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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1945)
s fags cix Independence Man Suryives Prison Beatings, Starvation; I Home Seems f Hardly ReaP (Editor! NnU: Slawly rmtiriii Via knttk at, ato kama la laaaaaa sa la ChJaf liilHaM Dob Bar am, aaa of ir. u Jln. W. A. Baraaaa, aaza fol aeftBM ( 6 asm on Dae. II, 1941. Lone years af mtitrcatmeBt aaa ttarvaUaa aava Wft tkelf aaark. Bat y taa Um kla rarUraca txptras w Jaaaary. Baraaat kaaas la .he read? ta iwuh kla ataral carta whick alraady ipuu 1 year.) "It still hardly eemj real" ito CMef Radioman D6n Barnum, that he actually is home. BuJ, almost unbelievably, he Is. And his story,' requested by the' Statesman, provides an outstanding addition to the historical sagas of life and death which made up World War II. i Barnum wai on Guam when war broke out, and his story; starts from there. It is not easy for him to tell it But he tells it well. "It wasn't hard for the Jans to take Guam. Wa didn't hava much lor aeiense, ne recalls giumiy but without rancor. "They took over without too much trouble. A J m aa . . . a We were kept on Guam for a month. Then 450 of us. In addi tion ; to civilians and six nurses. were loaded on the Argentina Maru lojta trip to Japan. Oa Starvation Diet "We were on , starvation ra tions onj Guam, and were pretty well run down when that trip started, I We were taken to Zent suji, a sort of t clearing-house prison from which work parties were sent out, and aome of us were sent almost immediately to usata for stevedore work. We were there three- months, Tood was poor and scarce. If we hadn't stolen or illeeallT-Dur- chased extra rations we all would have suffered a great deal more. And I might say this was true for all the years we were In Japan. "At Osaka we got rice, a very little fish and some vegetables boiled in soup. It could not have sustained us alone. Our treatment was not as brutal as in some star- les I've heard, but we took our 3 Deatings with clubs, belts and gun butts. The Japs lust couldn't - unaersiana us. since we had to 1 a a -. work, e tried to do the-best we could. (But they wanted things done ekactly their way, with no . regard ;to what we thought was efficient. The guards were un ; educated and very stubborn. But at least we could get by with more than could the Jap civilians both in getting food and in minor a rule infractions. Food Even Worse '"t U I Ji j.a ' Axser inree months at Osaka. we were transferred to Himeji, a prison camp operated by a steel mill near Kobe. Four hundred 'f. aurvivors of Bataan and ;; fidor Joined us there. They were jlri far worse shape than we Were. ' Food dropped off even more, with the additional mouths to feed, and . the winter of 1942-43 was really " tough. 'Men would fall by the ,u"uu going io ana xrom tteve dove work. They were beaten with guns. Many we're skin and bones, Most everyone lost at least 35 to 40 pounds in weight Deaths were common, "Th IntrM finnllv an UJ il In order to get any work done, the Jap army quartermaster depart ment got us food. But it always was scarce, from the time we i went to Himeji in 1842 until we , left there in June 15, 1945.- Acci j dental deaths were numerous, too, ' because the men could not move r think quickly, they were so . weak. There never was sufficient : medicine to combat beri-beri, ma- - una and ther illnoaaoa the pris oners from the Philippines had. Lived la Bans iuusa got a mue Deuer after the armv hainawi tunni, ... .1 a ' - na a nan arcer wo went w nimejt But clothing always was too late-we'd - get wiite clothing long after cold weather started and had to wear it until long after summer was on in full fore- We lived in two barracks . resembling barns, 240 to a barn. .There was a little heat from coke ttoves night and morning. ;We slept in bunks in tiers of two. To keep Warm with available blan- ketS. two men often alont In bunk. "Last June we were sent to Fushikl about 00 miles north of Kobe 150 of us in each small Pullman which was blacked out we almost suffocated. The men alept in -baggage racks or stand ing up. There wasn't room to move around. ""Fushikl was almost a prison er's paradise. There were beans, rice and corn , rotting on' the ground and we'd steal it But for . each four sacks wed steal, the , JaDS Would - atAol ' K. AS , nms.m. uiree. They were afraid to do the steal in a rfirOt thAmaol..