Post by ildefonsoada on Jan 24, 2012 15:36:24 GMT -5
My name is Chris Bendijo. This is not my story but my grandfather's, Lieutenant Ildefonso Ada. He is old but his failing memory yields to his recollection of how he saved Lt. Dole. This story starts with one simple question: Lolo, what was the most difficult mission you had as a soldier?
My Lolo:
The most difficult mission was when I was ordered to retrieve the body of Lt. Dole, AT ALL COSTS!
My lolo would then start:
I reported to the base after receiving a telegram that I was being called by a commander (name forgotten). By telephone (perhaps), I answered the call and said, this is Lt. Ada, sir, what can I do for you? The general said, can you do this mission Lt. Ada? I replied, what mission is this sir? The general replied, I want you to retrieve the body of Lt. Dole at all costs! Yes sir, I answered. After receiving the order, my men and I of the 73rd infantry batallion searched the mountains of Negros for the body of Lt. Dole who was reported to be missing after an encounter with the Japanese. We searched for hours but we could not find Lt. Dole since there were no reports of the exact area where they were attacked. Nevertheless, we continued with our mission searching for Lt. Dole.
In one area, there was a farmer coming down from the mountain herding cows. The farmer recognized who I was and shouted, Lt. Ada, what are you doing here? I invited him over and gave him a cigarette and replied that my men and I were on a very important mission. I asked the farmer if he noticed anything peculiar while coming down from the mountain. He initially said that there wasn't any but later on narrated that in one area of the woods, he noticed that there were a lot of dogs. This information caught my attention and made me suspect that it could be possible that Lt. Dole was there. And so I asked the farmer where this area was where he saw a lot of dogs. He answered that the area was near the top of the mountain and that I would be certain that I am in the area if I see a large tree without any branches. With the information I gathered, my men and I continued with the mission. As we neared the top of the mountain, one of my soldiers came to me and pointed at a tree several meters near where we were. I gathered my men and we stopped for the meantime and I told them that we cannot just simply approach Lt. Dole for I feared that since he was an officer, he would have with him his caliber 45 pistol and he might shoot at us if he thought we were the enemy. Realizing this, I then ordered my men to shout at the top of their voices, "Lt. Dole, Lt. Ada is here looking for you!" And my men did. A few minutes later, a figure near the tree appeared gesturing with his hand for us to approach. It was Lt. Dole. As we approached him, I began to wonder how an officer of the army could have been alive and not report back to base. As we got nearer and nearer, the answer became more apparent. Lt. Dole was seriously wounded in both knees and he could not walk. He even shared that he could hardly get up but used all his might to do so when he heard our shouting. I then ordered my men to secure the area and prepare to extract Lt. Dole. Over the radio, I requested for reinforcements and said: This is Lt. Ada, I have located Lt. Dole. He is alive but is seriously wounded and unable to walk. Please send soldiers and please tell them to bring with them a hammock or a stretcher. Hours later, the soldiers arrived and my men and I started to descend the mountain taking turns in carrying Lt. Dole. We immediately brought Lt. Dole to the hospital for immediate treatment.
In the hospital, I visited Lt. Dole while he was resting in his bed. I asked him what his plans now were? He replied that a special plane of the US Air Force will land in a couple of hours and bring him to the US for medical treatment. He said, in the US, these legs will be amputated and replaced with new ones. While saying this he got up and appeared to be looking for something. I asked him what he was looking for and he said, I am looking for my pistol for I want you to have it. He was in tears and so was I. The nurse catering to his wounds was also in tears and even said that she would not wed a soldier. Lt. Dole then said, when I get back to the United States and when they give me new legs, should I ever walk again I promise you that I will go back to the Philippines not looking for anyone else but you. You saved my life and I will repay you in whatever way I can when I come back.
--------------------------------END----------------------------
My Lolo never found out what happened to Lt. Dole. I wrote this not to seek payment for what my Lolo did nor claim what he was promised. I wrote this so that my Lolo may again fulfill his mission: To retrieve Lt. Dole AT ALL COSTS! And so I appeal to anyone who might chance to read this, perhaps your Lolo Dole once told stories of a certain Lt. Ada who saved his life in the Philippines, please tell him: Lt. Dole, Lt. Ada is STILL here looking for you.
