Цитата:
Being on an grass airfield where we were losing the battle, there is no way you can find ropes and equipment to pull the plane out of the crater. Soldier after soldier, came out to help us pull out the planes landing gear from the crater. All the soldiers looked half dead with apparent malnutrition, and were wearing rags. We just had to rescue the plane before rescuing anybody, or we won't get back to Taiwan. We tried desperately with all our might to pull out the plane. Though almost unthinkable, we pulled the heavy Ki-67 out from the crater.
Brooonn, suddenly breaking the silence, a strange engine sound became audible. The sound is heard coming from west. 'Bogie ..., take cover' There is no air raid shelter, not even trenches. We all threw ourselves flat on the ground. The scarlet colored sun in her back, the plane is getting closer to us. The time has come, the desperate moment is here with us. Holding the breath, wondering when they will start to open fire. In that moment, all the fond memories of the good old days flashed back to me. My short but wonderful 24 years of life is now ending. Yet, I still had to look who is taking my life. I saw a large beautiful flying boat. Too beautiful to be enemy plane. No, it couldn't be our enemy.
A Consolidated PBY Catalina All of a sudden, the pilot of the flying boat opened the window and started to wave his hand at us. A red face with oval sunglasses. It was my very, very first time to look at an American pilot, and at this close distance. No, it couldn't happen, this is the real battle ground, kill or be killed. I ordered my rear gunner not to shoot. The gunner shouted 'please Lt, let me shoot. It's the bogie.' I repeated my order not to shoot. The gunner, reluctantly, gave up.
I took my white scarf off the neck and waved at the American pilot saying 'thank you, thank you for not taking our lives.' I knew he couldn't hear it, and couldn't understand what I was saying, anyway. I just had to say it. W/O Inoh said 'Lt. the enemy guys do some crazy things, too, don't they' in his native Kyushu dialect. Warrrant Officer Inoh, naturally, felt relieved also, I believe. Finding a meat ball Japanese plane has somehow smuggled his way into Laoag through heavy patrol lines of U. S. forces, and somehow got into trouble, the pilot of the flying boat, I believe, decided to give us a break. Banking his wings, the flying boat went away. It was a real eye-blinking moment happening. We feared that enemy planes may come back again if we don't hurry and take off. With a group of 20 odd board, I took off from Laoag and headed north over the moonlit Bashi channel back to Peitung the fires of an air raid that was burning the city serving as a guide.
Almost six decades from the day in Laoag, had the Captain of the flying boat sent a wire back to the base at that time, telling 'A bogie standing still at Laoag. Send fighters to finish it.' we would have been attacked, the plane smashed, and we either would have lost our lives or committed suicide after wandering Luzon mountains, or even died from starvation.
There is a famous history in Japan where a Samurai lord presented supply of salt to hostile war lord. 'To Help Frailty is a Virtue.' This is the teaching of Japanese Samurai, and we saw the spirit in the American soldier. This was an unforgettable incident at Laoag, Philippines, it kept me alive until today to spend peaceful happy life.
The flying boat, I believe, is either Consolidated PBY Catalina, or Privateer. A few years ago, I had a U. S. Navy pilot friend of mine, aboard USS Independence, check to find the Captain of the flying boat thru U. S. Navy Veterans Association, but there was no success. I'm longing to find the chance to say, 'Thank you for saving my life.'
Для тех кто языкам не обучен - самолет при эвакуации японских солдат попал шасси в воронку на аэродроме, и они долго мучались, пытаясь его вытащить из нее. Внезапно над аэродромом появилась летающая лодка. "Все, нам конец" - подумали японцы. Командир экипажа приказал стрелку не открывать огонь по американцу. К его удивлению, пилот американец высунулся из кабины и начал махать им рукой. Японец в ответ помахал ему белым шарфом. Через несколько минут летающая лодка улетела, но не передала на базу сообщение о том, что обнаружен противник. 