 The latest news the national broadcasting company and its affiliated stations present the Pacific story In the mounting fury of world conflict events in the Pacific are taking on ever greater importance Here is the story of the Pacific and the millions of people who live around this greatest scene The drama of the people whose destiny is at stake in the Pacific war Here as another public service is the tale of the war in the Pacific and it's meaning to us and to the generations to come The Ryukyu Islands Joe yes, sir this Okinawa below us on the left. Yes, sir. It's a long skinny island Ain't it will be over. I'd target in a couple of minutes. You ready? I'm your man, sir I could feel my throat getting dry Muscles in my stomach typing up as we flew over Okinawa That island down there and all the other islands of the Ryukyu's around it were full of Japanese Lieutenant raid. Yeah, Joe. They're opening up with the anti-aircraft down there. Yeah, I've got an idea We're gonna see some enemy fighters pretty soon. Oh, what do you care Joe? You're the best gunner in the squadron He was too But I knew as well as he did that we were getting over the hot spot of Okinawa We had a bundle of bad news in the shape of a bomb in our belly and our job was to take it down and lay it on an oil tank Lieutenant they're getting close to us sir. Here we go Joe. We're going in. Call them off. Yes, sir 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 here we go Okay Let's go home the craft burst equipped us somewhere in the stern section back where Joe was Joe Joe you're all right Didn't answer the ship began to flop around in the air like a wounded bird part of my control had been shot away. I Struggle to stay in the air Joe Joe, can you answer me? Answer me if you can Joe. Oh All the time. I'm hit. I'm hit dead. Yeah, my leg. It's all right like it's bleeding I can't move it take your tablets Joe. We're heading back for the carrier. We'll be there in no time. Yeah Yeah, I know We were heading up the coast northward along the eastern shore of Okinawa I tried to bring her around the head eastward back toward the carrier, but she fluttered and shuddered and skidded We were losing altitude lieutenant lieutenant. Yes, Joe. There's gonna be planes diving on a six in your man that gun Joe That's right. You all right Joe. Yeah, sure, but I think I winked him. Here comes another get him Joe Now hit you did he Joe no we're going down Hang on Joe. We're going in. I'll try to put it on get the water. It threw me out When I came to I looked for Joe I Found him half submerged under the tail picked him up into the rubber boat His leg had been shattered by that burst of flak He pointed to his chest Something something here. He had a great bruise across his chest I fell of it I was afraid to believe what I thought Some of his ribs were broken at least maybe his chest was crushed. Oh, oh turn you all right. Yeah. Yeah, I'm all right, Joe Hey, hey your face is pleading. Hmm. Oh, I'm all right Joe nothing but a scratch Yeah, but you better take care of that gas sir. Oh We drifted toward the island I Could see the high cliffs in the haze that was the northern end of Okinawa. I knew If the waves washed us in there, we'd be smashed up in the surf against those cliffs Maybe that was better than falling into the hands of the Japanese Drifted toward the island I gave Joe my tablets knocked him out Fixed up his leg as best I could it was pretty bad Couldn't do anything for his chest the waves washed us in toward the cliffs But instead of being carried right into the surf a current caught us and carried us along the shore southward In my notebook, I wrote down everything I saw the terrain of the island the reefs the rocks the shoals all that Figured that sometime the information might be valuable We drifted for days. I don't know how many Why the Japanese didn't spot us. I don't know The next thing I knew we were on the beach with the waves washing up over us in the rubber boat And an old French priest bending over us. Yeah Who are you? I am father Finland. I am a missionary Word of Japanese What island is this? Are you hurt? Oh No, I'm all right. I tried to stand up. I fell down. He helped me up Then as a confusion in my mind cleared I saw Joe. He was lying in the bottom of the boat this man He badly hurt. Yes. Yes. He's badly hurt Joe Joe we're on land Joe He needs a doctor Yeah, help me to get him out. Yeah Joe Joe, this is read we're on land. We're going to get help for you Joe Joe never came to he died there on the beach Father Finland on board crossed himself. I just stood there We've been left to bury him here in the sand so that the Japanese will not know Else they will search for you until they find you. It was twilight We waited until it was dark Then we buried Joe when we were done. I just stood there and looked out over the sea This was a Japanese island the island where I stood in Okinawa There were thousands and thousands of Japanese on it Come Come with me I'd almost forgotten about Father Fenelon. I would take you to my house Toward nightfall of the second day I started the piece together what had happened where I was I Was lying on a low bunk in the small half-dark room outside I could hear voices Japanese I wondered if father Fenelon was going to turn me over to them American friars have been reported on the island You will notify the command post of any American friars, but you see Yes, cousin Father Fenelon brought me food. He dressed my wounds. He made no effort to talk to me It's like it was stronger. I wanted to get out. It would only mean that you would be taken with you to eat This island is an armed camp. I knew he was right. Do you realize where you are? You are only four hundred miles from Japan In the days that followed he drew a map for me was a map of the entire Ryukyu chain of islands Stretching from Japan like a necklace all the way down to Famosa He knew all of the islands particularly Okinawa For he'd been here for 35 years. You see Okinawa is the largest of all the islands Up to the north end here There are bold cliffs going right down to the water. Yes, I've seen them It's all north end of Okinawa. It's rugged and hilly and down here at the south end Here is where you landed right here The terrain is very low. It goes right down to the water. Oh Where are we? We are right here and Right across the island from us on the west shore is