Escape From Davao (66 page)

116.

194
Hawkins, though:
Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Hawkins, film treatment, 292–94; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 41; Austin Shofner, Smal wood interview; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 230; Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 175–76.

194
They finished their beds:
Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 42–43; Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 175.

195
Bert Bank had experienced:
Bert Bank, author’s interview; Fely Yap, author’s interview.

195
“The Japanese were beside themselves”:
Carl Nordin, author’s interview.

196
But the Japanese promptly:
Lawton,
Some Survived
, 72–73.

196
This revelatory pronouncement:
Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Jack Donohoe, author’s interview; Paul Marshal , author’s interview.

196
Nobody knew:
Bert Bank, author’s interview; McCracken,
Very Soon Now, Joe
, 76; Jack Donohoe, author’s interview; Bank,
Back from the Living Dead
, 81.

196
There was plenty of blame:
Affidavit of Candido Abrina, 21–22, 197
While the fuming Japanese:
McCracken,
Very Soon Now, Joe
, 76; McGee,
Rice and Salt
, 104; Lawton,
Some Survived
, 73.

197
Bert Bank had no idea:
Bert Bank, author’s interview; Bank,
Back from the Living Dead
, 82.

198
At dawn:
Statement of Brown, Oscar Burton (Pfc.), NARA, RG 331, Box 1090, 2.

198
Nearly two dozen trees:
Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 137.

198
Jumarong and de la Cruz:
Hawkins, film treatment, 294–95; Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 176; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 137.

199
An occasional grassy hillock:
Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 176.

199
They staggered in silence:
Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Hawkins, film treatment, 295–97; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 40–41.

200
Making the mission more difficult:
Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 176.

200
Thankfully, they had not:
Austin Shofner, Smal wood interview; Dobervich, DESCRIPTION, ENCLOSURE “B,” 3.

200
By noon, several crises:
McCoy, ESCAPE, 26; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 231.

201
McCoy stumbled upon:
Hawkins, film treatment, 297; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 232; Paul Marshal , author’s interview; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 44.

202
As they lay gulping:
Hawkins, film treatment, 297–98; Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 177; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 138–39.

202
“The pain of the stings”:
Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 177; Hawkins, film treatment, 299; Hawkins,
Never Say Die
, 120; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Paul Marshal , author’s interview.

203
Dyess concurred:
Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 177–78; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 133.

203
That, however, was where:
Hawkins, film treatment, 299–300; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Austin Shofner, Smal wood interview; Stewart Shofner, author’s interview.

204
There was little doubt:
Hawkins,
film treatment
, 300; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Paul Marshal , author’s interview; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 139.

205
But their luck was about to change:
Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 139–40; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 233–34; Hawkins, film treatment, 301; Dyess, EXPERIENCES, 17; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Paul Marshal , author’s interview; Robert Spielman, Smal wood interview; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 45.

206
No sooner had night fallen:
Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 178–79; Austin Shofner, Smal wood interview; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Hawkins, film treatment, 302; Grashio,
Return to
interview; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Hawkins, film treatment, 302; Grashio,
Return to
Freedom
, viii, 140.

14. ANOTHER GAMBLE

PAGE

208
“Thus hunger, thirst”:
Lee, “Prisoners’ March (Death of a Friend),”
Nothing but Praise
, 31.

208
Melvyn McCoy did not know:
McCoy, ESCAPE, 27; Dyess,
The Dyess Story
, 179.

208
The scene in the swamp:
Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 140.

208
Every few hundred yards:
Hawkins, film treatment, 304–5; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 140; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 235–36.

209
It was an oddly anticlimactic triumph:
Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 47; Dyess,
The Dyess
Story
, 180; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Paul Marshal , author’s interview.

210
At the Marines’ suggestion:
Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,”

47–48; Hawkins, film treatment, 309–11; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 12.

211
They marched about two kilometers:
Hawkins,
Never Say Die
, 127–29; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 12; McCoy, ESCAPE, 28; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 142.

