Adventures in Odyssey

Chris: Hi, this is Chris. Welcome to Adventures in Odyssey.

Whit: Oh, hi there. My name is John Avery Whittaker, but you can call me Whit. And this is Odyssey, a place where discovery and excitement are waiting just around the corner. Why don't you come along and we'll have an adventure in Odyssey. There is no story. No story.

Children: Joe! Joe, where are you?

Connie: New Guinea? Where's that?

Young Terrence: Our parents stay to hide in the jungle until the Japanese go away.

Terrence: I'm Terrence, Joe.

Children: Terrence?

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Guest (Male): Hear how the writers come up with their ideas. Learn about the actors behind your favorite characters. Listen to Q&A's and more.

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Dale Jacobs: Really? Are you sure about the name?

Connie: Mr. Jacobs, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were on the phone.

Dale Jacobs: It's all right. I'll be off in a sec. Yes, yes, I got it. Well, thank you very much for the information. You've been very helpful. Goodbye.

Connie: Hi, Connie. Hi. Sorry about that. Your secretary said to just come on in.

Dale Jacobs: That's all right. Is that Whit's story?

Connie: Yeah. His adventure in World War II.

Dale Jacobs: Great.

Connie: Have you ever heard him tell the story?

Dale Jacobs: No, I haven't. That's why I wanted him to write it down.

Connie: Is this some sort of special project or something?

Dale Jacobs: Yes, it is. In honor of Memorial Day, I'm running a series of stories on Odyssey's war heroes.

Connie: Heroes? You mean there are others besides Whit?

Dale Jacobs: As a matter of fact, there are. That's what that phone call was about. It seems that in addition to Whit, we have several other World War II veterans living in the area. Including someone you know really well.

Connie: Who?

Dale Jacobs: Joe Finneman.

Connie: My Great Uncle Joe?

Dale Jacobs: One and the same. According to the state Veterans of Foreign Wars Association, Sergeant Joe Finneman received the Purple Heart and the Medal of Bravery.

Connie: You're kidding. What for?

Dale Jacobs: That's what I was on my way to Finneman's Market to find out. Care to join me?

Connie: Sure. Let's get the story.

Joe Finneman: There is no story.

Gene: 314.

Joe Finneman: There you go, Joe. Thanks. Bye now. No story.

Connie: Uncle Joe, you fought in World War II. That alone makes you worthy of an article. You're a piece of living history.

Joe Finneman: Oh, I am not.

Connie: Yes, you are! Oh, talk to him, Mr. Jacobs.

Dale Jacobs: You took part in the biggest fight for freedom the world has ever seen. You can't let that be forgotten.

Joe Finneman: The fight won't be forgotten. Just my part in it.

Connie: Uncle Joe!

Joe Finneman: Connie, Dale, there is no story. Now, really. Okay? Okay. I read you. But you need to know that I'm going to keep digging. I think you do have a story, and I think it deserves to be told.

Joe Finneman: You do what you want, but you won't find what you're looking for.

Connie: See you later, Uncle Joe.

Joe Finneman: Bye.

Children: Joe! Joe, where are you? Joe! Joe!

Joe Finneman: I won't. I won't remember. Why does this have to come back on me now?

Connie: Uncle Joe can be so stubborn sometimes. I think kids and people my age need to hear about this.

Dale Jacobs: I agree.

Connie: So you're going to keep trying to find out what happened?

Dale Jacobs: Hey, I'm a newspaper man.

Connie: But if he didn't give you anything to go on, how are you going to do it?

Dale Jacobs: I'm not without my resources. First, I'll see if I can get some more information from the VFW Association.

Connie: And if you can't?

Dale Jacobs: I don't know. Got any suggestions?

Connie: No, but, well, I might be able to help.

Dale Jacobs: Oh, really?

Connie: Hey, I'm family. If anyone can get him to change his mind, it should be me, right?

Joe Finneman: Connie, there's no story.

Connie: Story? What story? Did I say anything about a story? All right, you got me. Now why don't you want to talk about it?

Joe Finneman: Because there's nothing to talk about. Now, why won't you all believe me?

Connie: Because it's not just anybody who gets medals in a war. It's only the heroes.

Joe Finneman: I'm not a hero.

