It was more than a little frightening to think of the massive fight that would be necessary to capture Japan itself. If they fought so hard for every inch of islands such as Guadalcanal, Guam, and Leyte, what would it mean when the fight came to the Japanese home islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu?

But for now that worry was down the road and far away. Patrol Easy reveled in the fact that they and Father Francisco’s guerrilla fighters had managed to liberate the POW camp.

Once they returned to American lines, there were photographers to document the arrival of the newly freed men. Even Major Flanders was there to welcome them and oversee the photo op. However, upon seeing the condition that the former prisoners were in, he had shooed away the photographers, keeping just one to document the poor physical condition of the liberated soldiers. He made it clear that the photographs would not be for publication.

“Folks back home don’t need to see that,” he said. “It certainly won’t help the war effort. But dammit, these photos might just be evidence once this war is over.”

More medics arrived to help treat the former prisoners, some so weak that they had to be carried away in stretchers. As for the others, it was announced that they would be sent to the fleet to recover their strength. There would be ample food for them and medical care. An air attack or even a submarine strike against the ships remained a threat, but it still seemed better than taking their chances on the open beach.

Deke managed to catch up with Faraday before he shipped out.

“I just want to thank you for all that you’ve done,” Faraday said. “It’s not just any guy who would surrender himself to the Japanese in order to help us break out.”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Deke said.

Faraday gave him a wry grin. “At least you got a taste of what it was like to be in that place.”

“I could have done without that.”

“I just wish we could have captured Colonel Yamagata and Mr. Suey to give them a taste of their own medicine. I would have loved to see them in a POW compound.”

“Don’t worry, they got what they had coming to them.”

“I suppose so,” Faraday said; then he joined the line waiting to board a launch that would carry the former POWs far from Leyte.

Deke was sorry to see Faraday go, but he was glad that Faraday and the others would be given a chance to recuperate far from the combat still taking place on Leyte.

A few Japanese prisoners — precious few — had also been taken. Lieutenant Osako was now among those men. They were kept in a big stockade that had been erected for that purpose, but there was shelter from the sun and rain. Even more than that, the prisoners were fed and not forced to perform slave labor. It was all a marked contrast to the cruel conditions that the Americans had faced while being held prisoner. Yoshio had been roped into interviewing several of the higher-ranking officers who had been captured.

From a distance, Deke had caught a glimpse of Lieutenant Osako staring in wonder at the hordes of men and supplies that now occupied the beachhead, with more arriving all the time. He and the other Japanese could have no doubt now that an American victory was a foregone conclusion. For a change the symbolic Japanese sun on their battle flag might have been setting — at least on Leyte.

Patrol Easy got a full day of sleeping and eating, but there was to be no real rest for the weary. By the next afternoon, they found themselves headed back into the forest. As it turned out, there were still plenty of Japanese to fight. There were even rumors that they might be sent to Manila next, where instead of the forest, they would be fighting across city streets.

“Aw, I was just gettin’ comfortable, Honcho,” Philly complained.

“Sounds like the army has another job for us,” Deke said. “What’s it gonna be?”

“Don’t know yet,” the lieutenant admitted. “But I will tell you one thing, which is that you’d better bring your rifle. You’re going to need it.”

NOTE TO READERS

Thank you for reading the continued adventures of Deacon Cole and Patrol Easy. Once again, many of their actions on Leyte are based on the 77^th Infantry Division, following their route after the capture of Ormoc and the push toward Palompon. If you would like to know more, please get a copy of Ours to Hold It High: The History of the 77^th Infantry Division in World War II by Max Myers. I hope that my story honors these actual men and events in some small way.