UNSUNG HEROISM No. 1 lost this total in two days many times. The tota . ~deaths for Camp No. 1 was 2,666 out of an averagepou Chaplain Oliver held a meeting of all Chaplains and deaths for Camp No. 1 was 2,666 out of an average popu each one was given an assignment in one of the three nation of 5,700. sinto which the camp was divided. We were in- The Japanese began to take working parties to Japan groups ta wh e c a n h dvie e e ee i and Manchuria and here Chaplain Oliver started to write structed that we could not hold services except at the risk l of our lives. Not a single Chaplain ever once refused to letters to the Japanese requesting that Chaplains accr panty our men. The reply was always the same-NO. The
hold services, in fact we became all the more eager to hold pany our men. The reply was always the same-NO. T reason given was that there were many missionaries where
as many services as possible for our men. Well do I re- reason given was that there were many missionaries where
asmemb ser icste firi tt mwen Chlai HIre- the men were going and these could take care of their spiritmember the first Sunday in that camp when Chaplain Her- ual needs. Only once before June 1944 did the Japanese man C. Bauman conducted Mass out in the open with full ua s Ol n be 194 he Jpe vestments and in sight of the Japanese. It is a picture break this rule and this was in October 1942 when 1,000
vs n men left our camp for the Davao Penal Colony. Then they which will forever be etched in my memory and that permitted four Roman Catholic and four Protestant Che .permitted four Roman Catholic and four Protestant Chap nothing happened is a miracle. For the most part Chap- 2P nothing happened is a miracle. For the most part Chap- lains to accompany the men. These Chaplains were joined lains knew no fear and their main objective was to minister in Davao by Chaplains Carl W. Hausmann, Hugh F. Ken to the men who were in such distress mentally and physi- nedy, Joseph V. Lafleur, Eugene J. O'Keefe, Joseph G 11ly nedy, Joseph V. Lafleur, Eugene J. O'Keefe, Joseph G. cally. Vanderheiden, whom we had not heard about in Camp
In each group the Chaplains visited every barracks each No. 1 since the surrender of the Philippines. These Cha day and talked with the men. In many instances it was lains wer e to ret urn to Camp No. 1 June 1944 with th
necesar toinfom te oerwokeddocors f aman lains were to return to Camp No. I in June 1944 with the necessary to inform the overworked doctors of a man
. exception of Chaplamn Frederick Howden, who died of who could not make sick call at the dispensary. Each day exception of Chaplain Frederick Howden, who died dysentery several months after reaching Davao. Chaplain
the Chaplains would lead a party of patients over five dysentery several months after reaching Davao. Chapla hundred yards of marsh and Cogan grass to the hospital. Morris E. Day and Chaplain Joseph V. Lefleur were on . .boat taking them to Manila in September 1944 and when The galling part was to carry the improvised Japanese flag t a te t a sete which insured safe conduct over the open spaces. Many it was torpedoed they became casualties.
i After the detail left Camp No. 1 for Davao conditions of these men entering the hospital were to live a matter e e et Camp No. a contain
8 2 became somewhat better. Camp No. 3 was discontinued of days or possibly two weeks before they were to be car-. ..
and their personnel joined with No. 1. Again there was
ried to the camp cemetery. The increasing death rate was and their personnel joined with No. 1. Again there w cause for alarm min July 1942 when in that month more than a reunion of many Chaplains we had not seen in a lo 750 died of dysentery alone. As Chaplains we aided each time. It was at this point that the Japanese surprised us . .again by'announcing that we could have services but that other in visiting with the men, kneeling beside them on a again by announcing that we could have services but tha all sermons had to be sent to the Japanese Headquarters filthy bare floor which was their bed, cheering them and all sermons had to be sent to the Japanes Headquarters offering prayer which they so many times requested before on Thursday for approval so that they could preached on Sunday. The additional direction was that a Japanese
a Chaplain suggested that this be done. The one thing interpreter would be present and follow our manuscript which the men wanted to hold on to above everything else The only difficulty was in securing paper as the Japanese was their prayer book or the New Testament. At times would give us nary a sheet. Chaplains paid for paper out these would be stolen from a man and the resulting com- of their scanty supply of money until a Camp Council motion was unbelievable. Never have I seen men so eager which was operating the Camp Commissary offered to buy for religious literature and the tragic part of it all was that this paper for the Chaplains. At one time they paid $17.00 we were unable to supply their wants. Late in November for 300 sheets of poor quality paper. We used can labels 1942 the Japanese did bring in slightly more than one and all kinds of scraps on which to write our sermons for hundred New Testaments and some fifty complete Bibles submission to American Headquarters where it was typed which were distributed to the men. The Bibles were for the Japanese. placed in the barracks so that all might have a reasonable The Japanese guards were drafted men and on their chance of reading it in full. Sunday in near-by Cabanatuan they frequently tangled
The Japanese would not permit Chaplains to hold grave- with members of the Regular Japanese Army who disliked side services for our dead until 24 August 1942 at Camp our Formosan Guards intensely. The Japanese CommandNo. 1. This difficulty was overcome when a Roman Catho- ing Officer solved this problem by declaring Friday as our lic and a Protestant Chaplain would visit the morgue daily Sunday and thus we had Sunday on Friday for almost a before the burial party arrived and hold prayers for the year and his guards could visit the houses of prostitution deceased of whom there were as many as forty-seven in in peace. one day. Late in August the Japanese suddenly directed
that Chaplains hold a two-minute service at the grave but CHRISTMAS PLANNING to the best of my knowledge no Chaplain ever paid atten- Christmas was about a month away and while we would tion to the time element and moreover following the not feel like celebrating the Chaplains made every prepaprayers the Chaplain officiating called the men to attention, ration for divine services. Our preparation for Christmas faced the East, our country, and saluted. Since the* Jap is a long story but it was held. Never will anyone present guards did not realize what was happening, or possibly forget the midnight Mass of 1942 held under the light of cared less, no unpleasantness occurred. Camp No. 3 was the full moon and a large gasoline lantern which Chap' in operation from 2 June until 28 October 1942 and in this lain Oliver persuaded the Japanese to lend for the occa, period there were only eighty-one deaths here while Camp sion. Members of the Japanese Headquarters Staff at24 The Army and Navy Chaplain