Naha. Oh, yeah I remember seeing that on the chart. Naha is the biggest city in all the Ryukyu. How big is it? I should say about About 65,000. No. Do you ever go over there? About once a year Before the war I used to walk the length and breadth of the island But now that there are so many soldiers and sailors here No, no more. Okinawa is a good-sized island Every it is some 60 miles long and it varies from two miles wide to 16 miles wide But I have walked every photo of it How far is it across the island from here to Naha? No, five miles What's your read? The best thing you can do is to stay here inside this house. I Wrote down everything he told me in my notebook Through the long days while he was out in a field or over in the village I tried to figure out where the military installations were Once I was surprised Looking out between the blinds I could see the same Japanese sergeant who would warn Father Fennalon about the presence of American fliers He's usually here at this time of day As a sergeant came into the room I hid behind the open door to the closet I held my breath. Nothing in here. He must be over in the village. We will come back I told Father Fennalon about the visit. He said nothing. I Asked him if he liked the Japanese people. I Understand it. Why don't you turn me over to them? I understand you too. I Am not concerned with who rules this island I am concerned with the soul of men. He turned and walked away. I Thought about him a long time Whenever I asked questions he answered them. There are 55 islands in the real cute chain and they stretch over in the area of 935 miles. I wrote these figures down Father Fennalon, how many people are there in these islands? Probably 800,000 800,000 Much more densely populated than the islands of the southwest Pacific About how many live here on Okinawa? I would charge about 400,000 I wanted to ask him how many Japanese soldiers and sailors were on the island. I Thought better of it That would have to wait Throughout the days. I heard airplanes overhead. I got so that I could distinguish the various types of planes by their sounds At night in the dark I would sometimes slip out in the back of the house Breathe the clear night air look up into the sky On bright nights. I could make out some of the low flying planes Some of them were sea planes That meant there was a sea plane base there I Was standing in the shadow of a banana tree in the dark when I saw two Japanese passing behind the house not 20 feet away I said nothing, but evening father Fennalon. I turned slowly Walked through the shadows back into the house Stayed close within the house for several days after that At night in the dark father Fennalon, I would talk Knew little about the war knew about pro-harbour, but he knew nothing about the battle of midway And of the battle of the crawls seen or about Guadalcanal He didn't know that we'd retake a new guinea in Palau that we were in the Philippines. Yes. Yes, that's all he'd say I Ask him a thousand questions about the Ryukyu's about Okinawa particularly For a thousand years and more things and conquerors fought for the control of these islands That is why they have so many names. Yeah, I know they're also called a luchu's years and the Nancy Many Chinese came to live here and to mix with the island people But the Japanese have been coming here for many years too And at last they have come to have more power than the Chinese and your American Commodore Perry came yet, too Here to the Ryukyu's. Yes It was Establishing an American naval base here in the Ryukyu's and another base in the Bonin Islands still another and Formosa American naval base is so close to Japan will have his salutary effect upon Japanese-American relations and Will influence Japan's thinking in regard to American rights in these waters This will give America a strong position But the United States government would not listen to Commodore Perry and so America lost her opportunity The Ryukyu is that that time belonged to no nation But the eyes of the Japanese were upon them I read the English books Father Fenelon had on his shelves and tried to read the French ones, but I didn't get very far I read the accounts he had written on the Ryukyu's He wrote about the resources of the islands of manganese the sulfur the quinine He wrote about the rice they raised of barley and millet about the tobacco timber and bananas And I made notes about it all in my notebook But I even grew tired of this It was as if I were a prisoner in a cell I didn't know how many thousands of Japanese there were around me, but I wanted to get out Those are tanks must you read and infantry there must be a lot of them here He didn't say anything Tanks and infantry rumbled by for a long time. I Looked at Father Fenelon He was just sitting there not an expression on his face Father Fenelon how long of the Japanese had the Ryukyu's since 1874 And by the time I got here in 1909 these islands had virtually become a province of Japan and Naha became their capital Naha must be quite a city. It is the chief port of Okinawa. I'd like to see that city He didn't say anything It's only five miles. Yes He got up and walked away After I suffer of sweet potatoes and fish and millet he walked over to me in the darkness Musiri Every man must do what his conscience tells him he must do. I think we understand each other I am going down to the village now. I Shall be back in an hour go Then I sat there in the dark thinking But I stand to be cooped up in that house until the war was over Even if I could could I hope not to be discovered if I were discovered well with the Japanese due to Father Fenelon How could I possibly get off the island? Where could I go to Naha? I turned the thought over in my mind Maybe in Naha somehow I Decided to go I would leave a note for Father Fenelon thanking him No, some Japanese might walk in and find it I gathered together the few belongings I had slipped out into the dark. I Made my way through the great dark masses of Seiko Moon was clear overhead. I Headed westward directly across the island on the western shore toward Naha. I Decided to walk until dawn and then sleep in the daytime and go on toward Naha the next night With each step I was fearful I would bump into a Japanese When dawn started to break I was atop a hill covered with pine trees The rolling country below was almost like southern Wisconsin where I was born. I could