Dec. 15, 1944: The bright sunrise rekindled our apprehensions-" Are we being left on board the ship to be bombed out of our miseries?"
We didn't have to wait long planes again closer and closer.
They were diving! This time there were no gun crews on deck!
"Now they can come in close for the kill!"
Deadly showers of bullets ricocheted through the hold. Tremendous explosions shook the ship. Planked flooring off the hold fell into the bilge, dropping many prisoners into the bottom of the ship; some were hopelessly pinned down.
I prayed to God and asked for mercy, but felt that I had a poor connection! Maybe He wasn't listening! He probably .had more important things to do! My feelings were of complete submission-"What will be, will be!"
Our doctors were frustrated! Wounds were covered with dirt blood bubbling through the filth. No water available! We tore up clothing for bandages, and hoped a miracle might help.
Large fires were burning in the stern of the ship where a bomb had made a direct hit. We couldn't understand why Admiral Halsey's pilots had not been informed that American prisoners were aboard the Oryoku Maru.
It was disturbing to be bombed by our own Navy aviators "our friends."
Yet, I couldn't bear them any ill will. They obviously didn't know!
Mr. Wata, the diminutive and deformed Japanese interpreter, appeared at the top of the hold, and shouted down, "Abandon ship! Remove all clothing! Wounded must come up first! All of you leave ship!"