CHAPTER 13

 

GOODBYE CORREGIDOR

 

A few more days rolled by, tough sledding due to the lack of food, but we did get into the water outside the barbed wire, and that proved to be one of the few plus’s to brighten our existence. Fortunately, we were not subjected to any more tropical storms following the first deluge. Finally, noise and much activity awakened us one morning and we learned we would be moving out today! Rumors flew through the compound! The Japs were going to haul us up to Japan, they were going to make us clean up the island, they were going to take us to Mindanao,  to Formosa, etc.

The date was May 23, 1942, and after more than two weeks on the old seaplane base we rustled about gathering our few possessions together, disassembling our rickety shelters, and remaining close together for the security of comradeship, once again trying to prepare for the unknown.  

Our position on the slab at 92nd Garage put us among the earlier groups to form into the almost endless column that would wend its way up the hill to the main road that led to Malinta Tunnel. The column soon left the main road and proceeded along a side road that would lead to the South Shore Road. The column reached another road junction [1] and turned left. From that point, we walked down a gentle incline for some distance, passing above the east entrance of Malinta Tunnel, then the narrow road bent to the right and continued along the bottom of Malinta Hill.  When we were almost to the western extremity of the hill, where the road turned right, then circled down to the Barrio San Jose at Bottomside, we stopped. We stood there in the intense sun, the dreaded flies feeding on us. The Japs wouldn’t allow us to sit down, so we stood on shaky legs, hoping that we would move soon. I will never know how long we stood there, but I would guess that it was three or four hours.

When the guards shouted for us to move, it was painful to lift one foot after the other. We were herded down to the road that spanned the island from the North Mine Dock across to the South Dock. What they were actually going to do was march us down to the South Dock, cram us into landing barges, and ferry us out to boats anchored between Corregidor and Ft. Hughes.  When the landing barges pulled up next to the larger boats, we were forced to climb up the sides of the boat on large, rope nets. Now this was no mean feat considering our condition! Some of the men fell from the nets and were fished from the water and forced to once again clamber up the net. I found that anyone untrained in climbing these nets was certainly in trouble since the nets turned and twisted when the boat swayed from the swells. Some were unbalanced from the articles strapped to their backs, and were hanging on as best they could as the ship rolled. When anyone stopped climbing, and were just trying to hold on, the Japs began yelling at them, and began striking them with long poles! I gave a sigh of relief when I reached the top and struggled over the railing and half fell to the deck. We were packed into the boat like sardines, and if anyone would have fallen, he would have been trampled.

Months later, I learned from other POW’s that many of the men were forced down into the smelly holds of the other boats and compelled to remain there until the boats arrived in Manila.

From my position in the boat, I could see practically nothing. The bow of the boat sat up so high that it was impossible for any of us to see ahead. Rumors began to circulate as we sat in the heat and waited for the boat to move, sink or do whatever it was going to do. One rumor was that the Japs were taking us to Japan! Another passed around that they were going to take us to Mindanao to work in the fields, and it went on and on! The men, tired from remaining in one position, began to shift about as much as possible and I held on to my few prized possessions with all the strength I could muster. I was sure that once dropped, I would never be able to recover my knapsack and blanket. Since the boat was filled to the brim with prisoners, I assumed that it would soon be under way. It was incredibly hot, jammed together as we were. Most of us had little water and no food. It occurred to me that even if a toilet existed here on deck, it would surely be impossible to get there in this crushing mass of men crammed together! Due to the heat, perspiration was pouring from all of us and that did relieve the need to relieve ourselves. Unfortunately, many of the men were beset with diarrhoea, and the odor was already apparent.

The day wore on.....and on. We just stood there, crammed together, and waited. Surely the boat would leave soon! But the boat did not leave, it just sat there. No activity livened the air; there was no shouting, no movement. It just sat motionless, at times rocking a bit in the gentle swell. Time wore on, and darkness began to fall. A half dozen lights appeared on the squat looking boat, but still we waited. The blackness of night closed down upon us, and I tried to nap, to get any kind of rest possible under the conditions that existed, but there was little hope for that.

Men around me tried to change positions, tried to find some comfort in these horrible conditions, but there was little to be found! Moans from the sick, and groans from the injured could be heard from every area on the crowded deck. I wondered if some of the men would fail to make it until the dawn. What a terrible way to die I thought. Throughout the endless night, the moans and cries permeated the still air. My thoughts jumped from the battles just fought, to my family and friends at home.

“Will I live through the months to come?” I wondered, remembering some of the cruelties I had already witnessed. Memories raced through my mind as the night crept by.

With no food or water, it was doubtful that some of these men would survive for very long. Streaks of light began to finally appear in the eastern sky and many of us began to feel better, some hope reflected from my neighbors’ eyes. Shortly after dawn, the heavy throbbing of the boats motors came alive! The steady vibration spread through the old tub, the rumble of the anchor chain being retracted into the old hull, and we sensed that we would soon be on our way! The morning breeze was already warm, but just to be moving seemed a blessing to all of us. Around me, some of the men began to smile, that indomitable American spirit that I had so often heard of!

The boat chugged along, slowly I’m sure, but steadily. At no time could I see anything through the press of bodies to determine our progress. I would guess that we moved along for at least two hours if not more. When the engines ceased, we were again in for a wait. We learned from some of the men close to the rail that smaller boats resembling landing craft were coming along side! Once again we were going to face those rope nets on the left side of the boat! We would have to clamber down the nets this time, into the smaller craft alongside. I feared my arms would not hold out this time, but when my turn came to climb over the rail, I slowly made my way down the net, holding on the best I could. Again I managed to negotiate the ropes without losing my precious possessions! I practically fell into the craft below, but was happy that I had made without disaster. I was pushed up against the others already there ahead of me. The boat was about half full when I descended and it took only a short time to cram the boat full of struggling men.

