Blood Brothers: A Medic's Sketch Book Part 18

Group IV (the hospital group): 110 prisoners - unable to walk, sat or lay in the snow all day. I tried to get a drink of water, but found the faucets frozen. In desperation, I ate snow.

About 2100, five small charcoal-burning ambulances arrived. Twenty two Americans were crowded into each ambulance.

j.a.panese Prisoner of War Hospital - Moji

We turned into a gateway and were promptly challenged by a j.a.p sentry.

After several minutes of excited guttural grunts and groans, we moved into the compound and were unloaded. Our new home was a low and flimsy frame building without heat. Inside, we were a.s.signed straw mats on the floor, and were quickly under six cotton blankets and still cold.

Each received a small binto box containing rice and salty fish. I tried to sleep, but couldn't. All of the events of the last seven weeks were vividly going through my mind.

Feb. 2, 45: My friend, Chaplain Ed Nagel, the missionary from Baguio, died. He had gradually grown weaker following his wound in the thigh on Dee. 14th, 1944 until he pa.s.sed away in his sleep. I had just lost my good "Buddy" he had been an excellent friend; I would miss Ed.

Feb. 3, 45: Many patients were dying; the j.a.ps told us they had ordered Red Cross packages, but they never arrived.

Joe Ganahl, the Northern Luzon Force, told me, "I feel as weak as a kitten!" and proceeded to lay down and die.

The food set-up was going from bad to worse. Half-cup of soup twice daily. Wt. 80 lbs.

Feb. 13, 45: Severe pains in my legs and feet. Could be beriberi, vascular disease or frost bite, or all three. Believed gangrene was setting in.

Feb. 16,45: Awakened, no feeling in my feet at all. Believed the end must be near. Wrote Judy a final note, telling her I loved her and didn't want to leave her. I gave the note to Chaplain Taylor to be delivered after the war.

The following days were very painful.

Mar. 1, 45: Loaded into charcoal-burning ambulances and taken to the railroad station. Spent the day riding on coaches, arriving at our destination about dark.

f.u.kuoka Camp #22

Walked up a steep hill for half a mile, hanging heavily on an agreeable j.a.p guard. Greeted by jolly Australian prisoners; their language was very "b.l.o.o.d.y," but they were good guys, serving us hot soup and Red Cross coffee, saved from their own rations. They got us blankets and hot water bottles.

Mar. 2, 45: The Aussies took us down to the j.a.p pool (a 15' x 15'

vat), and gave a hot bath-and washed our lousy clothes.

Mar. 15, 45: Now only 34 of our original hospital group alive. Air raids becoming very frequent, especially at night; there were sirens in many directions. We could hear high-flying planes; in the distance we could hear heavy bombing. Food was becoming very scarce. The 'In Charge' came by and told me: "You have given up; you are yellow; get up and walk around!"

It made me mad probably just what I needed.

April 1, 45: I seemed a little stronger; could take several steps, but each step caused much "b.l.o.o.d.y" pain. The American patients

are all confined to bed. wt. 90 lbs.

Aussies give us our weekly baths, the highlight of each week.

My skin was rough and scaly - pellagra; my feet were numb and swollen - beriberi. I had lost much of my body hair. My beard, normally heavy, was thin and silky - probably due to changes in the s.e.x hormones.

April 10, 45: Air raids frequent and heavy; cities being badly crippled. Everybody was jittery. The skimpy meals; very irregular.

April 12, 45: With help of Dudley Wilkinson of Australia, I was learning to walk, much like a baby. It caused much pain in every muscle moved. Ten steps and I was exhausted.

Apr. 25, 45: The 24 remaining patients and several guards were loaded on a truck. We pa.s.sed through beautiful mountain country; people were working their small farms. Arrived at the Port of f.u.kuoka about noon.

Other groups of Americans were coming in; I could see Major John Raulston and Lt. George Chamberlain.

About dark each group was marched to a pier; waiting a couple hours we boarded a rather streamlined 2 stack cruiser. I was carried one deck below and laid on a mat. The warmth of the cabin was very welcome.

Major "Mac" Williams gave me an injection. Later, he told me he thought I was dying.

Major Tom Smothers, on the litter next to me, died. He was the father of Tommy and d.i.c.k Smothers, the comedians.

Apr. 26, 45: Arrived in Pusan, Korea in the afternoon. Carried about a mile to a theater, where we spent the night. Tenko 334.

Apr. 27, 45: About 0800, our group was marched (I was carried by a British prisoner) to the rail station. We were soon aboard a second cla.s.s coach.

Was given a binto box: rice and very salty fish, causing great thirst.

Chinese men were sleeping all over the coach: floor, seats and even luggage racks. Korea was mountainous and beautiful; many trees and plants were in bloom.

Pa.s.sed the Yalu River - very muddy as it flowed into the Yellow Sea.

Apr. 29, 45: Arrived in Mukden, Manchuria (over a million population).

(The Manchu's once conquered and ruled the vast Chinese Empire, having overthrown the Ming Dynasty and set up the Ch'ing Dynasty, from which the name China evolved. During this period, the Great Wall was built).

Chapter XI

Camp Hoten, Mukden, Manchuria

I was carried to the prison hospital. This was the Emperor of j.a.pan's birthday. We each received a cookie. At one end of the ward was a large cylindrical Russian stove; we received one scuttle of coal per day; when it was gone, we froze.

Mukden was extremely cold; had only two seasons: winter and the Fourth of July. Piled the blankets over my head and shivered.

Another problem; the air was very dry; our noses became irritated and uncomfortable. Old timers threw pails of water on the floors, putting moisture back into the air.

From the second floor, we could see over the high stone wall; we were in a factory area. The healthy prisoners had to work in the neighboring factories, making munitions, tools and rope. When they would return each night, we got the latest rumors from the Chinese workers: "Mussolini had been hung!"

In Mukden we felt isolated from the rest of the world and even the war; it wasn't all bad!

Capt. Herbst of Canton, Ohio, our medic, and the j.a.panese doctor, Juro Oki of Tokyo, got me small amounts of dysentery medicine.

The first weeks in the hospital were spent hibernating, trying to gain strength. I was extremely fortunate to have a good friend, Major (Honest John) Raulston, from Richard City, Tennessee, who helped me in many ways, while I was incapacitated. .

May 7, 45: My weight was up to 100 lbs. Discharged from the hospital.

Major Stanley Hankins was American C.O. of the Camp, and Col.

Matsuda, the j.a.panese C.O. He ran one of the better camps.

May 10, 45: My fortieth birthday; I was ready for "Life to Begin!"