17 Feb 1944, Journal of Lt. Donald W. Kerr

((Lt. Kerr has been hiding in a “charcoal cave” for several days…))

Cloudy day.  About nine o’clock…I saw a Chinese girl dressed in a tattered lot of rags and carrying a pole over her shoulder with faggots of twigs hanging from each end.  She whispered “Friend, friend” in English, put down her burdens and moved aside my careful camouflage.  She crawled in, replaced the branches and began to talk.

“You are the American pilot?  My name is Miss Li.  I have come from the Master to help you.  Please write your name on this paper.  How much are you hurt?  Do you have food?  We cannot risk moving you now, but you will be safe here.  But you must never go out in the daytime.  The Nipponese are searching this valley.  Do you have a gun?  Good!  Some men will come for you in a few days.”

…I woke up to hear voices outside.  Many voices.  …There were about fifteen uniformed Japanese – one a tall fellow with a beard, the others short and baggy.  Wearing funny caps and with carbines slung over their backs.  I saw a few civilian Chinese with them, and several Chinese women carrying baskets on poles.  Some of them sat down – this was apparently a rest stop, but the leader with his large revolver in his hand kept an alert watch.  Any minute now he’ll see this place, I worried.  I was frantic with suspense and fear.  An airplane came over then and the officer turned up his face to follow it – I felt a little better.  A minute or two later he spoke some command, and the party rose and moved up the path.

The remaining daylight hours were rough…Another party of Japanese came by – a small group of five.  They didn’t stop.  I counted each quarter hour, jumpy with every rustle from outside, every minute expecting a Japanese face to cut off the light from the entrance.  I carefully hid the bowl I had eaten from, gathered up all the cigarette ends and hid everything that would show I’d had outside help.  Daylight seemed to never fade.

At six-thirty Y.T. hadn’t appeared.  Nor at seven.  Nor eight.  ((Later, he)) crawled in…While I ate (the usual rice and hot water) he ((said)) the Japanese but were all around and had men posted on top of the hill to watch for movements in the valley.