- IK1 1. - . .. .a. iucie was . a brutality at Fushiki and we got more things than in anv f o previous three and a hoi - JUl. . .... :.. .- f . . ' " Then Came YJ-day f j."Then came VJ-day. It wa August 15 last The Japs brought .') ".. a. v ui mu tne loom paste, toilet ja ; per, soap and other thing's. they . -w-, v xney even went down town three times daily .to get us vegetables and food-' tuffs. We stopped all work and veritable lived the life of RiW American navy Diane. flew n And was . It a welcome, sight!! I: f Uit this ttedera vtpor BMuiod I that bruin ralUf from taa spatms I oi Braachial AataaM. fall rafaaa il CAUT10W--trwaaraifV 1 - " i. ; .a . x " L,. - -"-sjv ? J-v. J t. - , -v . -,,- y J Don Barn am They dropped us their own rthV crews- personal cigarets, and they aid so many stunts we knew they must have been as happy as we were. "Thai Plane couldn't land ther- But ia another 10 dsSsome army bombers came over and landed a few miles away. The craws came to the prison camp to remove our ill and wounded and to sav there were tears in our eyes at this first contact with Americans m years is to put It aU-too-mildly. Food From the Skies Am1 tufn.. iUl 4L. 1 had dropped us more lood than we ould have used in a vear There is no describing the feelings of those few days . before the Swiss consul finally came to the camp and arrangements were made to take us to Tokvo. A wnall guard of Jap police pro tected us en route. We reached Tokyo safely and. to our inde scribable Joy, were delivered into American hands. , And that is Barnum's story. He believes the Japanese "civilians were ready for peace two years ago. "They didn't want to con tinue the war, but everything in me country was firmly laj the hands of the military. No one could do anything about if : . Barnum also says that while all the news received in prison was Japanese propaganda, "there was more truth in their stories of giv ing our navy and army : a bad time than We were willing to be lieve. But the Jap civilitTs were far more gullible than . anyone else." Beeoivee Iff Letters The naval radioman while in Japan received more than 200 let tors' and 70 pictures from his fam ily. Including his wife, Doris, and son, Richard, both of Independ ence, as well as his parents and other relatives. He has two broth ers, Lee of Salem and Gordon I, who served in the Tunisian cam paign and now has returned to San Francisco from duty on an LST in the Pacific, and a sister, Mrs. S. J., Patterson, whose hus band served as chief radioman In, the 2nd battle of the Philippines. One Red Cross box and per sonal package were received each year in the JaD orisons. Much of their contents, as well as Bar num's clothes, were traded for food to sustain life. ;And I'm home with my fam even in time to watch my son grow up," Barnum said, slowly in concluding, the story which even to him seems like a bad dream. Rome inherited from Greece the use of masks in the drama. do von know last Tugjit my wife gleamed In untold ecstasy "Holly, Hotly, the baby has another tooth," but on closer exam- . inactions we found one of thosa new diamonds I Just .unpacked. My wife has just got to keep that baby out of the store or it's going to eat , me out of business. Better hurry In before . something else happens; these are sure fine diamonds and if you want one I sure wouldn't argue with you. I "Holly .:.. 