Valor - Odyssey Extraordinary - By John L. Frisbee
     Lt. Damon J. Gause was the central figure in one of the most
 dramatic events of World War II.
     Lt. Damon J. Gause, a member of the 27th Bombardment Group
 (Light), arrived in the Philippines in November 1941. The group's
 A-24s were diverted to Australia and never reached the Philippines.
 Along with other Americans, he fell back to Bataan when our forces
 no longer were able to hold positions in the Manila area. The group
 fought with the infantry until the Japanese overran Bataan and
 killed or captured all but a few of the US and Philippine defenders.
     Gause escaped from his captors by attacking one of the guards,
 whom he killed with the man's own knife, then swam the three miles
 to Corregidor, where he led a machine gun squad.  When Corregidor
 fell on May 6, Gause again escaped, found a small boat, and set out
 for Luzon. An enemy fighter sank the boat, leaving him to swim for
 many hours to the island. He then made his way through enemy-held
 territory to the island of Mindoro. There he met an Army captain,
 William Osborne. Their plan -- ambitious to say the least -- was to
 reach Australia and rejoin the fighting.
     With the help of friendly natives, they located a dilapidated
 22-foot sailboat with a diesel engine that ran only when it chose
 to do so. When the engine was out, they relied on tattered sails.
 The two men had no charts or navigation equipment and little fuel
 for the engine. The latter problem was solved by eliminating the
 Japanese guard at a lighthouse, taking on a load of fuel, and re-
 plenishing their meager larder. They also took a Japanese flag that
 was to save their lives on the long voyage through unfriendly
 waters.
    Gause and Osborne made frequent stops at small islands to gather
 food and, with luck, water, and to work on the engine, which ran for
 a few hours between recurrent rest periods.  One stop was at the
 small island of Bugsanga, a leper colony. One of the inmates was an
 American, who had been a marine engineer before his illness, and he
 helped them repair the engine. At another island, they were greeted
 by a lady missionary who provided food and gave them her camera and
 all the film she had so they could document their escape.
     Sailing south in the boat, which they named Ruth-Lee after their
 wives, the two Americans survived several tropical storms, one last-
 ing for five days, that left the boat leaking in many places. The
 leaks were stuffed with rags. Then came a typhoon with violent winds
 that snapped the mast and broke the rudder. The mast was replaced
 with a small tree and a rudder was carved with knives provided by
 friendly natives. Off the coast of enemy-occupied Palawan, they ran
 up the Japanese flag. which saved them more than once from enemy
 ships and aircraft that came down to look them over.
     Drinking water was a constant problem. There were no containers
 on the boat that could store rainwaterù Several small islands proved
 to be devoid of streams or springs. Coconuts became a prime source
 of water. A shark that followed them for several days helped out on
 that score as well. It was caught on a hook made from steel wire and
 provided both food and some moisture. As their coconut supply ran
 low, they moistened their mouths by chewing raw fish.
     When Ruth-Lee reached the south shore of Timor, which they mis-
 takenly believed to be in Allied hands, they hauled down the Japan-
 ese flag and hoisted the Stars and Stripes that Gause had taken when
 Corregidor surrendered. They soon found out they were not yet out of
 the war zone. An enemy fighter strafed them, setting the boat afire.
 The two men put out the fire and plugged many bullet holes to keep
 the boat afloat. On the verge of collapse from starvation, thirst,
 and tropical sun--after several more days of sailing they were
 picked up by an Australian boat.
     The men were flown to Gen. Douglas MacArthur's headquarters,
 where a barefoot Gause saluted the general as he "reported from Cor-
 regidor." The general's amazed response was said to be. "Well. I'II
 be damned." Gause was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for
 his heroism in the Philippines and the unprecedented escape through
 enemy waters.
     Returning to the States as a captain and war hero, Damon Gause
 was present for the birth of his son. Damon L., who has the account
 of the escape that his father had scribbled during the 3,000-mile
 voyage that lasted for 159 days.
     Gause, by then a major, checked out in P-47s and was assigned
 to the European theater. In one of the war's great ironies, this
 man, who had survived what probably was the longest and most harrow-
 ing escapes in modern military history, was lost on a mission over
 Germany. His heroism in combat and against almost insurmountable
 odds during the escape to Australia must not be forgotten. The
 courage and tenacity he displayed more than a half-century ago
 should be an inspiration to all those who follow him.
 AIR FORCE Magazine / December 1997
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