Aaron's Blog

    Nov. 9, 2008: You read it here first (you and the five other regular readers of this blog).

    This story is big. National media big.

    It begins on Corregidor, where James Carrington, a young Marine from New Orleans, became a prisoner of the Japanese and was placed in the notorious Bilibid Prison in Manila in 1942. In April of 1944, Carrington escaped from the prison, the only American to do so.

    He and a fellow prisoner planned to sneak under an electrified fence. Carrington went first and made it out. His buddy's clothing got stuck on the fence and caught fire, alerting the guards. As there was nothing he could do to help his friend, according to a written account of the escape, Carrington dashed into the streets surrounding the prison with the Japanese in pursuit. He made it four blocks, at which point he saw a horse-drawn carriage tended by two young Filipinos, one 20 years old and his 12-year-old brother.

    He asked for a ride, and the two Filipinos, upon learning of his situation, hid him under some hay and eventually brought him to the guerrillas in the mountains. The older brother was later arrested by the Japanese, and was never heard from again.

    Carrington was given a battlefield commission, and placed in charge of a group of guerrillas, who held off several attacks by the Japanese during the battle for Luzon. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

     The young boy, Jesus "Jess" Gonzalez, grew up, became an engineer, married, and emigrated to Canada, where he lives today in Vancouver, British Columbia. His daughter, Valerie, often heard his stories growing up. Among his souvenirs were a cigarette lighter and a knife left by the American Marine. His name was on the lighter.

    In July of this year, Valerie was able to locate James Carrington, and he and her father had a lengthy conversation on the phone.

    Later this month, Jess Gonzalez and his daughter will be traveling to New Orleans to meet Carrington, who is 86 years old and in a nursing home, recovering from a bout with pneumonia.

    This is a developing story, so watch this blog for more details.

    Thanks for reading.

                        -- Aaron Elson

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