You got back to Nichols Field on December 23, 1941 and Manila was evacuated on December 24, 1941. You were still at Nichols Field when the evacuation of Manila began?
Yes. First of all, there was no "front line" like we had in World War I. Bataan was divided up into sectors. In a short period of time, since the Japanese invaded, three different lines of defense for Bataan were organized. The Air Corps, including our outfit, became infantry. There was no need for airmen. The Army Air Corps had the East Side of the line, which had the least amount of fighting. My outfit was stationed as reserves in and around Pilar. The Japanese kept pushing the 31st INF, the 45th INF, and the Filipino soldiers back. Our location soon became the "front line" or the third and final line of defense. When we got to Bataan, there were seven airplanes left in the whole island of Luzon! We went on patrols to gather information and locate Japanese units in the area. Sometimes, we would be out three or four days before we had gathered enough worthwhile information. The town of Pilar had an abandoned sugar refinery. We had an informal arrangement with the Japs. When we passed through on patrol, we would stop and fill our canteens with molasses. When the Japanese passed through on their patrols, they would stop and get their molasses. This continued until one time our molasses tasted like sulfur. We thought the Japanese had put something in the molasses. We spotted their positions and shelled the heck out of them with our artillery! Eventually we found out it was the darn sugar dregs in the bottom of the vats that were responsible for the sulfur taste. It wasn't the Japanese's fault at all.

About a month later, I was visiting a friend of mine who had dengue fever, which is similar to malaria. He was in Hospital Number 2 at Cabcaben, which was about thirty miles south of Pilar in southern Bataan. Colonel George was there visiting an injured airman. We talked and he asked, "Where are you stationed?" I told him "at the front lines" on Bataan. He didn't say anything else to me. About two days later, the first sergeant came by and said, " Pack your bags!" "You are going back to Bataan Air Base."

How far was that from where you were?
It was about thirty miles away. I stayed there until the surrender. A Japanese observation flight would come over every morning. We called him "Washing Machine Charlie." Later, after he had flown over, the bombers and strafers would come. We got bombed and strafed every single day!

How did shooting these weapons and the bombing affect your hearing? (Ben Peterson)
I don't recall the shooting bothering my ears. I guess I didn't pay any attention to it. The bombing was another story. If it were close, your eardrums would burst. During heavy bombing and shelling I would keep my mouth open. This would equalize the pressure in both sides of the ears.

Does the ground shake when bombs hit?
If bombs fall in the distance, you can feel a tremor. If it is close, you will "bounce." In other words, the tremors would lift you up off the ground and drop you again.
You're kidding? (Jane)

You arrived at Bataan Air base towards the end of January 1942. The bombing and strafing was continuous. Did you stay there until General King surrendered on April 9, 1942?
Yes.

American Trained Philippine Scouts in Action -- Drawing Courtesy of Ben Steele

The Filipino Army General MacArthur developed was supposed to neutralize the Japanese invasion. Was it an effective fighting force?
General MacArthur had an impressive army of two hundred thousand Filipinos. He had a lot of bodies on paper! But there was no unity among the troops. For instance, there were nine or ten different dialects in the various Philippine regions. Soldiers were organized with no consideration as to who came from where. They couldn't even converse! It would be like taking a Chinese soldier and putting him in with an American and neither could speak each other's language. Before the war started, General MacArthur said, "My Philippine army can hold the Japanese at the beaches."

But when the Japanese landed at Lingayen, the Filipino army couldn't hold their positions. They broke through the Filipino lines right after the invasion.

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