“I am an American, too,” she said with tremulous lips.
“Don’t be afraid. No one is going to hurt you anymore. My name is Lieutenant Jonathon Wright. I’m in charge of a platoon of Rangers that have come to set you free. The compound has already been secured. You are free. Do you have a name?” asked Jonathon, hoping to draw her out in conversation.
“I’m Lisa Carter…” she cried between sobs of relief. “You have seen my shame! The beast would not stop…”
“You fought bravely, Lisa,” responded Jonathon. He was relieved that she was able to talk and understand that the prison was now under American control. “I’ve got to look after my men and see what your companions need for assistance. Are you going to be all right?”
“You’ve seen my shame,” she repeated, hiding her face beneath the blanket.
“I would hardly call it shame, lady. No one could have done more than you did to resist the brutal attacks. I admire your courage and salute you, Lisa Carter. I’ll send someone in to help you.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant.”
Jonathon turned to look at her as he left the room. Her arms were skeleton-like, merely skin over bones! Her uncombed auburn hair was snarled and in disarray. Lisa was still in shock and convulsive sobs continued to wrack her frail body. The shock insulated her from the trauma she had endured. For the time being, Jonathon thought, it was a good thing. His mind was racing evaluating alternatives. If all of the inmates were in the same condition as Lisa Carter, then walking to the coast was out of the question. None would make it half way without some conveyance of sorts, and the Rangers could not carry that many on their backs and still provide protection.
The prisoners were shocked at the level of violence and swiftness of the Ranger’s assault on the compound. They were predictably suspicious and cautious in their reaction to their sudden liberation. The Rangers carried three wounded Japanese soldiers to the infirmary section of the barn and laid them on empty bamboo mats. One was the commandant that Jonathon had shot.
When the prisoners saw the Japanese soldiers, pandemonium broke out among them. They attacked the Japanese with feverish ferocity beating and kicking them until they were too weak to continue. One inmate, a tall emaciated middle-aged woman, seized a broken tree branch and began beating the prisoners, swinging the branch like a baseball bat. Jonathan’s first reaction was that he should break up the attacks. The women had become a mob and were venting a long subdued hatred. Justice was being served in the only manner available to them. Considering what they had to endure, if he had been one of them, he would have participated in a similar release. The sentence being carried out was commensurate with the terror the Japanese soldiers had unleashed upon the inmates. He deliberately turned his back on the scene and looked for Hal Jacob and Sergeant Hammer.
Small arms fire from the north stopped abruptly. The stragglers had been taken care of. He checked the fenced perimeter noting that Rangers had been posted at strategic points. Sergeant Hammer approached Jonathon with a satisfied look on his face.
“I just received word from a runner. The blocking force has wiped out the detachment at the supply center. We don’t have to worry about them now. However, they must have notified other units in the area that the prison was under attack. I’ve sent patrols to circle the compound for a radius of one or two miles. They’ll notify us if there are any Japanese troops in the vicinity,” reported Sergeant Hammer.
“You did a great job, Sergeant,” said Jonathon sincerely. “I was about to suggest that we send out patrols to warn us of potential counter attacks.”
“Could we move the prisoners if I can locate enough water buffalo carts?” Sergeant Hammer asked, anticipating Jonathon’s question.
“One thing is certain, Sergeant Hammer. None of the inmates are physically capable of negotiating the terrain on their own. Carts will help but they’ll slow a column to a crawl, making us vulnerable to attacks from small groups of Japanese. I doubt if we could make it to the coast before the invasion starts and we would be placing the women at far greater risk out there in no-man’s land. Our losses could be heavy.”
“Are you suggesting that we stay here until a column can reach us, Lieutenant?”
“I’ve been thinking about it─unless another alternative offers a better chance of survival for the women in our care. We can set up a pretty strong defensive position right here by shrinking the area we have to defend and wait for relief to come to us,” said Jonathon. He had just answered the question he had been entertaining.
“You’re probably right,” conceded Sergeant Hammer, surveying the compound. “I can set up outposts a hundred yards in front of our defensive line so that we can be forewarned of approaching enemy forces. I am not so much concerned in engaging the forces as I would be in observing them to determine their intentions.”
“I appreciate your help, Sergeant,” answered Jonathon. “Right now we’ve got to start taking care of our charges. Where is the nearest water?”
Lieutenant Hal Jacob and the radioman approached them on the run.
“What do you think?” asked Hal, breathing heavily. His dungaree jacket was wet from sweat. “Only half of the woman are able to walk unaided. The enemy dead count is over one hundred.”
“We’re going to hold here, Hal. Trying to walk out would be ludicrous to contemplate,” answered Jonathon firmly.
“We’ve located a large supply of rice and canned foods in a shed attached to the main plantation house. The mess hall used by the guard detachment is relatively well equipped. Some of the men from first squad are preparing some rice and vegetables to feed the inmates as soon as possible. Rice is a good starter food for them. It’ll take a while for them to adjust to eating three meals a day.”
“What about medical supplies and other things the inmates need such as soap?” asked Jonathon.
“None, Jon,” replied Hal.
