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Memories From the Heart (During WW II and the Korean War)
by M/Sgt. Donald Mapes
100 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #01-0126; ISBN 1-55212-727-3; US$17.00, C$19.53, EUR14.00, £10.00
This is an autobiography. The account of events and the author's life in the military during WW II and the Korean War.
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About the book Reviews About the author Sample excerpts Catalogue info
 About the BookThis is a true story of interactions between young men placed together in an Army camp for training. The personal experiences and conflicts occuring while in a foreign country and the personal satisfaction of doing their duty make this a story that can be appreciated by all those who have been in the military, their families, and people studying military affairs. |
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT MEMORIES FROM THE HEART
"Be prepared for an evening of reading - once you pick this book up, you won't want to put it down until you've reached the final word of the final sentence.
This remarkable story of Mr Mapes' service both at home and abroad is a fascinatingly realistic look at a historical event."
- Jimmy Gilchrist
Northern Ohio
"This very unique view of WW II and the Korean War, written from the point of view of an active serviceman, enables us to actually live through this historical event along with the author, Donald Mapes.
Memories From the Heart is a very engaging and fascinating account of M/Sgt Mapes' service in the US and also in the very exotic and exciting land of the Orient.
A very interesting read - hard to put down!
- A reader from Cleveland, Ohio.
"I feel this book was very detailed and very thorough on the events that took place in the different countries that Don traveled. It was like I was another soldier standing beside him living the experience. 'Memories From The Heart' is a very exceptional book in my opinion about World War II, and the Korean War. There were many places that were described that I didn't even know existed. I am very grateful that I spent the time to read this book."
- Ray Riddick
Columbia Station, Ohio
Memories From the Heart is a must-read for anyone hooked on survivor stories. I happen to be one of those. Written by Donald Mapes of Cleveland, Ohio, the book tracks case after case of situations where the author was near death but managed to survive. He tells of his fight for life after suffering a heart attack on board a cruise ship at sea. Although because of medical reasons, he was labelled 'Reject' for Pilot training in the Army Air Corps, he managed to fight to survive and live through two wars. He was nearly killed by a man who later became a best friend. As he lay ill, Mapes was attacked by a deadly King Cobra, yet won that battle. He was chased down by three thugs who threatened to kill him but failed. The Don Mapes survival stories go on and on. This is not a book for the faint of heart. It's fact, not fiction. Anyone who has been to war will get their fill after reading about this testy family man and warrior who beat the odds time and time again...Meet a REAL SURVIVOR, Don Mapes.
Book Review by George Arthur Glenn; Former Writer/Editor, Berea, Ohio.
Reviews
About the Author
Don Mapes was in military service and served in China-Burma-India during World War II. He was called back into service during the Korean War.
Every year he plans and co-ordinates the Tri-city Veterans' Memorial Day Service in Middleburg heights, Ohio, where he lives with his wife.
Sample Excerpts
Meanwhile, Dr. Miller had been monitoring my condition since suffering a mild heart attack three days earlier. The initial plan was to keep me onboard when the ship docked in Sitka, since the medical facilities there were not as well equipped to take care of heart-attack patients as the hospitals in San Francisco. After a brief hospital stay in San Francisco, arrangements would be made for me to be flown back to Cleveland. On September 2, three days following a mild heart attack, my condition took an unexpected turn for the worst. Perhaps if we had been on board a battle cruiser instead of a celebrity cruse ship, I could be buried at sea with full military honors.
"Hold on, dear," my wife whispered, as Dr. Miller administered morphine. "Hold on until San Francisco." I felt myself slipping in and out of consciousness as I struggled between life and death. I knew I needed to survive a little longer for my wife Pat and my children.
My early years and military career flashed before me as if watching a movie in fast motion. There was no time left, not even to catch my breath. Suddenly, I was 18 again, and it was the spring of 1944. I had enlisted in the Army Air Corps, and assigned to Keesler Field near the Gulf of Mexico for basic training.
Twenty young Indian men were assigned to carry our barracks bags and other items. They carried everything on their heads. The Lieutenant and Sergeant were leading the queue. They assigned me to bring up the rear since I was next in command as a corporal. The Indian bearers followed in the queue behind me.
As we walked along the narrow trail, everything seemed quiet until shots suddenly rang out. Everyone, including the Indians, hit the dirt. We could not see the Japanese because the foliage was so thick, but we returned fire in the direction that their shots came form. In about five minutes, the firing stopped and everything was quiet again. Luckily no one was injured. A few minutes later, Lieutenant Jones gave the order to lock and load and move forward in a crouched position.
