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gueas, Hut U10 mnnluious state-1 He pays around $35 a monlli rein I under Uio present contrary.McDaniel Reports His Flight Across Sumatra After Ship Sunk; Destroyer Rescued Him(Editor's Note—C, Yatfii McDaniel, Associated Press correspondent *nd last American re* porter to leave Singapore before its fall, has arrived safely In Batavia after a series of breathtaking experel-rice;*, He tells hli story In this dispatch, the first rflrcct word from Mm since he fkled hla Last cable from Slnga* pore at 4j45 a. m. EWT Feb. 1E while aboard ship In the harbor, under inccMant air attack, Barn of American parent! at Boochow, China, 35 years aga and educated at the universities of Richmond and- North Caroll/ia, McDaniel hat been under fire on numerous occasions durtng the past four years while covering hostilities 1 n .China,)By C. YATESMCDANIEL(Aitocimled. Bfltavtn,- N\ E. \.t Fel), SO,— (De layetf)—I escaped from doomed Singapore Feb. 13 aboard the last vessel to leave tho battered and burning, fortress anti reached Ha tavfa during an air raid nlarm this morning. •In my seven and one-hall day Journoy 1 abandoned a bombed ship, was- cast Up on an uninhabited Ib* land, made my way thru s. BCorjn In a siualL launch to Sumatra, crossed that Island's ' mountain wilds by truck, ralli . pony cart and com* pleicd 1,200 roundabout miles safe* ly thru tho fndlan ocean aboard a destroyer.. From the salt wster soaked pulp •which la all that la ]elt ot my journ* a 1 I will attempt to piece togetheritho leaky boats would bo a bio lo reach the nearest island fire miles away and return be foie we had to awlm for it. Tho captain said he believed wo might have another two hours but the fire In the coal bunker was spreading and the Hat was getting worse.Fire Fighting Interrupts Journal Propped against a eoll of repo, I tried to continue ray Journal but was forced to drop the Job twice to answer tho call “all heads to tight ti^s, fire.”We got-the fires under control but Japanese planea came over again and again,,One was so low I saw the bomb swing on the win* rack but be didn't*drop it. I helped hoist the life rafts overboard but the rotten bamboo lashings broke and the maty tanks sank.Life Boat Returns We were-about ready to awini for It wlitin one of our lifeboats re* turned. Thirty-six of ub( Including the captain and all but one officer climbed in* Six men volunteered to remain aboard for Ihe next trip aa our boat w«8 leaking badly and we were crammed In like sardines.After an hour of balling, we touched ground on a coral reef. We vraderi ashore on the little island ot Bangka.The night on the Island was ml a* arable, but tho * next ‘ morning 5$ men and one plucky gir* plied Inta a launch licensed to carry 15. The remainder of the.parly was left ashore until we could send help, Worked Up Sumatra .Rlvtf ‘ Daybreak found us approaching the mouth of a river up which weWar Powers To Be Debated in Coming WeekWashington, Feb. 21.—Now war powers legislation heads a list of major measures to be taken up byIhe house next week,Slated for consideration. Tuesday, It is one of five important matters houso leaders hope to dispose of during the week.Others are legislation to repeal pensions for congressmen, to act up a war. damage insurance program, to create a women’s auxiliary cor pa to aid Ihe military, and to extend tho life of the special committee investigating un-American activi*Carnival Crowd At Elks Increasesmy^sLpry, which In a Sargoi* sense la worked until late .afternoon. No the story of llie last days of Slug- one was quite certain where wexcept somewhere laspore—of the few who .succeeded and in any more wW failed to escape the deadly and efNcSent fury of the final Japanese onslaught on Bri* lain* last stronghold In southern Asia,Early hi the morning wo were looking ai she peaceful scene of the little islands when two Jap* anef.e light bombers .circled and glided Coward ms. The old ship 5hud-dercd when - the “ bombs exploded just astern.A few minutes later two more planes came over at not more than 500 feel. This time they didn't miss. The decks see me J to bounce up to meet us a? we flopped on our faces. I found a saping hole thru the forward hold.Ten ntlmiles later there was another ear*splhtln crash followed hy the hlas of e-scuplng steam. The ship listed and began settling. The