My Lolo:
The most difficult mission was when I was ordered to retrieve the body of Lt. Dole, AT ALL COSTS!
My lolo would then start:
I reported to the base after receiving a telegram that I was being called by a commander (name forgotten). By telephone (perhaps), I answered the call and said, this is Lt. Ada, sir, what can I do for you? The general said, can you do this mission Lt. Ada? I replied, what mission is this sir? The general replied, I want you to retrieve the body of Lt. Dole at all costs! Yes sir, I answered. After receiving the order, my men and I of the 73rd infantry batallion searched the mountains of Negros for the body of Lt. Dole who was reported to be missing after an encounter with the Japanese. We searched for hours but we could not find Lt. Dole since there were no reports of the exact area where they were attacked. Nevertheless, we continued with our mission searching for Lt. Dole.
In one area, there was a farmer coming down from the mountain herding cows. The farmer recognized who I was and shouted, Lt. Ada, what are you doing here? I invited him over and gave him a cigarette and replied that my men and I were on a very important mission. I asked the farmer if he noticed anything peculiar while coming down from the mountain. He initially said that there wasn't any but later on narrated that in one area of the woods, he noticed that there were a lot of dogs. This information caught my attention and made me suspect that it could be possible that Lt. Dole was there. And so I asked the farmer where this area was where he saw a lot of dogs. He answered that the area was near the top of the mountain and that I would be certain that I am in the area if I see a large tree without any branches. With the information I gathered, my men and I continued with the mission. As we neared the top of the mountain, one of my soldiers came to me and pointed at a tree several meters near where we were. I gathered my men and we stopped for the meantime and I told them that we cannot just simply approach Lt. Dole for I feared that since he was an officer, he would have with him his caliber 45 pistol and he might shoot at us if he thought we were the enemy. Realizing this, I then ordered my men to shout at the top of their voices, "Lt. Dole, Lt. Ada is here looking for you!" And my men did. A few minutes later, a figure near the tree appeared gesturing with his hand for us to approach. It was Lt. Dole. As we approached him, I began to wonder how an officer of the army could have been alive and not report back to base. As we got nearer and nearer, the answer became more apparent. Lt. Dole was seriously wounded in both knees and he could not walk. He even shared that he could hardly get up but used all his might to do so when he heard our shouting. I then ordered my men to secure the area and prepare to extract Lt. Dole. Over the radio, I requested for reinforcements and said: This is Lt. Ada, I have located Lt. Dole. He is alive but is seriously wounded and unable to walk. Please send soldiers and please tell them to bring with them a hammock or a stretcher. Hours later, the soldiers arrived and my men and I started to descend the mountain taking turns in carrying Lt. Dole. We immediately brought Lt. Dole to the hospital for immediate treatment.
In the hospital, I visited Lt. Dole while he was resting in his bed. I asked him what his plans now were? He replied that a special plane of the US Air Force will land in a couple of hours and bring him to the US for medical treatment. He said, in the US, these legs will be amputated and replaced with new ones. While saying this he got up and appeared to be looking for something. I asked him what he was looking for and he said, I am looking for my pistol for I want you to have it. He was in tears and so was I. The nurse catering to his wounds was also in tears and even said that she would not wed a soldier. Lt. Dole then said, when I get back to the United States and when they give me new legs, should I ever walk again I promise you that I will go back to the Philippines not looking for anyone else but you. You saved my life and I will repay you in whatever way I can when I come back.
--------------------------------END----------------------------
My Lolo never found out what happened to Lt. Dole. I wrote this not to seek payment for what my Lolo did nor claim what he was promised. I wrote this so that my Lolo may again fulfill his mission: To retrieve Lt. Dole AT ALL COSTS! And so I appeal to anyone who might chance to read this, perhaps your Lolo Dole once told stories of a certain Lt. Ada who saved his life in the Philippines, please tell him: Lt. Dole, Lt. Ada is STILL here looking for you.