Three hours later, we stopped for chow. After eating, we were back on our way. It was about four more hours to the next checkpoint. Everyone seemed to be in a pretty good mood, a few jokes were even passed along the lines. It quickly calmed down when it seemed to be a bit too quiet in the jungle.
This silence was followed by another strike from the Japanese. Instantly, everyone hit the ground and returned fire, just like before.
It was impossible to see anyone because the jungle was so thick and overgrown. Soon the firing ceased. Nobody was shot or wounded, although some of us had cuts and scratches from hitting the dirt.
After a few minutes, we continued the trail once again. After about a half hour, we came closer to the next checkpoint.
By now, everyone had their carbine loaded and was carrying them at high port arms. The trail seemed to be getting wider which made us all an easier target.
I passed the word forward for the soldiers to stagger their distances and not walk directly behind each other. I began to remember more about the jungle training I had received back in the states and my eyes moved upwards, toward the tops of the coconut trees. I was on the lookout for a sniper in the trees with the rest of his group waiting ahead at our next checkpoint. The next check point was only about 200 yards ahead of us. If there was an enemy in that tree he could pick us off one at a time while his buddies had us pinned down. I quickly gave an order to be passed forward that when I said "Now!" everyone would hit the dirt, roll over and fire one shot into the treetop that we were just passing.
After I was sure the order had reached the Sergeant and Lieutenant, I yelled "Now!" and everyone followed as instructed. This was followed by a scream from the treetop and a thud as the enemy soldier hit the ground. At the same time, the Japanese who had taken over our next checkpoint started to fire at us. Their bullets missed us because we were already on the ground. We returned fire and in about five minutes, the firing stopped, just like before. Once again, none of our men had been injured.
Lieutenant Jones and Sergeant Bob went forward to check things out and gave us the all clear signal and motioned for us to come forward. We boarded a flat barge that was docked there waiting for us. The Indians carried all our gear onto the ship, placed it in the middle of the barge, and then headed back towards our previous checkpoint.
The name of the river was Brahmaputra. We boarded the barge and it moved up the river toward our next checkpoint. Guards were posted at each end of the barge as lookouts while the rest of us took a nap. Two hours later, the Sergeant woke us up saying that it was chow time. After eating, we locked and loaded our carbines. A few hours later it became dark and everyone was exhausted; sleep came easy.
The next morning, after K rations, my two buddies and I were sitting against the barracks bags when Lt. Jones came by and said he was turning me in for the Bronze Star Medal for saving the lives of our men. He said that if I hadn't spotted that sniper in the treetop, none of us would probably be alive.
As the Lieutenant left us, my two buddies and me decided to stand against the railing and look at the far shore. The river was about 1800 feet wide. Our boat was traveling pretty close to the Indian shore and we figured that the far shore was Burma. Karl was standing on one side of me, Abe on the other. As time passed, we kept looking at the far shoreline.
Then I asked my buddies if they had seen the puff of smoke that I was now pointing at. Neither of them saw it, but we kept watching for more. They saw the next puff and Karl said that the smoke is from the Japanese shooting at us. I told him not to worry, that we were out of range and we were moving which made it nearly impossible to hit us anyway.
Then we noticed what looked like a fish jumping out of the water about 100 feet from the boat. I pointed to the splash and told them that it was a Jap bullet hitting the water. With each puff of smoke the splash of the bullet came closer and closer to us. The last splash was only 25 feet from the boat.
Then, all of a sudden, I made a loud grunting noise as my legs buckled out from under me and I fell backwards to the deck. Karl and Abe each grabbed me by the arm and dragged me back behind the barracks bags in the middle of the boat. They yelled for the medic saying that I had been shot.
I could barely hear them talking, they sounded like they were whispering. The medic whose name was Pete unbuttoned my shirt. As he was checking me out, I could hear him repeat that I had not been shot. He gave me some smelling salts and I heard Karl telling the medic to check me out good, that something was wrong with me. The medic said he didn' t know what was wrong.
Soon I came to and tried to move, but couldn't, I was too weak. Eventually, I was at least able to move and lean my head up against the barrack bag. I fell asleep and must have slept for an hour when Abe nudged me and told me to wake up.
Abe said that we'd be at the dock soon. Within ten minutes, the barge was docked. My buddies carried my bags ashore for me.
We had arrived at our next checkpoint, which was at the end of a railroad spur. There was a little building along side the track. Everyone assembled near the building as Sergeant Robert Batts who was in charge of this check point approached us and informed us to lock and load our weapons because the Japanese were attacking the train about ten miles down the track and we may have to fight our way out of there.