They heard the drone of airplane engines coming from the southwest. They scanned the sky and picked up two B-26 bombers approaching the compound at tree-top level.
“So much has been happening that I forgot to tell you, Lieutenant Wright,” explained Sergeant Hammer, excitedly watching the approaching planes. “My forces at the blocking position have a radio with them and sent word to our base guerrilla camp that we were in the process of securing the compound. They requested supplies for the inmates and I would not be surprised if we’re about to get a delivery.”
“My God,” cried Jonathon, embracing the intrepid Filipino. “You’ve made my day. Radioman, try to pick up the frequency the planes are using.”
“I’ve already got it, sir.”
The planes began a slow turn around the compound and started dropping bundles from their bomb bay doors and a side door in the fuselage. The sky was filled with parachutes. Soon the ground was covered with supplies. A call came over the radio.
“Air corps to ground. Air corps to ground. Do you read me?”
“This is Lieutenant Wright. We are glad to receive your delivery. I have some instructions I hope you can relay to our control at Sixth Army headquarters.”
“Can do, Lieutenant. First I want to warn you that there is a large force of enemy troops about five miles east of your position. They have some tanks and several trucks filled with infantry. It appears that they are headed for the coast. We do not have any ordnance on board.”
“Roger, Air Corps. Please relay that Snapdragon is going to hold and defend the prison compound. We’ll need support, especially if we are attacked by armor. Our charges are approximately seventy women in desperate need of clothing, medicine, and personal hygiene supplies. Do you read me?”
“Perfectly, Lieutenant. We’ll relay your message to Sixth Army about the change in plans for Snapdragon. Good luck. I will request a recon and support mission for you. You Rangers seem to have the situation under control. Well done, soldiers.”
“Thank you, air corps. You’ve just made our job a lot easier. Roger and out.”
> The prisoners had stayed in the barn and stable while the air drop was taking place. The large amount of supplies dropped for them, sent a ray of hope and relief through the ranks. They came out of the buildings amazed at the field littered with packages. Jonathon, Hal, and Sergeant Hammer rushed to speak to the inmates. They were gaunt, macabre looking human beings. Their arms and legs were like sticks covered with soiled skin. It was a miracle that they were still alive.
“Ladies,” announced Jonathon, waving to get their attention. “I’m Lieutenant Wright of the United States Army. You have been liberated by Army Rangers and some brave Filipino patriots. We are going to stay here until American forces can adequately transport you to a medical facility capable of caring for you. I beg you to be patient for a few more days. We will stay with you and protect you with our lives if that is necessary. I repeat. You are free. The Japanese guards cannot harm you anymore. Some soldiers are preparing a meal of rice and vegetables for you. It will be ready soon. In the meantime, we’ll distribute among you the supplies that have been dropped to us. Can anyone tell me where the nearest water supply is?”
An elderly lady with long white hair stepped forward.
“I’m known in the camp as Madame June. Your presence at the camp is an answer to all of our prayers. Thank God you’ve come! The only water we’ve ever had came to us through a steel pipe in the stable building. Three of our companions died during the night. One more collapsed and died a few minutes ago when she learned that the Americans have returned to Luzon. It was too much for her fragile system to handle. Would you help us bury them?”
“Yes, of course, Madame June,” Jonathon answered, moved by the presence of the frail lady. “When we first attacked the compound and plantation house, we found a woman named Lisa in one of the rooms of the house. She needs someone to help and comfort her.”
“Thank God she’s alive. I was afraid they had killed her. She fought so hard, and has been so strong and brave for all of us… Where is she, Lieutenant? I must go to her,” cried Madame June. Her deep sunken eyes stared at him and filled with tears.
“Lisa is in a room on the first floor next to the entrance door,” directed Jonathon, turning to Lieutenant Jacob. “Hal, would you look into that water supply? The inmates need food as soon as we can get it to them. After that they need soap and water. We’ve got to provide some means for them to wash their bodies. This camp wreaks with pestilence. We’ve got to help them clean it up. I’m going to check out what the air corps delivered.”
Six hours after the attack, the prison compound was altered from a sweltering stink hole filled with human beings completely void of hope of surviving the prison experience, to an organized community overflowing with the joy of freedom and full stomachs. Many were at the point where they would have welcomed death, because life was not worth the struggle it took to maintain it.
Lieutenant Jacob had located the water source for the spigot in the stable and the barn. It was a small man-made pond about a hundred feet square. A small amount of water was spilling over the sluiceway indicating to him that it was being supplied by an underground spring. The Japanese had also dug another well close by for their drinking water and food preparation. He and Jonathon figured that they could use the well for the same purpose, and the pond could be used by the inmates to bathe. A young Ranger removed his pants and dungaree shirt and waded into the pond. It was about four and a half feet deep in the center, ideal for the women to use.
Nothing was said to the inmates until the area was prepared. Stakes and wire from the prison fences were erected around the pond by the Rangers. Blankets from the Japanese guard barracks were draped over the wire fence creating a private enclosure for the women. It would be the first time they were free of prying eyes in three years.
