MONTGOMERY-JOHN

 

SHOT  DOWN  IN  THE  PHILIPPINES

 

At 0630 on November 6, 1944, forty fighters and bombers left the USS Essex for strikes against the Japanese at Clark Field, as well was enemy ships in Manila and Salanguin Harbors.  In the cockpit of one of the SB2C Helldivers was the pilot, LTJG William Starling Rising, and behind him the radioman/gunner, ARM2 John Ward Montgomery.  As their SB2C neared Manila, ground fire burst around them.  Finding a choice target, a Japanese destroyer, their Helldiver went into an almost 90 degree dive toward its deck.  Around the rapidly falling airplane burst deadly rounds of anti-aircraft fire as Montgomery did his best to ignore it as he had already completed 38 such missions and was becoming an "old hand".  Suddenly the sound of the engine changed as enemy fire had struck home.  Quickly LTJG Rising pulled out of the dive and both men removed their safety belts and climbed onto the wing.  As the Helldiver began to level LTJG Rising yelled, "I think I can still control 'er.  Let's see if we can make it out past Manila Bay."  Both men climbed back in and headed away from the enemy ships.  As they dropped close to the sea Montgomery held their life raft, bracing his head against it as a cushion.  Soon the Helldiver struck the waves with great force.

 

As the airplane started sinking, Rising climbed onto the wing and Montgomery threw him the raft.  As the cockpit filled with water Montgomery struggled to free himself and realized he had not unbuckled his safety belt.  Working feverishly as the plane sank beneath the waves he worked his way free, actuated his life vest and popped to the surface.  The salt water stung the open wounds of Montgomery's ankles where enemy flak had punctured flesh, and Lieutenant Rising tried to shake off the fuzziness caused by a wound to his head when the airplane slammed into the sea.  So quickly had the Helldiver sank that none of the emergency rations could be saved so they were without supplies or fresh water.  They were not alone as friendly fighters circled overhead for a time.  One dropped a lifejacket and canteen of water and another a life raft.  Low on fuel, the planes had to fly away.

 

The two airmen didn't feel abandoned as they knew an American rescue submarine was in the area but as the day wore on there was no sign of rescue.  Their thoughts turned to a plan for escape and evasion as they knew they were floating alone in enemy territory.  Already they had been spotted by a Japanese sea plane that had strafed their raft, pitting it with bullet holes but fortunately neither man was hit.  Knowing that the nearest side of Luzon was controlled by the Japanese, they rowed through the night to a small island where they landed shortly before dawn.  In the darkness of their second night they patched the bullet holes in their raft and then began rowing to the far side of Luzon Island.  As they rowed they were startled when a flying fish landed in their raft which they quickly cut up and shared its meat for nourishment.

 

As they neared the Luzon they could see lights on the enemy held island.  Eventually they beached their raft and made their way several hundred yards into the jungle to rest until daylight.  A crowing rooster signaled the presence of a house and they cautiously made their way towards civilization.  They found the home belonged to a Philippine member of the Fil-American Guerrillas.  In the weeks that followed, the two Americans placed their lives in the hands of the people that inhabited the rural farms in the Japanese controlled Philippine Islands. The poor farmers had little but they were quick to share their meager supplies.  The untreated wounds in Montgomery's legs quickly became infected.  Montgomery struggled against the pain and fought for survival.  Eventually someone found some sulfa and the infection began to disappear.

 

The local civilians also shared the American’s danger as any hint that they had rendered assistance would be met with quick and brutal violence.  Occasionally they encountered enemy patrols so they moved with great caution.  One night they bedded down in a small hut along the coast, only to awake to the sound of Japanese voices.  Not far away, neatly camouflaged with tree branches, an enemy destroyer had tied to the bank.  Montgomery and Rising eventually made their way to a mountain garrison where the guerrilla's had lived and fought in the jungles for three years.  From this camp the two airmen were moved deeper into the hills to join another guerrilla force where for the first time in weeks they saw other American faces, three fellow American flyers that were being guarded by the guerrillas.  A short time later, the guerrillas began the dangerous task of moving through enemy territory with the five Americans towards what they hoped would be rescue.  The trip took several days, but from Luzon the men were placed on small boats under the cover of darkness for a night voyage to the northern coast of Mindoro. There they met up with yet another guerrilla force under the leadership of a U.S. Navy Commander.  While waiting for rescue Montgomery developed a high fever that lingered for four days.  When at last American forces invaded Mindoro, the men were picked up by PT-222 and PT-220 and the rescued Americans spent Christmas Eve with the American Forces on Leyte beachhead, and then Christmas dinner aboard the USS Curratuck.  As a Christmas gift, Montgomery received a bar of soap, writing paper, and a broken pencil from the Red Cross but no present could equal his new sense of freedom.  From Leyte, LTJG Rising was flown to the United States for a reunion with his wife and their young baby.  LTJG Rising eventually received the Navy Cross, signed up for another tour and returned to finish the war flying "single-seater" aircraft.

 

ARM2 Montgomery joined returning Americans in Operation Magic Carpet, returning to California on an escort carrier in January 1945 still wearing Marine greens and the oversize army boots that had been issued to him at the beachhead in southern Mindoro. After a 30 day leave, he reported to the Naval Air Training Center in Memphis, then refresher training at gunnery school, and finally on to a PB4Y squadron in Jacksonville, Florida.  On September 13, 1945, only days after World War II ended, ARM2 Montgomery was discharged.  Among his many awards was the Distinguished Flying Cross (for action on October 25, 1944, twelve days before he was shot down), Air Medal, Purple Heart, and numerous campaign and service ribbons.

 

Returning to his home in Shelbyville, Kentucky, he went to work for the US Postal Service from which he later retired.  Years later he said, "I cannot find enough words of praise to describe the manner in which the friendly Fil-American guerrillas took care of me and other American fliers who were in the same helpless condition.  They made great sacrifices to feed us when they didn't have enough food for themselves and they kept us hidden from the Japs at great risk to themselves and their families.  Our survival would have been impossible without the aid of the Fil-Americans.” 

 

On Veterans Day, 1997, ARM2 Montgomery was induction into the Enlisted Combat Aircrew Roll of Honor aboard the USS Yorktown in Patriots Point, South Carolina.  Also in his honor, a plaque and his photo hang at the Navy Memorial.  He died on January 1, 2001, and has been buried at Grove Hill Cemetery in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

 

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)