No water available! We tore up clothing
for bandages, and hoped a miracle might help.
Large fires were burning in the stern of the ship where a bomb had
made a direct hit. We couldn't understand why Admiral Halsey's pilots
had not been informed that American prisoners were aboard the Oryoku
Maru.
It was disturbing to be bombed by our own Navy aviators "our friends."
Yet, I couldn't bear them any ill will. They obviously didn't know!
Mr. Wata, the diminutive and deformed Japanese interpreter, appeared
at the top of the hold, and shouted down, "Abandon ship! Remove all
clothing! Wounded must come up first! All of you leave ship!"
As the first fifty wounded reached the deck, back came the planes
strafing and bombing. Many of those reaching the deck were killed or
further wounded. In a few minutes we got a second opportunity to go up
the ladder. Knowing I would have to swim,
I removed my shoes and outer clothing; I discarded them with my
medical bag and "our" precious can of Spam. The rungs of the ladder
were very sharp and painful to my bare feet. By the time I had reached
the deck I was exhausted.
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