1 f fdcpkson 'sW 1 225 No. Libertjr Oppositt Golden Pheas&ntT i Tho Arguments on Portland Ame Suit to be Heard Arguments of attorneys win be neara in; me state supreme- court here Tuesday in a suit brought hv Orin O. Page, to nullify a Portland 1? . J a - - ordinance cnangmg zoning district No. 1 to znninz district No. a. which permits the establishment of ousiness; places. The Multnomah' county circuit court" with i Judge Walter Tore presiding, held for the nlaintiff ana issued restraining order. The . . . . . . . . ' ciry ox Portland appealed. Taylor Funeral Slated Monday Services for Charles H Taylor, resident of. the Sunnyside -district for the past 38 years, who died at his hme Friday, will be held from the Clough-Barrick chapel Monday at 100 a.m. Born In Jollytown, Pa., in 1863, he went 'west as a young man and farmed In Oklahoma, Washington and Oregon. He was a member of the First Christian church of Salem fjr over 30 years and also held membership in the Liberty Grange, f . . Survivors include they widow, two daughters, Mrs. Glen Barnett of Murrysville, Pa and Mrs. Lyle Rea of $alem; four sons, Sol B, Paul HD. B. and Crales L. Tay tor, all of Salem; a brother, Mor ris Taylitr of Plnebank, West Va.; six grandsons and a granddaugh ter.:1 -; t ". ' : ,: Public Records CTRCCTT COURT BarthajMcMahan vs Southern Pacific Co and' Western Paper Converting Si J"?"' br Wtern Paper Con? verting Oo. allege f company has no J??. ?r rSSln lueUon. but that the ! trades fill 'a shipping need to Salemf cite yartoui city ordinances granting ifranchfaea on Front street. rrederfc H. Young and Oregon Busi I1" . 3x Research. Incv vs state tax commission; answer denies that short form statute as it appears on booka Is Invalid and admits that com mission intends to enforce it Lorraine Elizabeth Patterson vs Ken nie p. Patterson; motion to make more definite and certain.' i Ki.Udifl " Nbitt v Bert M. Ne bitt: complaint for divorce charges cruel and inhuman treatment and asks rTwUon, of pUintlffs former name of Mildred Forney; married In Salem on Feb, 28. 1942; answer waivM ap pearance! at trial by defendant. Henry g Palmer vs Karl Nutter and Berniciaf Nutter; -default .Judgment restitution of premises involved to Plaintiff . -f : , i lyJHcf v James Hoss: com !!SLi0T dnr"irc charges desertion: """led'Jun U 1941. at Nampa. Ida. Antoinette Jane BUleter vs Jack J. Billeter; answer admits and denies and consents to trial in absence of defendant provided he Is represented by hjs attorney. Sm'to wife: VaUey Credit Senrice r. Mm; aiercnaats Credit Bureau vt V. T ihh. of Judgments. . -' j mw. neim fit. lor: pi uuei t irmnunt PROBATE COURT Anonj Schaf f ers estate ; inherlUnce Ux determined at S535.48. N. P IWOli.mun u. . . -. ai ... cuFiic, uuicriianca tax determined at $605.32. jusiif;. COURT. Stat I V D.i4m.4 1ri.l- -r ' pUim l.,guUtjr, J chr driving automobile with defective clearance lights, s IUNICIPAL COURT Uric Frr1erlfV rvf4 n . violation of basic rule. 3VaPR; S3.M MARRIAGE LICENSES - .-TT iT? . imance business. iwia n 4 zin si., and Betty Simmons, S'lenT0 busiMf' both Of paa, 33, housewife, route t, both of aiau Brroii Paul 8wmm, av .Morton, both W nUPTDIlED?- i The IHbU Trng Js Ditfereat Supple Bulbless Beltlesa Itiholds like tho hand Washable. Keeps Rupture tightly closed at all times while working, luUiji, walking or iw1nmiing.i It CANNOT SLIP. Reason should teach you not to place a bulb or ball in opening of already weakened muscles, which would keep muscles spread apart. (Men, women c children.) Ne matter wha Trass yoa are now wear ing, 'yea owe it to yourself to see the DOBBS TRUSS. Free; Examination A Demon stration by Son of Inventor Friday A Saturday. Hotel Marion Ask for Mr. Dobbs III 1 S rvjeweleii 02ZGOa;STATESI.lAM. ScuW Interest Rises InWorldlarn ibn Post I : Interest In the organization of anotner American Legion post (n oaoem, to. Da cnartered by veter ans of World war II. was enuv, ened