European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 11, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wily f-16s Over Remote want Island in the South Pecich scene of heavy fighting in world wer h. Return to Wake Island by Christine Donnelly associated press Alm tree s Nony Drew 42civilian defends a 14 military men a a c lout about 100 family members. For Manyol them  reunion june 13-16 was their first visit to the Island to Iarj i to War. Ival Dale Milbourn 64, a Rel Rcd construction contractor who lives in Santa Rosa. Calif., Mill has occasional nightmares Aboul his War experiences by bringing his Wile two sons and his 85-year-old father to the reunion he hoped to put some Mohe old ghosts to rest. This has been a 4t-Ycar-dream, Lilbourn said As he looked Over the Post he manned on the Day of the first attack on dec. 8,1941. I just can 1 explain How i i eel. But by having my family Here 1 eel like they understand Why i m the Way i am Why i sex Marina Roger Chick " Bentford salutes the Flag on his return to the Island. Did the  Milbou was 1b years old and a private m the . Marine corps when he landed on Wake in late 1941. He still recalls the details of that in St alack. Only hours alter the japanese struck Pearl Harbor. Wake is West of the International Dalcine so it was the next Day there. We weren t prepared Al  says Milbourn who manned a 3-Inch anti aircraft gun. To had t even filled the . A ran Lour positions and trained Nghil on those planes bul we were expecting reinforcements and we though they might be our own Guys " the next 16 Days were a blur of daily bombing raids thwarted invasions and Clotho Urjil bal Les the outnumbered . Troops Shol Down 21 japanese planes and Sank Al least two Dusl Royers with outmoded weapons salvaged irom warships from world War i but with no reinforcements and Halle ammunition icy surrendered to the japanese on dec 23.1s11. The marines were commanded by Mai James p.3. Devereux who was acclaimed the hero of Wake Island during the lighting to was Tepo Ted to have sent out the message. Send us More  he later denied the Story Devereux who served As a congressman rom Maryland after 1he War died aug. 5 of pneumonia Al ago b5. We were among the last marines to get the order to surrender Milbou recalls and when we were told to give up our guns Well that was Tho first time we Ever told an no up your bucket because we d been told the japanese Lake no prisoners the americans Woro ordered to strip and March Down to the old Airstrip whore a ring of machine guns awaited. There they were lied up and ordered to Crouch in the Middle of the Circle we were scared and playing and crying and everything  Milbourn says. Then at the last minute they look the guns Down because they Learned there were civilians among  the americans 449 marines 68 sailors six army air corps men and 1.200 civilians were left on Tho Airstrip overnight still naked and lightly bound. Tho next Day they were each Given a Small piece of bread and a drink of gasoline tailed Walcer. It was dec 25,1941. That was our Christmas dinner and we had no idea How much worse it would get Milbourn recalls. Most of the prisoners Woro eventually Iran erred by boat to prison Camps in Shanghai and Japan. Several prisoners were beheaded and All were poorly led along the Way. The japanese kept 98 civilians on the Island As slave labor. Roger Chick Bamford of Texarkana ark., lied about his age to oin the marines when he was is years old so to had not even Lumc 20 when he was released irom prison Camp in september 1915, alter the japanese surrender. I got the name Chick in Boot Camp because i was such a hid says Bamford. In prison Camp the older Guys looked out Lor to tried to gel me food because i was in my growing  across the atoll the survivors Many of whom had t seen each other since they were liberated irom prison Camps gathered in Little groups to compare experiences. They set off under the blazing tropical Sun to Imd memorable spots the bunkers the old Landing strip the mass grave where the dead were Laid to rest. Thai s what this trip is really  said Walter Kennedy 71, of Orange Cove calif., who As a 23-Yoar old Marine sergeant was injured during the first alack. It s been nearly 50 years and we re pretty old now but it was a Heck of a fight and we still  adds Kennedy who made the Marino corps i career. Seeing the Guys who helped get you through All those years in Iho prison Camps Well it just makes you Happy to be  01 the americans 120 were killed in the lighting and 231 died in Captivity. The 98 civilians Kepi on Wake were exec used on oct. 7,1943 they loll behind a reminder of i hair plight a Large Coral Boulder painstakingly hand carved with their initials and the still legible message that