212
Frozen and frightened stiff:
McCoy, ESCAPE, 28; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 238–41; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 13.

214
“Look, Major”:
Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 241–42; Hawkins, film treatment, 313–14; Shofner,

“Guerril a Diary,” 49–51; Dobervich, DESCRIPTION, ENCLOSURE “B,” 3; Ernesto Corcino, author’s interview; McCoy, ESCAPE, 29; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 15–16; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Paul Marshal , author’s interview.

216
Approaching Ed Dyess:
Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 143; Hawkins,
Never Say Die
, 129; Ernesto Corcino, author’s interview.

217
The distance between hell and paradise:
McCoy, ESCAPE, 28–29; Hawkins, film treatment, 316–19, Austin Shofner, Smal wood interview; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 143; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 12–17; Shofner “Guerril a Diary,” 52–53; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Paul Marshal , author’s interview; Paul Marshal , Smal wood interview; Robert Spielman, Smal wood interview.

218
The escapees, however:
Hawkins, film treatment, 320–24; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Shofner, “Diary: 1941–1943,” 65–66; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 17; McCoy, ESCAPE, 29.

219
The fun-loving Filipinos:
McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 19–20; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 242–43; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 55–57; Shofner, “Diary: 1941–1943,” 69; Paul Marshal , author’s interview; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 143–44.

221
Tears welled in the eyes:
Bank,
Back from the Living Dead
, 82–83; Bert Bank, author’s interview; McCracken,
Very Soon Now, Joe
, 76–80; Lawton,
Some Survived
, 74; Nordin,
We
Were Next to Nothing
, 104–5; Heisinger,
Father Found
, 338; Jack Donohoe, author’s interview.

224
Despite their improved circumstances:
McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 39; Grashio,
Return
to Freedom
, 141; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 243–44; Jose Tuvil a, author’s interview; Hawkins, film treatment, 325–27; Austin Shofner, Smal wood interview; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 58.

225
The escapees had little choice:
Hawkins,
Never Say Die
, 134–35; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 58–60; McCoy, ESCAPE, 30–31; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 244–45; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Hawkins, film treatment, 326–27, 333–34; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 23; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 144.

15. UNEXPLORED

PAGE

229
“There was no trail”:
Lee, “Awakening,”
Nothing but Praise
, 38.

229
The flotilla glided:
Hawkins, film treatment, 335–37; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; McCoy,
Yankee Guerrillas
, 24; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 145; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 246–47; McCoy, ESCAPE, 31–32.

230
While roughly ten:
Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Hawkins, film treatment, 338–40; Magdaleno Dueñas, author’s interview; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 61–62; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 25; Hawkins,
Never Say Die
, 139–40.

230
At 1730, the party:
McCoy, ESCAPE, 32–33; Hawkins, film treatment, 340–43; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 65–66; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 146.

232
Their lesson learned:
Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 65–67; Shofner, “Diary: 1941–1943,” 74; McCoy, ESCAPE, 33–34; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 27–28; Hawkins, film treatment, 345–46.

233
Regardless of the fact:
Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 247–50; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 146–47; Paul Marshal , author’s interview; Robert Spielman, author’s interview; McCoy, ESCAPE, 35–36; Hawkins, film treatment, 346–48; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; McCoy,

“Yankee Guerril as,” 28–30.

234
“Seldom in my life”:
Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 147.

234
Save for a surprise appearance:
McCoy, ESCAPE, 38–39; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,”

32–33; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 64, 70–73; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 251–52; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview.

236
Barrio Buenavista:
Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 74–84; McCoy, ESCAPE, 40; McCoy,

“Yankee Guerril as,” 35–37; Jose Tuvil a, author’s interview; Austin Shofner, Smal wood interview.