following a meeting of the younger group with Capital, post No. 8's executive committee, re cording tb Post 9 Commander L R Baconi Saturday. Opinions and ideas concerning the possibility of forming i a second Doit were exchanged, and the younger vet erans were assured of help by the World war I Legionnaire , com mitteemen. '.. . ' - -:! ' " ! i , - The World war II stoud was headed by Joseph Felton. who at a jprevious i meeting was named temporary neaa. Utner actiye vet erans in the interest of a hew post are Rupe Park. Dow LovelL B. N. Mason. Wilbert Colletta. James McHone and Eric Allen. They ire to meet with others and Leg n i Hi in f W) J )0s I zs U U Xd vXJ U jU Wnr UzJ f 4 ... : 11 A - Jj-Z aja ' ''''"'''eaBSsaaSaaBaa - -it - t e m !i m t -v. it - m m w . w ' m- a 3 w z k ei a ri u m ar Syr mW & ft; I : I i I ! .. i I M 3 t a . i ' 1 If Jl I 5 - . a t t t I i 1 1 r - i u i a i m f i if Jn)Mf Uli.U Onqoo. Sunday Morning Octobf It XtU the .decision ' whether to ask for sr charter will be reached within a few days, it was announced. Iavited to Legion - f , - Meantime. Post No. S-cMnman. der announced Friday that all war veterans, whether Legion bers or not, are invited to attend ine regular post meeting at Le gion hall, 8 pjn. Monday J The program Includes entertainment, refreshments and an oMtjme American ' Legion songf est, in which it is desired that the young er men participate. t Te Bring Vets "We hope that every member of the post will bring at least one World war II veteran to the meet ing, Commander Bacon said af ter the arrangements had been completed." I BUSINESSMEN. TO VISIT I PORTLAND. Ore not ilrav The first goodwill tour since the war began will be taken by Port- , . . iana ousmessmen mursday (when they visit Salem. r During the period between 1690 and 170O New York carried, on a large trade with British East In dian pirates, sending them liquor and arms for oriental luxuries. mi mm w State Guard to Give Ribbons . 4 - . . - - Service Ribbons representing one, two and three years of service in the Oregon State Guard will be Pre sented to officers and men in a ceremony scheduled for ; 8 p-m. Monday at the Salem armory. Brig. Gen. Raymond C. Olson will award the ribbons. The ceremony is open to the public.- Olson announced Saturday that Captains William H. Roach, Cus ter E. Ross and Harry S. Schenk, all of headquarters, had been transferred to the reserve list Schenk and Ross are Salem resi dents; Roach is in Pendleton. ' v At the; same time he onnouced a number of other changes In the state guard organization, including tne following: - . Troop ID cavalry. Dallas, with the exception of Capt Wilmer D. Powell, First Lt Emmett a Hub bard and Second Lt Ora H. Mc- Crae, mustered out Albright W.. Tilse appointed Yet, ihy arj vatutt madt pottiblt btcaiiM Wards it thm nation' tartjsjst rsjtoilfjf of pop, iiler priced furtl Hcrt'i tilky-soff primt conty, bUndwd In four fashion colors with wid tuxtdo fronts, dttp cufftl Htrt't a glossy Waek skunk-dyed opossum groatcoat fluffy, juxurtolisl $ thtm mako your own prico comparisons and spend loss than you'd planfitd ct Wardsl . . OG0! UJQQDO Only 4 down, balanco convenient monthly installments. plus; carrying chargos. i " .. . 1 1 Moond lieutenant infantry, com pany D, etn battalion, Newberg. Resignation of Capt Robert H. Clarke, 1 company A, 13th bat talion, Lebanon, accepted. "The first appearance of the Ot toman Turks in history dates from 1227 AJ. . - I SPECIAL CIIEGIUI1G it NO MONTHLY SERVICE OURGC ! if NO MINIMUM BALANCE REQUIRED I ; AtkforDetsits LADD a BUSH -SALEM BRANCH UNITED STATES NATIONAL BANK Salanta Member Tederal Depesit Insmrance CerperaUen n n TTOf.10 tn Sixes for women, at no extra cost I mm "CO) UV-7 XJZZ S CcLT Preparations Llqmid. Tablets, Salve, Note Drops . Use Only as Directed ACCOUNT Oregon memsch ric r I fLUI 20 IXCISI TAX , J if (III 1 I . I rl it il -AMI ii:.EF' 1 ' m An I