Connie: Well, according to the VFW, you are. Why don't you let the rest of us judge for ourselves?

Joe Finneman: Connie!

Connie: Please, Uncle Joe. I'm really interested in this. You don't mind talking about Pearl Harbor and that friend of yours, what was his name? Sam Saburo. Yeah, him.

Joe Finneman: Well, Sam was a real hero. I'd be more than willing to talk to you or Dale or anybody else about him.

Connie: Okay. Tell me more about Sam Saburo then. He was in the Navy, right?

Joe Finneman: Yep. Naval Intelligence.

Connie: And that's where you guys met, wasn't it?

Joe Finneman: Yes.

Connie: Well, were you in the Navy too?

Joe Finneman: No, not the Navy. I enlisted in the Marines.

Connie: Oh, the Marines! Wow. Well, since you knew Sam, did they let you stay in Pearl Harbor?

Joe Finneman: No, Connie. When you're in the service, you go where they tell you.

Connie: Whit was wounded at Guadalcanal. Were you there?

Joe Finneman: Uh-huh, for three months. And we went to a lot of other places and finally ended up at New Guinea.

Connie: New Guinea? Where's that?

Joe Finneman: Don't they teach you kids anything at school? It's near Australia. It's now called Papua New Guinea.

Connie: Oh, Australia, where they did The Sound of Music.

Joe Finneman: That's Austria.

Connie: Oh, yeah. You were a sergeant, right?

Joe Finneman: Yes, I was. And don't think I haven't noticed that we've stopped talking about Sam.

Connie: Have we?

Joe Finneman: Yes, we have. I know what you're trying to do, Connie, and it won't work. I don't want to talk about it.

Connie: But you were talking about it, or at least starting to. Can't you tell me the rest?

Joe Finneman: I have told you everything I'm going to.

Connie: Uncle Joe, you deserve recognition.

Joe Finneman: I don't want recognition. Don't you understand? I don't want anything to do with Memorial Day or war heroes. And I don't want to talk about this. I just want to be left alone.

Dale Jacobs: Dale?

Connie: Hi, Connie.

Dale Jacobs: Come on in. Any word yet?

Dale Jacobs: No, the VFW said they tried to fax it today, but it might be tomorrow.

Gene: Excuse me, Mr. Jacobs.

Dale Jacobs: Is that the fax, Gene?

Gene: Yes, it is.

Dale Jacobs: Thanks.

Gene: You're welcome.

Connie: Well, what does it say?

Dale Jacobs: Let's see. Dear Mr. Jacobs, regarding the information requested on Sergeant Joe Finneman. He served in Company E, Second Battalion, Third Armor Division, United States Marines from 1941 to 1945. Decorated for wounds received in the Battle for New Guinea.

Connie: So that's the one. Does it say how?

Dale Jacobs: Yes, yes. During the Japanese invasion, Sergeant Finneman single-handedly fought off a Japanese attack while leading a group of children to safety.

Connie: Single-handedly? Wow.

Dale Jacobs: Yeah, that's not all. According to this, Joe never received his Purple Heart or his Bravery Medal. He refused them.

Connie: Refused them? Uncle Joe really is a hero.

Dale Jacobs: Yep, he's number one.

Connie: Hey, can I see that?

Dale Jacobs: Got it. Sure. Oh, excuse me. Dale Jacobs. Oh, hello. Yes, yes, I just got it and I was looking it over and Yes, I am. Really? Wait a minute, let me get a pen. Okay, go. Terrence, Bougainville. How do you spell that? B-O-U-G-A-I-N-V-I-L-L-E. Okay. Do you have a number? Uh-huh. 542. Got it. Thank you, thank you very much.

Connie: What was that all about?

Dale Jacobs: That was a lady from the VFW Association. You're not going to believe this, but somebody else is interested in your Great Uncle too.

Connie: Really, who?

Dale Jacobs: A man named Terrence Bougainville. One of the children Joe rescued.

Connie: You're kidding.

Dale Jacobs: No, he's now a prominent Papua New Guinea businessman. He's been looking for Joe for years to thank him.

Connie: Incredible.

Dale Jacobs: Yeah, bringing the two of them together would be a great spin on this story. Unless.

Connie: Unless what?

Dale Jacobs: Well, unless this guy's some sort of hoax or something.

