Figure 6-13.--Death angel with gills, veil, stem, and cap.
in favor of the enemy to increase your chances of capture
in spite of a determined effort on your part to evade. The
surrender of your weapon, however, does not mean that
Figure 6-12.--Fly agaric.
you forfeit your responsibilities as a member of the
fighting forces of the United States. The Code of
Most animal foods that you encounter are edible;
Conduct of the armed forces directs you to begin
but some, like mollusks, may introduce parasites into
planning your escape the minute you are taken prisoner.
your body, especially when eaten uncooked or when
Escape is tough; making it work is even tougher. It
they are not fresh. Crustaceans are almost always edible;
but they spoil rapidly and harbor harmful parasites. Be
demands courage, cunning, and much planning-of
sure to cook the freshwater variety; eat the saltwater
seeking ways out, a route to follow, and the location of
variety raw if you desire.
friends. Above all, escape demands physical stamina
stamina that you must acquire under the worst con-
There are no simple way of telling whether or not a
ditions imaginable. Experience has proved that "model"
fish is edible. Often fish that are edible in one area are
camps, where rations are regular and treatment con-
not in another. This depends on the place, their source
of food, or even the season of the year. At first, eat only
siderate, are the exception. But no matter what extremes
small portions of any fish. If you feel no ill effects, it is
you encounter as a POW, your aim should beto keep
probably safe to continue eating the fish.
yourself as physically able and sufficiently equipped-
breaking out as soon as possible.
In the Arctic there is a fish called the sculpin that
lays poisonous eggs; the black mussel maybe poisonous
If you are captured, try to make your escape early.
at any season, and its poison is as dangerous as
You may never be in better physical condition to escape
strychnine. If you kill a seal or polar bear, do not eat its
than at the moment you are captured. Prison rations are
liver. This liver is too high in vitamin A, which can make
barely enough to sustain life, certainly not enough to
you sick Do not eat polar bear meat before it is cooked.
build up a reserve of energy. The physical treatment,
It is always diseased.
lack of proper medical care, and insufficient rations of
prison life soon show their effects in morale and
ESCAPE
physical weakness, night blindness, and loss of
coordination and reasoning power. There are other
What happens if you become a prisoner of war?
After all, it is possible. Isolation, fear, injuryall work
reasons for making your escape early.
6-13
