Corregidor during the seige, both of which I had turned down.
 
        The first of these escape opportunities came on the day 
 
after Christmas, 1941. Outside the Bay was the sailing ship 
 
"Lanakai", a two-master which had once been used by Hollywood and 
 
Miss Dorothy Lainour in the motion picture, "Typhoon". There was
 
a place for me aboard, and I could have received permission to
 
go; But I was radio matoriel officer for the Navy in that area,
 
and I knew that my services would be needed in our communications
 
with the outer world. I outfitted the "Lanakai" with certain
 
equipment and provided enlisted personnel to operate it. The
 
"Lanakai" got through.
 
         Another escape opportunity presented itself in the
 
month before Corregidor fell. A small group of us came into
 
possession of the sloop, "Southern Seas"completely outfitted
 
with charts, food, fuel for the auxiliary engine, and new sails
 
and rigging. The "Southern Seas" was anchored off The Rock, and
 
a few of us intended to board her and make for the open sea at
 
the last moment before capture.
 
     In the last days before surrender, however, all of us 
 
were too busy to think of escape. The Japs began to hit The Rock
 
with a minimum of 5,000 shells a day, mostly of about 150 milimeter,
 
along with some 240' s and 105' s. On one day they blasted us with
 
16,000 shells, mostly fired from gun eraplacements on Bataan. Much
 
Of this fire could not be returned. The Japs massed much of their
 
artillery in the No. 2 hospital area on Bataan, an area which we
 
knew to contain at least 6,000 American and Filipino wounded.