ORDEAL IN WILDS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 24 October 1942, Page 5

ORDEAL IN WILDS

BALED OUT FROM BOMBER JOURNALIST’S FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL Vern Haugland, Associated Press oi America war correspondent, who ha* turned up in New Guinea after being missing for 6 weeks, has set down in a diary the daily records of his adventures in the wild, mountainous country of the Owen Stanley Range through which he made his way to comparative safety after baling out from a bomber which had run out of fuel after a heavy storm. Haugland was the man who tossed ;i com with Geoff Hutton. "The Argus” war correspondent, for the seat in the plane to New Guinea, and won the loss. Hutton went on to Port Moresby later in another plane. Lieut. A. D. Michael, co-pilot of the plane, who also baled out, is sttlLmissing. When the young Ameflttan correspondent landed from the plane he found himself in thick jungle high up in the mountains, with no sign of human habitation, and nothing to direct him but mountain .streams w hich he presumed might lead to some kind of settlement or coastal area. He followed descending streamy accompanied at first by Michael, whom he met soon after landing. From day to day Haugland made pencilled entries in a smal’ pocket diary. Here are some of his entries: PLEA FOR HELP August 7: Baled out about 6.30 about 13.000; night in ’chute in rain; uninjured. August 8: Heard plane at 7. Filled life preserver with water. August 9: Hiking. August 10: Mike and I hiked all day. August 11: Co-pilot Michael and ! may get separated. I have life preserver; he hasn’t. If you find me and not him, send help quickly, as he is starving. With food he can make it. Mike is on river. August 12: Through God’s grace Mike and I still together. Forded river near a fork. Spent last night in ’chute on hillside. Rain starting at 4. Under small rock. Third night under brush shelter. Fourth day, little progress until took to river. Fifth day. at fork. Forded another river. W.aded down another. Spent night on broad clay shelf over river. Rained early. Sawwallaby. August 13: Still no food. No sign of people. Over mountain, down river, drenched with heavy ram. Spent njght in small cave. August 14: Not much progress. Most horrible rainy night yet. August 15: Over more mountains. I Heard plane, but too much cloud. August 16: Very weak, feet bad. Must take to river. We may get separated or drowned, but I pray to God for safety. Then there is an entry in different handwriting— presumably Michael's; “In case we are separated I’ll be up the rjver. In bad need of food. Pleas rush to rescue.” STRUGGLED ON So the story goes on. Later entries tell how the two men struggled on desperately, growing weaker each day; sometimes hearing aircraft passing in the distance: hoping against hope for rescue; praying fervently for deliverance from the wild, inhospitable cofintry; sometimes chewing grass and weeds; lying in mud; struggling again up slippery mountains, and finding fruit like sour plums—but could not eat much at once because it was too sour. The separation from Michael is told in a short entry. "Mike went up over hill. I started down river: saw I couldn’t make it. and came back to dry my clothes. Will try and follow him to-morrow. Maybe Mike can go faster alone. I hope so. He’s a wonderful boy and deserves to live.” Thereafter Haugland battled along alone. Time and again hope seemed to desert him, but eventually, on Bth September, after living for days on berries, he came across three native huts, and the next day he found a track which led him toward the native settlement. where he was found in a state of delirium. On that day his diary ended, for he remained delirious until he recovered his senses in Port Mores by Hospital on* 28th September.