A portion of the air drop contained boxes of army pants and shirts that troops wore in the tropics. Socks and assorted shoes were also included. Jonathon ordered them to be displayed next to the enclosed pond so that the women could take a bath first and then dress in clean, dry clothing. The minute they were told what was available for them, the inmates were uplifted. The animated communication among the women was increased as combs, bars of soap, and clean towels were distributed.
The women had already eaten a large serving of rice, peas, and canned pineapple. One of the Rangers had discovered a supply of tea in the Japanese supply room and boiled water to make freshly brewed tea. The tantalizing aroma wafted through the area where the hungry inmates were eating. It was a big hit. Smiles, for the first time in years, appeared on dry cracked lips as they sipped the hot liquid.
A nurse had told Jonathon that the women had lost twenty-five to forty percent of their body weight. The average weight of the prisoners was estimated to be about one hundred and two pounds. The large meal they had just eaten helped to stir the hope that they feared had been lost forever. The food worked its magic, making the inmates more alert and talkative, and thankful for the sense of well-being that a full stomach is capable of producing. Perhaps the tea was more appreciated than the food. It soothed their sensitive stomachs and brought back memories of where they came from and of those who were waiting for their safe return. The near-death stare was beginning to disappear. Their days in purgatory were over.
Chapter Five
Jonathon called the Snapdragon controllers at Sixth Army headquarters requesting that additional supplies be air-dropped. He needed more ammunition and heavier weaponry to adequately defend the compound. He also notified them that the inmate’s mental and physical health were near the threshold of complete collapse and that additional food was a high priority.
Sergeant Hammer volunteered to ring the compound for up to five miles with his men. That would give the defenders of the prison ample time to prepare for any contingency. Jonathon breathed easier knowing that the intrepid Filipino force constituted the best eyes and ears a commander could have in enemy territory. That would allow the Rangers to concentrate on caring for and defending the inmates.
The women expressed an urgent desire to bath after they had been fed. Jonathon assigned a squad to be responsible for their immediate care and safety. They had completed the privacy enclosure around the pond and had set up a perimeter within the main compound. The inmates would be safe and isolated from any disturbance. Jonathon requested that the sentinels make themselves as inconspicuous as security allowed and to always keep their backs to the bathing women.
The inmates filed towards the pond, anxious to see what had been provided for their use. Soon the small body of water was filled with frolicsome women playing like children at the beach. It was the first time in three years that they had a chance to immerse their bodies in clean water. They did not worry about their safety. The Rangers had wound a net of security around them that contributed to their newly-found sense of well-being. Hope was reinvented. The Americans had returned as General MacArthur had promised!
Each inmate washed and helped those less physically able to do it alone. From the very start, they cared for each other. It had been a mark of their incarceration, no one was left to suffer alone. They had established a fraternity of sisterhood, which acted like a safety net that kept them united against all of the inhumanities the Japanese had heaped upon them. It was a triumph of the human spirit. The chance to bathe and clean themselves ignited that spirit. It was an empowerment that was immeasurable and unconsciously acknowledged by the women bathing away months of Japanese grime. The small pond was covered with three inches of soap suds. The cooling waters had unleashed a new level of energy and joy.
Among the supplies dropped was a supply of combs, enough for each of the inmates. They soon became a treasured possession and were successful confidence builders. The combs represented an important part of their past, and morale climbed instantly when they were distributed. Heavily snarled hair was not easy to comb, but the women diligently kept at the process until their long tresses began to flow about their shoulders.
Madame June, accompan
ied by Lisa Carter, went to the noisy bathing party taking place within the curtained area. They stopped where the supplies of soap, combs, and clothing had been stockpiled and displayed by the Rangers. Madame June took two towels and two bars of Ivory soap.
“Here, Lisa,” said Madame June passing the soap and towel to her. “A bath will feel good won’t it? It has been a long time since I felt clean all over.”
“It will feel good June, but it can’t wash away all the filth the Japanese were responsible for,” she replied, accepting the items. Then she ripped the ragged clothes from her body and threw them on the ground. “The beasts can’t touch us anymore, thanks to the American soldiers, but how can we ever forget what they did to us?”
“Come now, dear lady. We take one day at a time from now on. Eventually the dark days we’ve had will become just bad memories. We can’t do anything about them now except to grasp for the future. The young Americans have given us a chance to think about tomorrow. The sisters we’ve buried in the cemetery plot would want us to live our lives in their memory. As for me, I pray that I’ll be able to honor their sacrifice by keeping their memories alive.”
“You have a nice way of putting things,” Lisa answered, following her into the water.
An hour later, Lisa was wiping herself with the clean towel. Madame June was right, she thought. The bath was a cleansing experience, and she was determined to put the past behind her and look forward. Erasing the memories of what the camp commander did to her would not be easy, but she was willing to try. Lisa selected clean underclothes and a set of tan pants and shirt from the supply pile and dressed herself. The simple act of dressing in clean clothing gave her a sense of empowerment and a new feeling of being part of something larger than the encounter she had experienced at the hands of a beast. Once again, she became a human being in control of her life. The immediate rage and pain of the violation against her will was temporarily replaced by a wondrous sensation of being free. She knew that the incorrigible Madame June was correct when she warned Lisa that the ugliness had to be overcome.
A Song For Lisa Page 4