Blood Brothers: A Medic's Sketch Book Part 22

He hears the old man sob:

"The lowest plane of all, my lad,

A tough 'P.W.' job."

"And did you shoot some Nips, Grand Dad?

And chase them from the air?"

"My specialty was 'transport,' lad;

I'd pile it here and pile it there."

"Had you a. brave co-pilot, too?"

He hears the bright boy ask.

"A chaplain, named Ed Nagel,

He helped me swing the task."

"It's grand you were a pilot, Grand Dad!"

The old man starts to whittle:

"Well, not so grand, perhaps, my lad

But the extra rice helped a little."

POSTSCRIPTS

Dr. Jacobs - Colonel Jacobs - Professor Jacobs - has given far beyond what most are ever asked to give... to his country and to the sick.

Yet, he can look back over his life with equanimity... he is glad to be alive, and very glad to be living in this quiet, lovely city.

Sam Rohlfing, Editor

"In building an airport for the j.a.panese, we carried stones and dirt in a straw basket, and piled it here and piled it there, as directed, for which we received a small amount of extra rice. We called ourselves "pilots!"

Letter from Dr. John Beall

Dr. John A. Beall Jr.

120 Brandywine Trail

Carrollton, Georgia 30117

April 23, 1983

Dear Gene:

Thank you very much for sending me the two articles "From Guerilla to POW in the Philippines" and "Diary of a h.e.l.l-s.h.i.+p Journey." They were terrific and say a lot of things that need to be said, less the US forgets the horrors of the way the j.a.panese treated our prisoners. As you know I fought the war in the European Theater and we had an easy time of it, compared to your experiences. I don't know whether I would have had the fort.i.tude to hang in there and continue to help the others, treat their ills and wounds the way you did. Ruth tells me you are writing a book on the subject and I look forward to reading it.

Time goes by so fast and it is hard to realize that none of the top command of the Army and only a handful of others in the service saw service in World War II. We have a yearly course on the" History of World War II" as West Georgia College and the ignorance of students on the sacrifices so many made is astounding! We need to keep reminding them, that the quality of life they know was paid for dearly by soldiers like you who gave so much for their country.

I was particularly interested in this subject since right after VE Day I commanded 14 POW camps for General Patton in Bavaria. When he gave me the job I complained that I knew nothing about treatment of paws and he replied, "You should treat them the way you would like to be treated if you were a POW." That became our philosophy and we worked our tails off day and night to treat them fairly, keep them warm and well fed and provide necessary medical treatment. I can truthfully say we had very few instances of complaint nor have any surfaced since the war.

Sincerely

"Tige" Beall

APPENDIX: LESSONS LEARNED ON LUZON

"In war there is no subst.i.tute for Victory!"

Douglas MacArthur

We were amazed to discover how well-informed the j.a.panese pilots and invading forces were, as to our beaches, bays, terrain, and especially our military bases. Their geodetic maps were more accurate than ours.

We were amazed to find j.a.panese fishermen's nets-in the shapes of arrows-pointing directly to our naval bases at Olongapo and Cavite, to Clark and Nichols Airfields, and to Fort McKinley.

We were amazed as to the accuracy of j.a.panese intelligence, learned through houseboys, maids, store owners, fishermen, salesmen, etc. - ALL Spies!

We learned it was senseless to fight a war that you are unable to win, unless the delaying action could permit an Allied victory elsewhere.

We learned it was hopeless to fight a well-armed major power with equipment and weapons left over from the last war.

We learned it was best to be mobile when fighting an immovable force; you might live to fight another day.

We learned that guerrillas in the proper environment and in cooperation with friendly natives can hara.s.s an enemy for many months and gain much valuable time and information.

We learned that a fledgling Fil-American force on Bataan and Corregidor could sustain the most crus.h.i.+ng campaigns of the mightiest army in the Far East for months, before being starved into submission.

Perhaps, if there had been more Bataans, the course of World War II might have been altered.

Eugene C. Jacobs