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December 13, 1944

Up at 4:30 AM-most people slept very little, and front office worked on roster all night. Breakfast served at 4:30 to all of draft – steamed rice and last two sacks of mango beans, (Purchased out of general fund) mixed-in.  There were two rations issued, half to be saved for a meal later in the day.

Assembly of the three groups began at 7:00 AM with hour of departure scheduled for 8:00 AM, but this was delayed to 9:00 because of difficulty in organization. The first group reached the front gate and then “about face”, marched back, halted and fall out. All by Japanese order. They were reassembled after ten, left soon and had cleared the compound between 10:30 and 11:00.

The difficulty in organization was this – the first group had 500, the second 600, and the third 519 (for a total of 1619). For bango purposes, the Japanese like to have them in groups of 100 but without a captain for each hundred, the organization is difficult to administer, and these had only group leaders. The first (who was draft CO) Warner P. Portz, Com. USN, the second, Curtis T. Beecher, Lt Col USMC, and the third Maurice Joses Com (MC) USN.

Col Shack, DC, said this administration had done more to please all then any he had seen in P.I.  – during war or since – very nice of him, I thought.

36 non-walking cases were taken out with their equipment on two trucks. There were also two truck loads of RC medicine (61 cases) that accompanied them.

Tenko was held immediately after their departure. 429 are left in the compound including staff, patients and technicians. The compound is deserted, and littered with discarded equipment and junk. A detail was assigned for policing but only shelter halves, mosquito nets and sun helmets were picked up. These were ordered to be discarded by the Japanese. The rest will be gathered up tomorrow and the buildings swept and cleared.

At least 22 men were not issued woolen uniforms. All were issued soap by the Japanese authorities last night, also toilet paper, and one pkg. of cigarettes (only 1577 received these, a little extra picadura left from purchase was given to the rest.).