The Purple Heart Page #2

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crowds killing women and children."

Brutality! Brutality!

"Therefore, the emperor's government

demands the conviction of the defendants

for the crime of murder."

What do you mean? Murder?

- We never machine-gunned anybody.

- Level off!

We'll speak our piece when the time comes.

Summon the first witness.

Yuen Chiu Ling.

(speak Chinese language)

I affirm that, according to my conscience,

I will speak the truth,

adding nothing and concealing nothing.

- Your name?

- Yuen Chiu Ling.

- Your nationality?

- Chinese.

- Where is your home?

- Kunwong.

- You hold an official position there?

- I'm governor of Kunwong province.

Where were you

on the day the bombing took place?

At my home.

Did you see

any of the defendants on that date?

Yes, Excellency.

Describe the circumstances.

I learned of the bombing over my radio.

The first reports

were confusing and contradictory

as to the number of planes involved

and the amount of damage caused.

As night approached, Tokyo radio warned

that the American planes

were believed headed across China.

Still later, other reports claimed

the storm was forcing

many of the planes down.

One of them was reported

to have crashed in the mountains.

Another was believed

to have fallen into the sea.

Then it was reported

one of the planes

was in the vicinity of Kunwong.

(aeroplane overhead)

Pilot to navigator. Pilot to navigator.

Navigator to pilot. Go ahead, pilot.

How we doing, Greenie?

Wind velocity has altered.

Better compensate to 264. Will we make it?

Not a chance.

Prepare to abandon ship. We'll try to get

above this weather to give us a better break.

That's an order.

Roger.

- Pilot to navigator.

- Go ahead.

All men come forward with your chutes.

We'll ditch it from the forward escape hatch.

Roger.

- Go ahead. I'll set the automatic.

- Right.

- Any idea where we are, Greenie?

- Over China.

Splendid.

That narrows things down considerably.

Well, men, if anything happens to me,

Lieutenant Vincent is in command.

I've set the ship on a circular course

so she won't be far when she hits.

If she burns when she crashes,

we'll see the flames and we'll meet there.

If she doesn't burn, every man look for her

and whoever finds her, burn her.

She mustn't fall into Japanese hands, and

the rest of us can use the fire as a beacon.

OK, boys, this is the end of the line.

Open her up, Greenie.

Time to get up, skipper.

We've arrived. Are you hurt?

I don't know yet.

OK?

I think so.

- Nothing broken as far as I can tell.

- You scared the pants off me.

I was beginning to think

you meant that speech you made.

- Have you seen the others?

- I've seen nothing but mud.

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