death to the attackers. They made the difference. The
spirited assault was quickly shattered. Scattered small arms fire continued for
another ten minutes. The ground before the perimeter line was littered with the
dead bodies of Japanese soldiers.
Jonathan told his men to be on the alert for more attacks.
The Rangers were still not equipped to make a determined defensive stand. The
only ammunition they had was what each soldier had carried from the submarine.
As a matter of fact, they avoided a fire fight whenever possible except for an
attempt against the compound. At that point, they would need assistance.
Jonathon had his radio man send a call in the clear that they had been under
attack and needed supply and possible air support made available to him on
demand. Shortly a message was received:
“To the Commanding Officer of Snapdragon ;
Your situation is understood. An air support squadron will be made available to
you during daylight hours. Call in the clear on this frequency if needed. We
plan to send you more supplies for the former prisoners. If you are in need of
immediate medical attention a doctor and a paramedic can be parachuted to you.
Congratulations on your speedy capture of the compound. A Ranger company is
scheduled to open up a safe corridor to your position immediately after the
initial assault units have come ashore. We are cognizant of your situation and
will make every effort to safely bring the former prisoners into our lines
where they can be properly cared for. Be sure to let them know that the United
States has never forgotten their plight. Signed, Lieutenant General Walter
Krueger, Sixth Army.”
The women had huddled together in the two buildings during
the intense fight between the Rangers and the Japanese. They were afraid that
the enemy would break through and massacre them all. Lisa and Madame June heard
the staccato of the machine guns and involuntarily sought refuge in the far
corner of the stable. The eruption of intense fire from the rooftop lasted a
short time. Silence and apprehension filled the buildings until the Rangers
announced that everything was under control. The Japanese had been stopped.
A few of the Rangers were ordered to leave their sentry post
and begin preparing the morning meal. They made a large pot of oatmeal. The
night before, they had taken a poll of what the women wanted for breakfast.
Oatmeal was an overwhelming winner. Reconstituted powdered milk and brown sugar
made a bowl of oatmeal the perfect form of nutrition for the starved women. It
was easy to digest and soothing to their shrunken stomachs.
Slowly the defeatist attitude that had existed in the camp
was being displaced. Food, soap, clean water to bathe in, and a change of
clothes had raised morale several notches. The thought of seeing loved ones in
the not too distant future was a powerful uplift. The concept of freedom would
have a profound meaning for the women the rest of their lives. It was an
emotion and a state of mind they had experienced firsthand.
Chapter Six
Lisa lay on her familiar bamboo matt in the corner of the
stable. The food supplied by the Rangers had saved many of her companions who
were at death’s door. Hope was renewed, yet, some sat at their mats and stared
into the darkness of night and the light of day as if they were still
witnessing atrocities so unimaginable that their minds had snapped. Rationality
was gone and several of the women had ceased to be functional human beings,
unaware of the changes the Rangers had made. Their world remained encapsulated
in the black recesses of their mind. They were little children once again, lost
to the civilized world, perhaps forever.
Lisa felt physical satisfaction about the nutritious food
she was able to eat without vomiting. She had forgotten how comforting a bath
and clean clothes could be, and was appreciative of the blessings made possible
by their sudden freedom. Still, feelings of being violated and unclean
spirited assault was quickly shattered. Scattered small arms fire continued for
another ten minutes. The ground before the perimeter line was littered with the
dead bodies of Japanese soldiers.
Jonathan told his men to be on the alert for more attacks.
The Rangers were still not equipped to make a determined defensive stand. The
only ammunition they had was what each soldier had carried from the submarine.
As a matter of fact, they avoided a fire fight whenever possible except for an
attempt against the compound. At that point, they would need assistance.
Jonathon had his radio man send a call in the clear that they had been under
attack and needed supply and possible air support made available to him on
demand. Shortly a message was received:
“To the Commanding Officer of Snapdragon ;
Your situation is understood. An air support squadron will be made available to
you during daylight hours. Call in the clear on this frequency if needed. We
plan to send you more supplies for the former prisoners. If you are in need of
immediate medical attention a doctor and a paramedic can be parachuted to you.
Congratulations on your speedy capture of the compound. A Ranger company is
scheduled to open up a safe corridor to your position immediately after the
initial assault units have come ashore. We are cognizant of your situation and
will make every effort to safely bring the former prisoners into our lines
where they can be properly cared for. Be sure to let them know that the United
States has never forgotten their plight. Signed, Lieutenant General Walter
Krueger, Sixth Army.”
The women had huddled together in the two buildings during
the intense fight between the Rangers and the Japanese. They were afraid that
the enemy would break through and massacre them all. Lisa and Madame June heard
the staccato of the machine guns and involuntarily sought refuge in the far
corner of the stable. The eruption of intense fire from the rooftop lasted a
short time. Silence and apprehension filled the buildings until the Rangers
announced that everything was under control. The Japanese had been stopped.
A few of the Rangers were ordered to leave their sentry post
and begin preparing the morning meal. They made a large pot of oatmeal. The
night before, they had taken a poll of what the women wanted for breakfast.
Oatmeal was an overwhelming winner. Reconstituted powdered milk and brown sugar
made a bowl of oatmeal the perfect form of nutrition for the starved women. It
was easy to digest and soothing to their shrunken stomachs.
Slowly the defeatist attitude that had existed in the camp
was being displaced. Food, soap, clean water to bathe in, and a change of
clothes had raised morale several notches. The thought of seeing loved ones in
the not too distant future was a powerful uplift. The concept of freedom would
have a profound meaning for the women the rest of their lives. It was an
emotion and a state of mind they had experienced firsthand.
Chapter Six
Lisa lay on her familiar bamboo matt in the corner of the
stable. The food supplied by the Rangers had saved many of her companions who
were at death’s door. Hope was renewed, yet, some sat at their mats and stared
into the darkness of night and the light of day as if they were still
witnessing atrocities so unimaginable that their minds had snapped. Rationality
was gone and several of the women had ceased to be functional human beings,
unaware of the changes the Rangers had made. Their world remained encapsulated
in the black recesses of their mind. They were little children once again, lost
to the civilized world, perhaps forever.
Lisa felt physical satisfaction about the nutritious food
she was able to eat without vomiting. She had forgotten how comforting a bath
and clean clothes could be, and was appreciative of the blessings made possible
by their sudden freedom. Still, feelings of being violated and unclean
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