Place of interview: Weihsien, Shantung Province, China

Date: August 1945

The interview was created by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Morale Operations Branch

Transcribed by Mary T. Previte, (2008)

Source of audio recording: National Archives, College Park, Maryland, USA
(ARC Identifier: 102069, Local Identifier: 226.13)

Voices include those of OSS interviewer, Major Stanley Staiger,
Ensign James W. Moore, 1st Lt. James J. Hannon, Sgt. Tad Nagaki, Sgt. Raymond N. Hanchulak, Corporal Peter Orlich, Eddie Wang.

Interviewer: On August 17, an OSS humanitarian mission
parachuted into the civilian assembly camp at Weihsien, China. There were 1,500 civilians of 14 nationalities had been interned here for 2 ½ years by the Japanese. This OSS mission was called DUCK. The team leader was Major Stanley A. Staiger. Major Staiger now tells us about DUCK Mission and its objectives.

Major Staiger: On August 17, 1945, our team comprised of three
officers and four enlisted men made a parachute jump into Weihsien, China. Our mission was to arrange for the evacuation of some 20 to 30 medical cases who were internees in the POW camp at this station. Also we were to arrange for the air transport and re-supply of food and clothing to the internees of this camp All records concerning personnel, Japanese authorities, and Chinese assistance people were to be collected by us and turned over to our respective headquarters.

Interviewer: Major, did you have any idea of the Japanese
probable attitude towards your mission?

Major Staiger: No we did not. We had no idea.

Interviewer: Uh, so you were taking a chance that you might be
met with bullets when you went out on that mission. You knew that possibility.

Major Staiger: Yes, we knew that possibility.

Interviewer: Now, sir, you went up in the plane above Weihsien.
Now what information did you have on the location of the camp?

Major Staiger: Our information concerning the location of the
camps was that the internee camp in this area was located near Weihsien, China. The exact location was not known.

Interviewer: Uh, you knew just that it was a compound outside
of the camp (city) somewhere.

Major Staiger: Yes.

Interviewer: And, uh, what steps did you take to discover the
compound from the plane?

Major Staiger: Our plane flew in at about 2,000 feet over the city
of Weihsien on our first pass over the district. Upon contacting no enemy resistance from the ground, we lowered down to 1,000 feet at which time we continued to lower until we were at 500 feet. We made several passes over the city of Weihsien, the surrounding locality, various compounds. Eventually, after making approximately six to seven passes over the area and various compounds, we located the camp at Weihsien.

Interviewer: Major, how did you locate the camp? How did you
know this was definitely it?

Major Staiger: We noticed one compound which was located
two to three miles southeast of the city of Weihsien. The compound had barbed wire – uh – around the outside of the area. It also had a wall – uh – (whispered) I can’t do it.

Interviewer: You’re doing fine, Major. Step right back up to this
microphone!

Major Staiger: (softly) Holy smokes!

Interviewer: You saw wire around it?

Major Staiger: We saw wire around the compound and a high
wall with pill boxes on all ends.

Interviewer: Fine. And you saw people out waving, too, didn’t
you?

Major Staiger: Yes, there were people in an area which was
similar to a ball diamond, and, uh, we got the idea right away that they were Allied prisoners of war because the persons waving as us has cotton clothes on – cotton dresses with plaid and so forth.

Interviewer: Yes, that’s right. Well, then you came down and
the pilot brought the B-29, B-24 down.

Major Staiger: Exactly – down about 450 feet.

Interviewer: And then you jumped.

Major Staiger: Jumped.

Interviewer: Major, in what order did you and the team jump
from the plane?

Major Staiger: We jumped in the following order: Myself was
number one man. Number two man was Sergeant Nagaki.
Sergeant Nagaki.

Sergeant. Nagaki: Sergeant Nagaki, Japanese-American
interpreter on this mission.

Major Staiger: Number three man was Ensign James W. Moore.

Ensign Moore: Ensign James W. Moore, Intelligence Officer for
the DUCK Mission.

Major Staiger: Number four man was T/5 Peter Orlich.

Corporal Orlich: Corporal Peter Orlich, radio operator on this
mission.

Major Staiger: Number five man was Eddie Wang.

Eddie Wang: Eddie Wang, Chinese-American interpreter on this
mission.

Interviewer: Ding hao!

Major Staiger: Number six man was 1st Lieutenant James
Hannon.

Lieutenant Hannon: Lieutenant Jams J. Hannon, AGAS
(Air Ground Aid Service) representative on the DUCK
Mission.

Major Staiger: Number seven man was T/4 Raymond N.
Hanchulak, our medic.

Sergeant Hanchulak: Sergeant Ray Hanchulak, medical
surgeon on this mission.

Major Staiger: I can truthfully say that it has certainly been a pleasure and honor to serve with this group, the officers and enlisted men that comprised the DUCK Mission. Each man has done his job to the best of his ability and due regard and honor is entitled to each and every one.

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