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Biuku and Eroni anchored their canoe near the Japanese barge and set out searching the interior. They found a Japanese rifle, took it, and climbed back aboard their canoe. They were just starting to paddle when they looked toward Nauru.
“Look,” Ross said, pointing.
Ke
Were they Japanese?
Ke
“Japanese?” Biuku asked Eroni.
“Don’t know,” Eroni answered.
The men were paddling furiously away from the encounter north on Blackett Strait. If not for Biuku becoming thirsty at just this instant, history might be very different.
“Let’s stop on Olasana and drink some coconut milk,” he said.
Luckily, Eroni, now clear of the possible Japanese, agreed.
On Olasana, Thom watched the men approaching. He stared at them carefully. Even at this distance they appeared to be natives, but were they islanders consorting with the Japanese? At that instant, he made a decision that would seal their fate. He waded into the water and began to call out to the men. The natives stopped and began to turn away. Then Thom got a brainstorm.
“White star,” he shouted, “white star.”
The natives had seen the emblem on the lower wings of the American planes. In addition, most knew that if they helped an American pilot, there was usually a reward.
“American,” Biuku said at last.
So they paddled over. With help from Thom, they stashed their canoe in the brush.
After a hurried conference, Thom convinced them to take Starkey in their boat back to the base at Rendova. It was almost forty miles distant and the sea in Blackett Strait was choppy now, but the three men set out.
Ke
Biuku and Eroni made it partway into Blackett Strait before they had to turn back because of the worsening weather. At the same time, Ke
That night, Ke
The night passed slowly on Olasana. A few of the crew were distrustful of Biuku and Eroni and spent the night watching them carefully. Not knowing whether the native men were loyal, they feared the two would slip off into the night and report them to the Japanese for a reward. On the other side, the massive men armed with black handguns intimidated Biuku and Eroni. They wanted to explain that they only wanted to help, but what little English they spoke would not allow them to get their point across. The Gizo Scouts slept, but with one eye open.
The following morning, when Ke
NAURU ISL.
NATIVE KNOWS POSIT.
HE CAN PILOT II ALIVE NEED
SMALL BOAT
KENNEDY
He asked the two natives to deliver the message, and they set out for Rendova at once. Stopping in Raramana, they showed the coconut to Benjamin Kevu, the English-speaking leader of the scouts. Kevu knew that Evans was moving his base, and he sent a native to deliver a verbal recap of the message on the coconut. Biuku and Eroni continued on toward the American base at Rendova.
Reg Evans had moved from the top of Kolombangara Island down to water level on Gomu Island. As soon as the native arrived with the message from Kevu, Evans began pla
ON HIS MAJESTY’S SERVICE
TO SENIOR OFFICER NAURU IS.
FRIDAY II AM HAVE JUST LEARNED OF YOUR PRESENCE ON NAURU IS & ALSO THAT TWO NATIVES HAVE TAKEN NEWS TO RENDOVA. I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO HERE IN THIS CANOE & BY THE TIME YOU ARRIVE HERE I WILL BE IN RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH AUTHORITIES AT RENDOVA & WE CAN FINALIZE PLANS TO COLLECT BALANCE OF YOUR PARTY
AR EVANS LT.
RANVR
Before dispatching the trio of canoes, Evans loaded them with supplies. Rice, C rations, cigarettes, cans of hash along with native pawpaws, boiled fish and stoves to cook, tins of water, matches, and fuel. As soon as the natives reached the shipwrecked crew, they set to work fashioning shelters out of palm fronds, cooking food, and lopping off coconuts so the men could drink the sweet milk. Then they showed Ke
Meanwhile, Biuku and Eroni had reached the base at Rendova.
It was almost six that evening when Ke
“Have the boats stop here and pick me up,” Ke
“You’ve been through a lot,” Evans said, staring at the ski
“I’m going back for my men,” Ke
“Okay,” Evans agreed. “I’ll radio Rendova.”
The signal to the boats was to be four shots in the air. After checking his .38, Ke
At 8 P.M. that night, he heard the engines of the boats and fired into the air.
PT-157 pulled close, and Lieutenant Cluster shouted across the water.
“That you, Jack?”
“Where the hell have you been?” Ke
Hauled aboard, Ke
“Slow down,” Ke
Climbing into a rubber raft with Biuku and Eroni, Ke
“Le
The crew of PT-109 walked into the open. They could scarcely believe the ordeal was at an end.
The survivors were ferried out to the PT boat in the raft. Once they were all aboard, Ke
“Thank you,” Ke
Biuku smiled, but he could not resist the urge to kid with Ke
II
I Have a Special Room in My Mind for You 2001
Craig Dirgo: