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September 6, 1943

Mel Morgan has been very low with the flu. Will come around O.K. now if he can get the proper treatment and food. Japs have us back on the old stand standard again of rice. and greens. *Terrible stuff, Twice a week we get dry salted fish. The last two issues have been spoiled, covered with magots and stinking to high heaven. Japs forced it to be served, nevertheless. Many men were sick from it and the majority could’nt even eat it to begin with. Just happened to think what the Jap commandant at O’ Donnell told General King when he asked to be allowed to send a detail out to buy food and medicine. “We are only interested in an accurate list of your Deaths”. Also something that will cost the Japanese people for years to come was the speech the Jap Commandant gave us upon arrival in prison camp “you are our enemy.” “You will always be our enemy . “ We hate you“, “We will fight again and again and again, anyone attempting to escape will be shot”. Those of you who are still strong enough may live”. “The rest of you will die”. This impressed me as being the most fanatical speech ever delivered by a person . Large detail leaving in next few days probably heeded for Japanese 850 men.