239
With refreshments in hand:
McCoy, ESCAPE, 41; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 84–87; Clyde Childress, author’s interview; e-mail correspondence from Clyde Childress to the author, December 9, 2004; Thomas Mitsos,
AGOM: American Guerrillas of Mindanao
(Self-published, date unknown), Chapter 4, 1–6; GUERRILLA ORGANIZATION OF THE 110th DIVISION, TENTH MILITARY DISTRICT, NARA, RG 407, BOX 481, 1–8; ANALYSIS OF STRENGTH

AND EQUIPMENT 10th MILITARY DISTRICT, NARA, RG 407, BOX 481, 13–16; Dyess, EXPERIENCES, 20–21; Paul Marshal , author’s interview; Robert Spielman, author’s interview; Paul Marshal , Smal wood interview; Robert Spielman, Smal wood interview; Grashio,
Return to
Freedom
, 150–52.

243
Just past noon:
McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 40–44; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 89–91; Shofner, “Diary: 1941–1943,” 87–90; Austin Shofner, Smal wood interview; Mitsos,
AGOM
, Chapters 1, 3; McCoy, ESCAPE, 42, 45–46.

16. LITTLE TIME TO REST

PAGE

246
“I find my way”:
Lee, “Awakening,”
Nothing but Praise
, 38.

246
It was 0520 when:
Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 252–53; Gerald Chapman, author’s interview; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Hawkins,
Never Say Die
, 155–56; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,”

91–93; Shofner, “Diary: 1941–1943,” 91; Austin Shofner, Smal wood interview; Paul Marshal , author’s interview; Grashio,
Return to Freedom
, 153–54; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 48–49; McCoy, ESCAPE, 43.

247
McCoy knew that:
McCoy, ESCAPE, 43–44; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 49–51; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 255–58.

249
The message reached:
Edward Haggerty,
Guerrilla Padre in Mindanao
, (New York: Longmans, Green, 1946), 113–15; McCoy, ESCAPE, 45; Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 259–60; Edward Dissette and H. C. Adamson,
Guerrilla Submarines
(New York: Bal antine, 1972) 32–37; Wise,
Secret Mission to the Philippines
, 56–70; Peter Parsons, author’s interview.

251
In Medina, it was hard to tell:
Boelens, “Diary,” 49; Hawkins, Never Say Die, 156–57; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Hawkins, film treatment, 352–54; Paul Marshal , author’s interview.

252
Dawn had just broken:
Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 261–62; McCoy, ESCAPE, 45–46; Message from General Wendel Fertig to GHQ, MacArthur Memorial and Archives, Norfolk, VA, RG 16, Box 17, Folder Fertig Select Messages,

Feb.–May 1944; Fertig diary entry, May 30, 1943, Fertig Diary, 1943, MAC, RG 53, Box 8, Folder 2, 81; Fertig manuscript (unpublished), MacArthur Archives, RG 53, Box 10, Folder 4, 201–2; Clyde Childress, author’s interview.

256
The bolt of lightning:
Mel nik,
Philippine Diary
, 263–65; Clyde Childress, author’s interview; Fertig diary entry, June 10, 1943, Fertig Diary, MAC, RG 53, Box 8, Folder 2, 86; Individual files, Bal , Robert V, MAC, RG 53, Box 9, Folder 98; Ind,
Allied Intelligence Bureau
, 174–75; Boelens, “Diary,” 51; Miscel aneous messages, Fertig to GHQ, June 10–20, 1943, Fertig Messages, Feb.–

Aug., 1943, MAC, RG 16, Box 29, Folder 11; McCoy, “Yankee Guerril as,” 55–57.

259
Shofner knocked on the door:
Hawkins,
Never Say Die
, 160–63; Jack Hawkins, author’s interview; Shofner, “Guerril a Diary,” 101–2; McCoy “Yankee Guerril as,” 57, 78–79; Ira Wolfert,
American Guerrilla in the Philippines
(New York: Simon & Schuster, 1945), 127–32; Ind,
Allied
Intelligence Bureau
, 175.