Our groups were taken one at a time out into Lingayen Gulf to bathe.
It was very pleasant while it lasted. The beach soon became very hot.
We received three teaspoons of water to drink. Two died. The count -
1,306.
Dee. 27, 1944: In a series of short marches, we crossed a small
peninsula to a pier. Six large transports were anchored in the gulf.
There were fourteen sunken vessels visible above water.
Landing barges were bringing about fifty Japanese soldiers at a time
to the beach with many boxes of ammunition. The barges then came over
to our pier to take on some fifty prisoners.
High waves made it very difficult to get on the barge; I had to jump
down about ten feet onto the bouncing front deck. I was surprised that
my "toothpick" legs didn't buckle under the jolt. We started out to a
transport with a No.2 on the stack, the Brazil Maru. An air raid
alarm sounded!
In the confusion our landing craft was directed to an empty transport
marked No.1, the Enoura Maru. We were soon up the long ladder, and put
in the forward hold; then we were divided into groups of twenty.
This time there was plenty of room and an abundance of fresh air, but
it was very cold.
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