May 11, 1944: Sixteen Americans and eight Filipinos were taken away in a truck. All had their hands tied behind them.
May 12: Jack Shirk and Chaplain Tiffany were taken to Cabanatuan.
May 16: Five carabao drivers were returned to camp. Several prisoners were placed in "Sweat Boxes" in the middle of the field-on one meal per day: Lt. Col. (Chaplain) Alfred Oliver, Lt. Col. Jack Schwartz, Capt. (Chaplain) Bob Taylor, Col. Mack Rogers, Threatt, and Rex Aton.
Almost three months later, on August 5th, the Japanese doctor (Isha) came to me and said, "Come with me!" We walked out in the field to the sweat boxes, specially to one containing Chaplain Oliver; it was about three by three by five feet, too small to sit up-too short to lie down without curling up. Isha seemed to speak English quite well. I was surprised when he seemed to be rather friendly and told me: "I like American music, especially 'Old Black Joe,' and 'Way Down upon the Suwannee River,'" adding, "you must not speak to Col. Oliver. You examine him, and then tell me the diagnosis and prognosis."
I found the chaplain semiconscious with large bruises on the back of his neck. I told Isha, "He has a fractured neck. He will die if we leave him here; he must be taken to the hospital." Isha said "OK! You take him to hospital!"
Chaplain Oliver had married Judy and me at the Walter Reed Hospital Chapel about six years before. We both had great affection for him and his wife. It was very distressing to see him in this condition. He was a big man, in spite of many months of starvation; I had an awful time carrying him back to the hospital. (In spite of his broken neck-caused by being hit with the butt of a Japanese rifle while being interrogated regarding the Underground, he survived to return to the United States and to be honored by the Supreme Council of Scottish Rite Masons with the esteemed 33rd Degree.) I don't believe that Chaplain Oliver ever had an active part in the Underground, but he was suspect because he was senior chaplain in the Philippines.
August 30, 1944: Again, the Japanese Isha came to get me: "Come with me! We go to examine Chaplain Taylor, but you must not speak to him! You tell me diagnosis and prognosis!"
Being a deacon in his church, I had great respect for him. He was very weak and obviously quite sick.
"Doctor Isha, I do not know his diagnosis, but I do know if we leave him here, he will die! He must be taken to the hospital." Isha replied, "OK!"
The next day Bob conveniently coughed up a twenty-inch worm, which I could show to Isha. He seemed satisfied. I could breathe easier. (Bob survived, in spite of wounds received on a "Hell Ship" to take Judy a note that I wrote in Japan when I thought I was dying. He later returned to active duty with the Air Force and eventually became a major general and Chief of Chaplains.) He also was made a 33rd Degree Mason.