see cows and horses in the fields. I Crawled in under the foliage of a fallen tree Went to sleep I was awakened by the voices of Japanese I lay still Seem my heart was louder than their voices Last I crawled slowly off 100 yards away was an anti-aircraft gun concealed in the trees. The crew was working around it. I Crawled back Waited until dark Just at nightfall. I heard a rustling in the brush. It was approaching me Perhaps I was discovered. I didn't move but I strained my ears Suddenly there was a break as if it were rushing me. I looked up a wild boar was charging past me not 10 feet away Disappeared into the woods When it was dark I started walking. I made my way around a large airfield. I Made notes on everything I could see When daylight came I was outside now. I climbed to a height overlooking the city. I Looked down at the harbor. I took out my notebook and made a sketch of it in the outer harbor were 17 ships Six cargo ships three transports two cruisers four destroyers Vessel it looked like a submarine tender and some seagoing tugs and smaller boats Out beyond there were coral reefs my count of three passages into the harbor This was a major fleet anchorage. It must be repair shops and docks and a supply depot I've waited until dark and I started out to locate them The docks were equipped to service almost any size ship and the supplies that were being unloaded from the ships were being Reloaded on trains it carried them back into the island Down the shore. I heard a roar big sea plane was taking off This is where those sea planes came from. I could see the ramps leading down into the water This was a sea plane base a group of Japanese soldiers and fatigue uniform approach I crept under a canvas tarpaulin that was covering a great pile of cases About 25 feet away. They threw back part of the tarpaulin and started to move their cases away on hand trucks They threw the tarpaulin back as they worked toward me. I lay there my heart pumping Distant air raid siren was screaming it meant our guys were coming back lifted the canvas and peaked out under it Now the Japanese was there Just then I saw one of our dive bombers Planted its smack on the cruiser at a boy. They almost yelled with joy Bombs were falling around me like hail They were after the ships and the docks. I just lay there That raid went on for nine hours. There must have been four or five hundred planes up there during that time After about five hours of what I started to get out. I was no good dead If I could get the information I had out of the island and back to the right people Maybe I could do some good I knew that our guys would be back In the dark. I made my way out of naha and back into the hills I lived on bananas and raw sweet potatoes and cucumbers. I found some chicken eggs and I ate them raw And I made notes on everything I saw the two sea plane bases the installations around the port of naha The inland airfields the supply depots the highlands and the railroads I made detailed sketches. I spotted their exact locations on my map I looked up and I saw our guys heading back for naha the woods around me were full of anti-aircraft guns I made my way northward up the middle of the island and then cut across the east coast I sat there looking down at the sea Down there along that shore joe and I had been battered in our rubber boat Carried along by the current only get out Maybe father fenolone might somehow help me I started southward for his house I remembered what we had been told about okinawa and the rest of the ryukyus Japanese have for years discouraged visitors to the ryukyus. That is why so little is known about them But strategically they are of enormous importance They command the approaches of the mainland of China The ryukyus are part of the screen of Japanese island to the extent from the kuryos down to famosa The ryukyus are shut off in the yellow sea and they control our access to the coast of china They are heavily fortified and there are many small harbors in the ryukyus And since the chain is nearly 800 miles long that gives the Japanese a strong barrier Which we must break through if we are to reach the coast of china that quarter therefore to the greatest importance I could hear Japanese talking in the distance as I slipped through the shadows around to the back door of father fenolone's house There's no answer Father fenolone was not home I lay down on the bunk in the dark to wait for him When I awakened I saw father fenolone the light of a lamp Reading my notebook You have seen much in the kuryus Yes Are you all right? Yeah Where did you get my notebook? It was there on the floor beside the bunk Here it is Thanks You may have my notebook too The one I have been keeping all these years Was it possible that he did not know why I was gathering all this information? Do you mean father fenolone that I can Take it with me? You are going away Will you help me? You can never get away in this series While you were gone every house was searched by the soldiers They know that some american flyers have come down in each of their heads They will come back here again I could think of nothing to say Perhaps I could get your notebook out And mine If the notebooks got out it wouldn't matter about me Can you really get them out father fenolone? I can try And now I make this last notation in my notebook I have sat down here all that has happened And all that I have found out about the Ryukyu since Joe and I first flew over Okinawa I put this notebook now in the hands of father fenolone Perhaps he can get it out with it his own notebook Which should be of more value than mine Why he should do this? I do not know If he succeeds Perhaps eventually This information will be brought to the attention Of the right people You have been listening to the pacific story Presented by the national broadcasting company and its affiliated independent stations As a public service to clarify events in the pacific and to make understandable the cross currents of life in the pacific basin For a reprint of this pacific story program Send 10 cents in stamps or coin to university of california press berkeley california The pacific story is written and directed by arnold marquess The original musical score was composed and conducted by thomas paluso The principal voice was that of marvin miller This program came to you from hollywood. This is the national broadcasting company