engineer emerged from the boilerus the hollers because he'droom and assured wouldn’t explode opened the valves.16 Sailors Get Away First The officers gave no order to abandon ship but within 10 minules a lifeboat was lowered. BeTore It hit the water, 15 sailors tumbled In and pulled off, too terrified to heed the officer*1 shouts to eomo back. After looking over the damage, the captain ordered the other two Hfeboats put overside. We put Miss Um the only woman passenger, In one. The rest of us remained on board hoping that at least one ofwere except somewnere in Sun:-tra.Late that afternoon we got a big thrill when, rounding a bend, we saw the white British naval Hag with the Union Jack in one corner over warships anchored at a wharf. Ashore we found members' of tho Malayan command staff whom we’d last seen in Singapore three days before. They left ahead of us and got thru unscathed.Malayan Refugees Crowd Sumatra Ijiter we pushed on In nnrlhweatSumatra. The hoiels. were full of refugees from Malaya and southern Sumatra, but a good* Dutch lady took us in and gave us wholesomefood. .....Officials held little hope of ot;r getting out, but the next morning the indefatigable public relatione i officer rushed in with the news 1 that then* was a slim chance of getting away by warship.We hired pony c*tI* and drove io the railway station during a beat-’ ing of tomtoms—which are used lo sound air raid alarms,Rescue Destroyer Arrive* Later in the afternoon we saw the most beautiful sight 1 ever ei* pect to see—a British destroyer hull down on the horlion a teaming full speed toward the harbor.Half an hour later, the desiroyer was alongside, Officers quickly and efficiently shepherded us aboard. There were allotted spaces for 17* men, women and children— BiltUh• Milder weather brought out a large crowd and correlated smites upon the faces of Elkn Carnival doorkeepers, Lewis L. Kit Is- and Russell A. Hayden, as they greeted patrons at Friday's session of the carnival, a considerable number of whom purchased their tickets, at the door,The excellent floor show seta of Friday night included Miss reggy Allen; accordian artist, and a piano and acrobatic act by Lorraine^ Coleman's orchestra 'furnished the mxisic and will play* again Saturday. Excellent acts-for the Saturday show have been secured, A steppingup of the tompO in all I cat area of the carnival usually roarki the ad* vent of the Saturday night crowd, and all committees have made abundant preparations to do their fjart In helping the Elton Victory carnival patrons have a good time,, and to carry-out Chairman Fauglis suggestion that we get together and work together for the common causes that concern this community and the nation.Tickets may be purcha«ed‘at the d^or. and all, ticket coupons are fcood for the Saturday show, accord jng.to,'the carnival comrnittee, who cordially Invites all.to attend.spre:riiIff*palivcond agen Nr Frat tho Ivoo^ ttou dan | Ai IC nil uurif quai Gt was an c Gen ert A’ men gatf not whl' a lea wer beei arm Si selzSanSanMoiWadlnisorters, and sailors, American and Dutch men frpm Sumatran oil fields, rubber planters and six weary members.of the last parly from Singapore,The officers and men quickly made 119 at home and as comfortable as the cramped cabin and deck space on the destroyer world al low, . .. “Rescuing Army” Old Story When I congratulated the off! cer on the efficiency of the embark atlon he laughingly said it wag an old story for them far they had been rescuing the army from Nor way to Tobruk.H-The steel decks were no softer Ilian wet sand, but I was too ex bausted and too thankful to care bo long as we were speeding to ward Java, and speed we did for ihts mornfng, Just seven and a half days since we left the flaming Sing apore waterfront, wa disembarked at friendly Batavia.My pictures are probably spoiled my camera Js ruined and I hare nothing but a filthy pair of panta battered shoes and. a borrowed shirf, bat I am glad to be alive and looking forward to sleeping In bed for the first tima in 11 days.\cm jlo* dea AOlli]See .t 1 flgl ofthe l fro IgLv lW( ant twlt; I Du fie: Sus£tcal1EUlAnevinathfanonFodriwhtejwapadriwoyoMinuGcnoar:escawita
Newspaper Details
Greeley Daily Tribune
Greeley, Colorado, US
Sat, Feb 21, 1942
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 03 Jan 2020
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