The train was to take us to the Jorhat Airport where we would be flown over the Hump to Kunming, China. Sergeant Robert Batts said that when the train arrives he wants everyone to board as quickly as possible since it will be leaving very quickly.
He asked if we had any questions, and just as he turned to leave I told him that I was sick to my stomach and needed to locate a restroom.
He pointed up the path about fifty feet to a small hill to the nearest outhouse and warned me that if I didn't make it back in time, the train would be leaving without me.
I thanked him and quickly hurried up the path. Walking past the Coolies, I noticed that they were using hoes with ten-foot long handles and thought to myself how strange it was for them to be using hoes with such awkward, long handles. The outhouse looked clean. It was a two-hole toilet with the holes being two feet apart. I quickly situated myself over the toilet just in time.
I was sitting there with barely enough strength to move, when I noticed how still and quiet it suddenly became, even the wind was silent and still.
I glanced around looking for anything out of the ordinary and I felt a slight chill. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Even though I couldn't yet see it, I realized what it was - a snake. I slowly moved my right hand and grabbed my Indian dagger as I noticed a King Cobra snake head come out from the other toilet hole just two feet away from the one I was sitting on. Its long, forked tongue kept flitting about as it finally pointed its head in my direction. At that instant, I pulled the Indian dagger from its sheath and plunged it fast and hard toward the top of the Cobra's head with the intent of pinning it down to the toilet seat.
The snake was faster than I was as it ducked down into the hole. I retrieved my dagger and as I was running out the door, I could see the snake shoot straight up through the hole. The snake was about eighteen feet in length. As I was running probably as fast as I had ever run before, I heard the Coolies yelling something. I stopped and turned around to see what they were trying to say as I noticed the snake chasing me. When I stopped, the snake stopped and only four feet away, it raised up to my height, looking me right in the eyes and made a hissing noise. I was so sick from my previous stomach troubles that I could barely stand at this point. As I swayed back and forth, about to pass out, the snake did the same never taking his eyes off of mine. I raised my rifle, pushed the safety off and pointed it at his head, but before I could pull the trigger, the Coolies began to attack the snake with their ten foot handled hoes. The snake soon fell over backwards as the Coolies continued attacking him until he was certainly dead.
At this point, I must have passed out. When I woke up several hours later, I was in a hospital bed. I had a difficult time mustering up the strength to lift my head as Mary, the nurse and orderly, welcomed me back to the living. She asked how I was feeling and I told her the truth when I replied that I felt awful. Mary said I was at the 124th Station Hospital in Jorhat.
She proceeded to tell me that I had passed out because I had amoebic dysentery;I had parasites eating away at the inside of my stomach and the food I had eaten. She said that it was 100%treatable and that I would have to start the treatment by only drinking fruit juices so the acid would kill the parasites in about a week's time. I was not allowed any solid foods or water.
The following morning after breakfast as usual, I strapped on my 32, tied the holster and went back behind the shower room building to practice my shooting. When I placed the tin can at the bottom of the ridge, I heard faint clanking noises coming from over the hill. I slowly crawled up the slope, using small bushes to hide behind. As I neared the top of the ridge, I could see two Communist officers standing there looking out over our barracks. As they turned and walked away I climbed up the slope to the very top. From this view, I noticed rows of five-man tents. I estimated about a battalion of Commies had moved in overnight and set up camp.
I immediately reported what I had seen to the headquarters adjutant, Lt. Colonel Howell. He in turn alerted all American and Chinese Nationalist units in the immediate area. The Chinese Nationalists had their camp surrounded by a high elephant type fence, located at the end of Hostel #10.
This was the very beginning of the "Battle of Kunming."
The Chinese Nationalists and Communists were involved in a civil war. As soon as the Japanese surrendered, the Communists became more active.
The shooting began that evening and all hell broke loose. My buddies and I sat on the ground, up against our tarpaper barracks, as the bullets whizzed over our heads. Being pinned down between the cross fire for several days was quite a traumatic experience, never knowing if and when a stray bullet would have your name written on it.
Several days of fighting had passed and I was ordered to report to headquarters. When I entered headquarters, the adjutant said to me that because of my meritious action of observing and reporting that the Communists had moved in and set up camp on top of the hill, the appropriate people had been notified in time to prepare for an attack and drive the Commies out. He continued to tell me how all of this had occurred without even one American casualty and that the commendation would be placed in my 201 file.
