Within thirty minutes, the U.S. fighters were
circling overhead looking for Jap planes. Finding none, they returned
to Clark Field just before noon to
gas up and get lunch. Along with thirty-five U.S. bombers, the
fighters lined up on the runways, soon to be blasted by two waves of
50 heavy Japanese bombers. About the same time, Nichol's Field, Fort
McKinley and Cavite Naval Station were being heavily bombed. Nearly
half of the U.S. Army Air Corps planes were destroyed during the first
day of war, the day before Congress declared war.
Wounded were now arriving at the hospital by every available vehicle.
It was a horrible scene, an unforgettable sight, as corridors quickly
filled with seriously wounded and dying soldiers, lying in puddles of
blood, moaning, groaning, screaming, and begging for mercy.
Being the only Army doctor on Northern Luzon, I was to be tested as
never before in my life. I was a Regular Army professional soldier,
alone, and on my own. If we didn't act quickly, we would very soon
have many dead patients. I had seen many bad auto accidents, but never
anything like this. Shaking and woozy, I told myself, "This is no time
to 'chicken out.
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