
Bottomside, Corregidor, 18, 27–29
Bouchey, Private First Class Mason “J,” 295
Bowler, Colonel Robert V., 111
Bragg, Private William Isaac, 74–75, 98
Branstad, Governor Terry, 283
Brazil Maru (Japanese hellship), 149
Brisbane, Australia, 117
Brissette, Lieutenant Kenneth Felix, 253
Brodsky, Sergeant Philip, 14, 38, 43, 49, 83–84, 131, 147, 148
Brooke’s Point, Palawan, 54, 55, 60, 63, 84–87, 89, 110, 115, 118, 124, 127, 128, 206, 222, 231, 236, 237, 243, 244, 246, 247, 249, 253, 264
Brown, Private First Class William Theodore, 295
Bruni, Captain Fred Tobias, 66–67, 98, 104, 119, 121, 131, 141, 145, 165, 265, 295
Buchanan, F1c Vernon Edward, 295
Bugsuk Island, 62, 126
Buliluyan Point, Palawan, 126
Bull of the Woods (Japanese guard), 49
“the Bull” (see Kinhichi, Tomioka)
Bunker, Colonel Paul D., 25
Bunn, Private First Class Evan Frank, 52–53, 73, 92, 283
Bunye, Dr. Zoilo, 217, 218, 222, 235
Burlage, Corporal George Edward, 47, 56, 73–74, 97, 102, 105, 107, 147
Burnett, Corporal Douglas, 156, 164, 168, 295
Burson, Private Alton Conrad, 109
Byan Island, 126
Byrne, Staff Sergeant Lawrence H. “Buddy,” 8
Cabais, Master Sergeant Eutiquio B., 124, 260, 261
Caballo Island, 17, 24
Cabanatuan prison camp, 32–37, 45, 52, 59, 67, 103, 251, 256
Cabcaben airfield, 6, 9, 23
Cagayan Island, 87
Caldwell, Private First Class Sammy Lee, 295
Camagong, Palawan, 243, 246
Camp O’Donnell, 12, 15, 38
Canigaran, Palawan, 51, 115, 285
Canigaran Beach, Palawan, 115, 157, 263
Capas, Luzon, 12, 15
Cape Buliluyan, Palawan, 127
Carabao Island, 17
Caramay, Palawan, 110–11
Carter, Private Casey, 295
Caruray, Palawan, 245
Catalina PBY flying boat, 23, 24, 59, 144, 248–49, 253, 261–62
Cavite Navy Yard, 7, 16
Cavite Province, 17
Celebes, 244
Cevering, Janet Nielsen, 282
Cheek, CTM John Marvine, 78
Chiang Kaishek, 278
Childers, Private Roy Raymond, 295
HMAS Chinampa, 117
Chino, Lieutenant Haruo, 151, 163
Choate, Private James Louis, 295
Christie, Admiral Ralph Waldo, 125, 127, 144
Churchill, Winston, 10
Clark, Elizabeth (see Alba, Elizabeth Clark)
Clark, John T., 285
Clark family, 61, 115, 120
Clark Field, 7, 9, 12
Cleere, Corporal Neal Clark, 75, 77
Clough, Private First Class Clarence Sylvester, 52–53, 92, 93, 105, 283
Coastwatchers, 123–24, 126–28, 260, 261
Cobb, Alfred Ervin, 55, 60, 89, 90
Cobb, Paul, 55, 60, 86, 89
Comiran Island, 125, 127
Cook, Aerog1c Harry W., 295
Corpus, Master Sergeant Amando, 123, 124, 127, 128
Corregidor Island “the Rock,” 10–12, 15–28, 38, 52, 57, 59, 84, 204, 249, 256, 283, 286
Coyo Island, 90
Craft, Co
rporal George Arnold, 101
Crandell, Private Earl Jesse, 295
Cravens, Private William Thomas, 295
Crowley, Commander John Daniel, 126–27, 288
Cruz, Sergeant Pasqual de la, 126–27
Culion Island, 39
Cullins, Private Franklin Ashley, 295
Cutaran, Sergeant Jacinto, 144
Cuyo Island, 118, 150
Czajkowski, Private John, 295
Dakany, Isidro, 217
Daniels, Private Thomas Tinsley “Pop,” 12, 14–16, 103–04, 167–69, 187, 195, 197, 210, 237, 260, 263, 270, 281–82, 299
Danlig, Palawan, 86–87
Darwin, Australia, 128
Davao Penal Colony, 134, 243
Davis, Private First Class George Dorrell, 53–54, 84, 85, 87–88, 111
Deal, Alta June Hammons, 270, 281
Deal, Corporal Elmo Verl “Mo,” 18, 29, 37, 166, 187, 194–97, 209–10, 237–39, 260–63, 270, 281, 285, 299
Deal, Corporal Floyd, 262
Deal, Denise, 281
Deal, Gerald, 262
Deal, Janet (see Dorman, Janet L. Deal)
Deal, Pearl, 262
Deguchi, Master Sergeant Taichi, 99–101, 108, 114, 121–22, 125–26, 133, 139, 142, 154, 245–46, 275, 277, 278
Delawan Bay Company, 62
Dewey, Admiral George, 29
Dewey Boulevard, Manila, 29–30
Diaz, Private First Class John Francisco, 156, 163, 295
Dimeo, Private First Class Carmen Mario, 75
Dindin (guerrilla), 113
Ditto, Private Walter Albert, 99, 107–09, 119, 270, 277
Dorman, Janet L. Deal, 281
Dupont, Private First Class Joseph Emile “Frenchy,” 35–38, 51, 52, 92–93, 288
Dutton, Corporal Glen Albert, 295
Edwards, Rosario, 54, 55, 127
Edwards, Thomas H. “Harry,” 54–55, 84, 124, 127
Edwards family, 61, 85, 118
El Fraile Island, 17
Elix, Private First Class Clayton Emmett, 296
Elliott, S1c Bruce Gordon, 10, 11, 20, 21, 29, 39, 46–47, 53–55, 58, 84, 85, 87–88, 111, 112, 116–18, 124, 129
El Paso, Texas, 9
Enoura Maru (Japanese hellship), 149
Evans, Corporal Erving August, 166, 179–80, 296
Evasion and Escape (E&E) Report No. 23, 259
Eyre, Private First Class George Robert, 173–74, 296
Farmer, Corporal Robert P., 81
Fell, Lieutenant Commander Charles Woodford, 127
Fertig, Colonel Wendell, 111–12, 117, 269