Never Say Die is a memoir by Jack Hawkins, a lieutenant with the United States's 4th Marines in World War II. It was first published in 1961.
The book relates Hawkins' experiences as a prisoner of war in Japanese prison camps after the American surrender in the Philippines.
Full Book Summary Long, careful and very secret planning was involved for this hazardous venture. Here is a list of some articles which had to be procured, taken out the gate, and stashed away in a safe place in the jungle, to be available at the appointed time: compass, sextant, chronometer, navigation tables, protractor, dividers, chart of the Southwest Pacific, pencils. Some of these items had to be hand-made. Each man had to have a change of clothing, blanket, shelter tent, mosquito net, canteen, mess kit, and food for five days. Medical supplies had to include quinine, sulfa drugs, first-aid kit, water purifier, and any other medicines they could get their hands on. Other equipment included bolo knives, field glasses, file, hammer, pliers, matches, cooking-can with handle. This indicates the kind of meticulous planning required for prisoners to effect an escape that had a chance to result in survival. ... Among other things, each man was chosen for certain basic qualities, such as character, physical fitness, desire and courage. Also, they were chosen for certain knowledge and/or technical skills required to do the job, and each man was assigned specific responsibilities. They were able to enlist a couple of Filipino ex-convicts still living in the area as advisers and guides, who were invaluable.
When he and others finally escape from a camp, they join the American-Filipino guerrillas under the command of Lt. Col Wendell Fertig. Hawkins serves with Fertig for several months and is involved in numerous actions. For these actions he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Also, an important point is that he persevered throughout the story. An important example is the scene where a group of soldiers and he escape from the POW camp and are met by a gang of guerrilla soldiers. After they prove to be friendly, one of the soldiers tells them that he was trying to shoot them but the cartridge was bad. This shows that those who persevere through hard times will be eventually rewarded.
Then, with the help of the guerrilla soldiers, they go up north to get communications with an American submarine to come and take them to Australia where they could be safe and then rejoin the fighting.
Also, before escaping from a camp in Manila, Hawkins is held in a camp in Corregidor where the conditions are horrible and people lose all sense of discipline and do horrible things. People are dying left and right and they are all falling of disease. Then they are taken and sent to a camp in Manila., along with people in other camps.
Before being sent to the Corregidor, Hawkins and other soldiers had to march from their points of surrender to the camp. This march was nicknamed the March of Death because of how many died of disease, exhaustion. And those who could not continue were killed. The march to Manila (after a trip by sea) was less brutal, but still took lives. (In the camp in Manila, only the strong were sent to Manila to work. This helped soldiers improve conditions by secretly eating the food they harvested). Also the conditions were better because this was the lenient Major Maeda who was running the place, not strict lieutenant Hozumi.
Eventually evacuated to Australia by an American submarine, Hawkins later was involved in planning for the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He stayed in the USMC after World War II and eventually retired as a full colonel.
Hawkins also talks about his fiancee, Rhea Ritter, who later becomes his wife. They met at the beginning of Hawkins' senior year at the Military Academy in September 1938. Their wedding took place at the Naval Academy Chapel.
This book was recently republished under Barbara B. Baker with the express purpose of being used in Challenger School curriculum.
Chapter Summary All information and page numbers from: Hawkins, Col. Jack. Never Say Die. 1961. 4th ed., Sandy, Utah, The Learning Crew, 2014. Chapter 1 US 4th Marines defending beaches of “The Rock”, or Corregidor (Island in Manila Bay used as a fortress). Jack Hawkins, lieutenant of the Second Battalion (infantry battalion in the US Marine Corps) at the time, was assigned to command reinforced platoon of machine gunners covering a long strip of rocky beach.
As long as they held the island, Japanese troops couldn't enter the bay and use facilities in Manila. General Homma, enemy commander of Japan whose troops were in the Philippines, wanted to seize the weak Corregidor as soon as possible. So, he massed artillery in southern Bataan (province three miles across Corregidor) and furiously bombarded US troops. He also used aerial attacks, but those were insignificant compared to the bombardment.
Although Corregidor was well-fortified with artillery, the guns were pointing towards the South China Sea, meaning the island couldn't defend against those coming from within Manila Bay.
