Louis Goldbrum's Account of His Military Life


    My original Company was the Signal Co. Aircraft Warning, under then Lt. Robert H. Arnold.   When the war started we were ordered to destroy our equipment and proceed to join the nearest forces.   We met up with a Walter Cushing who was the owner of a gold mine in the area.   He and Arnold disagreed and I decided to remain with Cushing.   I was part of several ambushes commanded by then Major Cushing and helped blow up several bridges.   Cushing, was very restless and went off on his own very often.   I became separated as a result of his side trips and then came in contact with Col. John P. Horan, who gave me a battle field commission to first Lt. and incorporated me in the 121st Infantry.

    I was ordered to proceed to the Abra, Ilocus Norte, Ilocus Sur region and set up a sector there.   There I met and joined up with Major Blea Capayes who commanded a Philippine Constabulary unit and we cooperated with one another.   I continued to harass the Japs and when I got word that they were going to come into the interior, I blew up any bridge that they repaired previously.   This we did at night because the Japanese did not come out at night and we could proceed without any interruption.   Capayes received orders to refrain from any campaigns in February 1943, and suggested I do the same.   He disbanded most of his command and just kept several of his non-coms with him.   I, and a Cpl. Benedum, Pvt. Hockman, and Lt. Tobancura, proceeded South to try to join another guerrilla group while doing this we were captured by a Japanese patrol and taken into Narvacan, Ilocus Sur.

    Luckily a Mr. Quintin Paredes was there.   He was a former Philippine Government official and he persuaded the Japanese commander to treat us honorably because we were captured unaware and according to their Bushido code, we did not surrender and deserved proper treatment and sent to the nearest prison camp.   I was separated from the others and sent to Bilibid prison and after questioning put into an isolatiion cell and remained there until I was made to join the group of 500 Americans sent to Japan and Camp # 17.

    Lou "Goldy" Goldbrum
    goldy45@webtv.net