it useless. But we were in the jungle. And, for the first time, 
 
we began to breathe with the feeling that we had a chance to get
 
free.
 
 
Lieutenant Colonel Mellnik:
--------------------------------
 
     There was a fearful and impatient wait for more than
 
hour due to the absence of one of the Filipinos who were to guide
 
 us, both convicted and sentenced for murder prior to the outbreak
 
of war, and both kept on at the prison to aid in supervising the
 
farm work after the other civilian felons had been sent away to
 
make room for the American prisoners of war. These men, Benigno
 
de la Cruz and Victorio Jumarung, helped us without any thought
 
of gain for themselves. They did ask that, if any of us got free,
 
 we would intercede with President Quezon to have them restored to
 
freedom once the Japanese invaders have been ousted. (One of my
 
first acts, upon finally reaching the United States, was to go to
 
Saranac, New York, to see the great President of the Philippines.
 
It was not necessary to make any kind of request of Quezon,
 
for he granted it before it was asked. In one man's opinion, Manuel 
 
Quezon is a great statesman and a gallant fighting man.)
 
     Of our two guides, only Victorio previously had made a
 
journey through the jungles which we now faced. But, within an
 
hour, he was forced to admit that he was lost. There was a hurried
 
consultation, whereupon we decided to travel wholly by compass, And
 
we knew that the aid of Ben and Victor would be invaluable, once we
 
made contact with the Filipino people.
 
 
                                             -82-