![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/ww2-0\/files\/1943\/03\/aircraft-mechanic-307x210.jpg\")
An airplane mechanic for the U.S. military\u2014the job that Robert Phillips had before being taken prisoner by the Japanese. (Photo by Nick Parrino, from Library of Congress)<\/p><\/div>\n
He was at Camp 29, a Japanese POW camp, where he was forced against his will to pick pineapples for Japanese troops to eat. Everyday Japanese soldiers would test the fruit, and if it was not absolutely perfect, each person in the field would be whipped. The American soldiers were huddled in huts, and extremely cramped quarters.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe laborers for the pineapple plantation lived in Nippon huts and were kept in groups of houses, scattered all over the place, so they didn’t have to spend all day walking to work,\u201d Phillips describes. \u201cAnd I remember being packed into the holds, in these shelves that they put in there. To the point where I couldn’t find a place to pack myself in, until a soldier jabbed me with that bayonet. Suddenly there was a hole. You just do it, find a way.\u201d<\/p>\n
The camp was brutal. After spending time at one part of the camp, the prisoners were forced to walk miles, to a different camp, in what Phillips described as a \u201cDeath March.\u201d In the heat of the jungle, it was not uncommon for other prisoners to drop dead. The soldiers were ordered to keep going and leave their comrade to die.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe grew some sweet potatoes, or at least we planted them, but, by the time they got ready to eat, some of us started shipping north,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cBy September I was headed for Manila, Bilibid Prison there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phillips did this for months: getting up, working long days, marching, seeing friends die in front of him. He decided that he had had enough and would try to break out of the camp.<\/p>\n
Phillips waited until it was dark. He had only enough supplies to make it out of the camp. He left without turning back to see the horror he went through.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just remember running,\u201d the escapee said. \u201cI wanted to be as far away from that camp, as I could possibly be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phillips spent weeks traversing the jungle until he reached the port city of Limay. He walked around the port looking for anyone to take him away from his personal hell.<\/p>\n
After hours, he came across fishermen who knew where a few American ships were located.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know if I could trust them,\u201d he explained. \u201cI just got on the boat, hoping for the Allies.\u201d<\/p>\n
The boat reached American ships near Subic Bay. When the lead commander saw him he ordered the ship to take him to the port.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was about twenty kilometers down from Subic Bay and brought up there awaiting air transport to Australia,\u201d he recounted.<\/p>\n
When he arrived in Australia, they flew him back to the U.S. After his experience, he wishes to become a minister, because of the acts of love from the fishermen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank God for those Filipino fishermen back in Limay,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cIf it weren\u2019t for them, I would be dead today.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Source:<\/p>\n