As we became more exhausted, hungry, weak, and weary, some P.O.W. soldiers did not mind getting killed or became insane by attacking with bare hands the guards or running away or falling down to the ground, dying!
The Jap guards just mercilessly killed them by bayonet or bullet or both as we helplessly looked on.
Along the way on both sides of the road were dead or dying or decaying P.O.W.’s. The stench of the dead bodies, the flies, and their grotesque appearance made us vomit, feel faint or nauseated.
Joselito and I just plodded on, not knowing when our turn to die would also come.
But prayers kept us going as we consoled and helped each other, confident that our meager supply inside the three socks would sustain us, with the dwindling water inside my canteen that almost cost me my life.
I saw a Jap guard tear away a canteen hanging from the belt of a P.O.W. and smack it on his head until he became unconscious. Why? The canteen was that of a Japanese.
I saw a P.O.W. who lost control of his mind and started attacking our guard with his bare hands. The Jap with his bayonet just stabbed him to death.
I saw a P.O.W. breaking formation and starting to run away. Our guard fired at him. He fell down dead!
I saw a P.O.W. fall down due to fatigue. Our guard just plunged his bayonet through his neck, chest, and stomach and kicked him down the deep canal with flowing water, where he drowned, filling the canal water with blood.
Leave a Reply