Abruptly the engine revved up and we were under way. This ride did not last long! The boat came to a stop, the front opened and the usual shouting began! I had learned by now that these Japs yelled a lot!  When I reached the front of the boat, I was pushed from behind and managed to jump, feet down toward the water which was about three or four feet below the deck. I hit the water with a splash, and was fortunate to keep my legs under me as I hit the water. When my feet struck the bottom, the water was shoulder high! I looked ahead of me and saw that we were near the beach and I just kept plodding ahead until I finally waded from the water to a rocky shore. I could now see  the Jap guards were everywhere and I followed the  men ahead of me up a bank to a flat area where the guards were assembling everyone as they reached the top. I had managed to keep my gear comparatively dry, which was a plus. They were lining us up in a column of fours and when I reached my position, I turned to see how many had been forced to jump into the water. Now I could see other boats similar to the one I had traveled in, one was already at anchor, and another was still coming toward the beach. The boat that I had jumped from was already in motion! It was backing out between two others approaching the beach. Obviously, all of these boats would be making more trips if the Japs planned to remove the whole lot from Corregidor at this time.

Hearing shouts, I realized the guards were moving the column away from the bank, and toward a road, or street that paralleled the beach. Now the guards began to form another column next to the one I was in. If they were to bring the whole twelve-plus thousand to this area, it would require substantially more space than what they had! I watched one of the boats begin to disgorge men into the bay, only these were not so fortunate as my group had been! These men, some heavily laden with belongings, were not finding the bottom! These men were sinking under the surface, and many of them were finding it difficult to maintain their heads above the water. Some were struggling to remove some of their burdens, flailing their arms wildly. I was appalled to see one man fighting to stay afloat, sink beneath the surface! He did not reappear. The others near him were so engaged with their own problems, that no one was capable of coming to the drowning man’s aid. I was forced to turn away, no longer capable of watching this terrible scene!

It was beginning to dawn on me that we, the defenders of Corregidor, were indeed in more peril as prisoners, than we were during the shelling and bombing!

It was now apparent the Japs despised the Americans and Filipinos, and deaths occurring among the prisoners would bring little concern. At that time, I determined the best chance for survival would rely on my ability to avoid perilous situations, and remain out of the way of these savage captors!

I continued to scan my surrounding area for a glimpse of my friend, Spencer Bever. I was concerned for him, and I could not ascertain whether he boarded the same boat as I. The Jap guards again began to move the columns of prisoners, first the one I was in, then that which was located between the beach and my own column. They were obviously now forming us up on the nearby road. Once they had my column in position, they proceeded to move the column next to us around behind and link both columns together.

I felt exhausted, from the ride on the crammed boat, the waiting with no room to shift positions, the leap into the water and struggling to reach shore with my possessions intact.  None of the men surrounding me were familiar and I just stood there silently, changing positions, shuffling about. Much shouting broke out ahead of me, and I tried to see what was happening. A man to my right said, “Were moving!” and soon, so we were. The column snaked along, obviously headed for Dewey Boulevard which was off to our right. [2] When the head of the column reached the wide thoroughfare, it turned to the left and advanced along the famous avenue that paralleled the waterfront. As we “marched” along, crowds of Filipinos began to form along each side of the street. As they watched the column of Americans pass, the sadness reflected in their faces was not disguised. They stood silently, some with  their heads bowed slightly, many with tears streaking their forsaken faces.

As we toiled along Dewey Boulevard, objects began to appear, arching thru the air into the column of Americans. The man directly ahead of me managed to catch one missile and it proved to be several long, brown cigarettes tied with string. Large kitchen matches filled the crevices between the cigarettes. I witnessed round rice cakes, food wrapped in banana leaves, small bananas, an incredible array of food tossed to the hungry prisoners! But now the Jap guards began to shout at the Filipinos, shaking their rifles, threatening these people who were attempting to help the Americans. First one, then many of the Filipinos were struck with rifle butts, jabbed at with bayonets! Soon the torrent of food lessened, and only an occasional object was tossed into the column of weary men. Now the people lined along the curbs watched hopelessly for a chance to throw some article of food, when the guards were few, and hopefully looking the other way.

The march continued along Dewey Boulevard, the guards now  beating the Sunday crowd back instead of encouraging them to move closer. Realizing the Filipino people were attempting to help the Americans, the Japs now turned on the native citizens, and punished them for throwing food to the prisoners. The trek through Manila continued, and our tired bodies began to rebel. Men began to lag behind and they were grabbed by other, more able men, and helped along. Fortunately, this march did not resemble the horrors experienced by the participants of the Bataan Death March, about which we would learn later.

 

CHAPTER 14

Preface | Frontispiece | The Road to Adventure | Angel Island | Across the Pacific | Corregidor April 22, 1941 | Duty Assignment | Battery Hartford | To The Field | War | Surrendered!| 92nd Garage | The Spoils | Goodbye Corregidor | Bilibid | Cabanatuan Camp III | Pasay School | Nichols Field | Feet on Fire | Survival | Goodbye Pasay | Noto Maru | Moji Japan to Omori | Kawasaki, Nishin Flour Mill | Air Raid | Fire Bombs! | Out of Kawasaki | Suwa in the Mountains | The War is Over | The Yanks and Tanks | In The Air To Where? | Luzon? Again! 29th Replacement | Gray Cruise Ship to Home | Madigan General Hospital, Seattle | Last Leg to Home | Fletcher General Hospital, Cambridge Ohio |

 

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© 2002 Al McGrew

[1] RJ43  <BACK>

[2] Now Roxas Boulevard  <BACK>