Landing came on May 5 night, along with lots of artillery fire. The 4th Marines fought and slaughtered Homma's men. During battle, US commander General Wainright didn't want to lose any more lives → US troops in Philippines surrender May 6th → everyone including Hawkins became a prisoner of war. Japanese moved him from Corregidor to Bilibid Prison in Manila for two days, and then served internment in Prisoner-of-war Camp One (in Cabanatuan in Luzon, Philippines). Conditions were horrible there, but Hawkins hoped it would improve once he moved to an actual organized Prisoner-of-war camp. Not the case; General Mori (camp commander) starved them by feeding small serving of wormy rice and green water (Hawkins kept the worms in for more nutrition) Simple items such as beds, clothes, blankets, razors, and soap were not provided No cooking supplies given (cooked in washpots with a ladle over fire) No showers → diseases → death, but Mori didn't care (population went from 9000 to 6000) Hawkins lost 30 pounds, had scurvy; avoided diphtheria epidemic somehow
Jack talks to his friend Mike Dobervich (classmate and lieutenant; survived the March of Death (Bataan Death March), an 80-mile march forced on American and Filipino troops), who says the Japanese are going to move 1000 men out of the camp. Jack thinks this wouldn't be good because if they went to Japan they would be prisoners of war til the end. However, if they stayed, they had a chance of being rescued by American troops. Japanese guards exaggerated their victory at Pearl Harbor and that they were annihilating remnants of US forces → Jack questions if they're telling the truth Meet captain Austin Shofner (Shof) to pass time The Japanese confirm Mike's claim of moving the men → Jack and Mike submit their names to go; place they're being moved to still not announced. They were set to move on October 26, the day after Jack's 26th birthday
Chapter 2 Day of departure arrives, and the prisoners bid their farewells to those who are staying. They were to march to Cabanatuan, where a train would take them to Manila. From Manila, they would go aboard ship. A Japanese Officer named Hozumi, whom everyone hated, guided the prisoners.
When they reach Cabanatuan, Jack notices how the camp remained unchanged since the last time he saw it. Houses were burned down, as a battle took place (Japanese advanced toward Manila from their landing beaches at Lingayen Gulf.)
As they were boarding the train, a guard shoved them into the car. The cars were extremely overcrowded. When they reached Manila, they marched to Bilibid Prison (the place where Jack had stayed for two days…), which was quite empty. Jack, Mike, and Shof chose an open area of concrete to sleep on. They ate rice, greens, and meat, which seemed like a “magnificent repast” because of their hunger.
Their ship was called the Erie Maru, a cargo ship which carried a lot of gasoline. This meant if an American torpedo attacked, their ship would be more likely to go up in flames, killing the entire crew. They boarded the ship, and once again, it was extremely overcrowded. The three soldiers wanted to escape the overcrowding → tried to get up on the deck Got up, but there was overcrowding on the deck as well Spotted a stack of rice bags, decided to climb up to escape overcrowding The ship crosses Corregidor, which seems to have revived all of its lush wildlife. If the ship turns south, they were headed to Mindanao (which is closer to friendly territory). If the ship turns north, they were headed to Japan. Hozumi later announced they were headed to Mindanao.
Chapter 3 The Erie Maru stopped briefly at Cebu City, Cebu, and Jack was relieved to see much of the gasoline being removed. However, there was still enough gasoline left on the ship to start a fire. The three stand guard so no one takes their spot on top of the rice bags. They preferred avoiding the suffocation over facing the harsh weather. They also believed it was a safer place should the ship be torpedoed.
While on the ship, the men come across an island that is a swimmable distance away. However, Mike suggests that if they swim, the guards will either hear or see them. And, with Hozumi in command, they would have no reason to expect more lenient treatment.
Jack's plan to escape: “head for the west coast of Luzon, procure a native outrigger sailing craft, and try to reach the mainland of Asia, some five hundred miles to the west.” Had idea to discuss plan with his marine companion, Hugh Tistadt. They were about to execute the plan, but sought the advice of an officer who had worked in the Philippines before He said that if they stayed low, the Japanese would attack, and if they stayed high in the mountains, they would get malaria → wanted to formulate another plan Shof suggests boarding another ship with fewer Japanese, which was headed for Australia Though ambitious, they attempt to form another plan First, they decide to attempt murder on the Japanese guards, but they had no weapons Second, they decide they can somehow take control over the ship, with all the navy officers on the ship. However, this plan wasn't feasible either.
They reach the city of Davao and unload the remaining cargo. They set sail again to a sawmill, where they were to leave the Erie Maru and march 20 miles inland to the new camp. Marched through many bushes, vines, thorns, animals, and rain → muscles became knotted and feet became cut up.
They finally reached camp in Davao, Mindanao (Davao Penal Colony). A man (assumed to be an interpreter) told them to go in very harshly. Hozumi got mad because the interpreter had no power to do that. They had to sleep in the cold with wet clothes on the bare floor with no blanket or replacement clothing.
Chapter 4 The men actually had decent food for breakfast. The interpreter's name was revealed as Major Maeda (Mike called him Simon Legree), who would address them with Hozumi translating. Maeda told them they had to work, and anyone who didn't work would be severely punished Buildings were arranged by rank (enlisted soldiers got the bad barracks, while the higher ranks got the “better” ones) Jack, Mike, and Shof got barrack 5, for lieutenants and captains
Davao Penal Colony was established by Philippine government as a civil penal institution. Convicts were brought to the land to serve their sentences as agricultural workers.
Maeda lost no time in making the men work. The three men were assigned the job of carrying heavy cans of wet gravel. This work continued for a long time; they had to do many tasks involving the farms → Jack knew the exact location of everything on the land (was later to prove valuable…).