Connie: Why would somebody want to pull a hoax on Uncle Joe?

Dale Jacobs: I don't know, just raising the possibility.

Connie: What are you going to do?

Dale Jacobs: Are you kidding? This is too good to pass up. I've got to check it out. Hey, Jean. Yeah, I need you to place an overseas call. Mr. Terrence Bougainville, Papua New Guinea.

Guest (Male): Want to contact us about the episode you're hearing?

Guest (Female): Visit our website at Adventures and Odyssey dot com, or talk to someone at Focus on the Family. Call 1-800-A-FAMILY.

Guest (Male): With your parents' permission, of course.

Chris: We always love hearing from you.

Connie: Come on, Uncle Joe.

Joe Finneman: Where are we going, Connie?

Connie: To the War Memorial.

Joe Finneman: I told you I didn't want to have anything to do with memorials.

Connie: I know, but I have a surprise for you there.

Dale Jacobs: Hi, Connie.

Joe Finneman: Hi, Joe. Dale, are you my surprise?

Dale Jacobs: No, mate. I am.

Terrence: Who are you? I guess it has been a while since you've seen me. I'm Terrence, Joe. Terrence Bougainville.

Joe Finneman: Terrence?

Connie: We know all about the story, Uncle Joe. How you were wounded fighting off the Japanese while rescuing a group of children.

Terrence: I was one of those children, Joe. You remember? The oldest? I've been looking for you for 50 years, mate. 50 years.

Connie: Well, Uncle Joe?

Joe Finneman: I don't know where you dug this fellow up, but I don't know him.

Terrence: Joe, you may not remember me, but you got to remember this.

Connie: A picture?

Terrence: It's you, Joe. You and Sam Saburo.

Connie: Sam?

Terrence: See? On the back it says Sam and Joe, November 1941. Remember, Joe? You told me all about Sam that night you stayed with us kids in the hut. You showed me this and said he was the bravest, most honest man you ever knew.

Joe Finneman: How did you get this?

Terrence: I took it from you.

Dale Jacobs: Took it from him?

Terrence: Yeah. Joe fought a Japanese soldier just to rescue us kids. He knocked the soldier out, but not before the soldier wounded him. When he got back to the American lines, Joe had lost so much blood he collapsed. That's when I got the picture. I know I shouldn't have taken it, Joe, but it just made me feel so secure.

Terrence: I mean, it was a picture of the bravest man I'd ever known standing with the bravest man he'd ever known. Whenever I felt afraid, I looked at that picture. It got me through the rest of the war and the rest of my life. That's why I wanted to find you to give you back your picture and say thanks.

Connie: Uncle Joe?

Joe Finneman: I'm not brave, Terrence.

Connie: Uncle Joe, yes, you are.

Joe Finneman: No. I wasn't even supposed to be there that day.

Terrence: That makes you an even greater hero, mate!

Joe Finneman: Oh, you don't understand. The only reason I was there was because I was running away.

Connie: What?

Joe Finneman: I was running away. Deserting.

Terrence: I don't understand.

Dale Jacobs: Why don't you tell us what happened, Joe?

Joe Finneman: When the Japanese invaded New Guinea, my division was sent to join up with the Australian command and drive them out. Jungle fighting was horrible. The worst thing I'd ever been through. Didn't seem like it would ever end. Every day I saw friend after friend die.

Soldier: Charlie!

Joe Finneman: Charlie! No! It just went on and on.

Joe Finneman: I took all that I could. Then one day while we were on a skirmish, something just snapped.

Soldier: Sarge? Sergeant Finneman? Sarge?

Joe Finneman: Uh.

Soldier: You all right?

Joe Finneman: Yeah, yeah, sure.

Soldier: All right, you guys, back in line. We're moving out!

Soldier: Oh, brother, here we go again. Come on, Sarge. We don't want to keep Lieutenant Hardnose waiting.

Joe Finneman: Yeah. You, you go ahead. I'll bring up the rear. I knew I shouldn't do it. It was like I couldn't stop myself. So as the line moved forward through the thick jungle, I just fell farther and farther behind. I kept thinking, "I just need a day to myself."

Joe Finneman: I'll hide in the jungle, and when they come back from skirmish, I'll rejoin them. So I hid.

Soldier: Finneman! Where's Sergeant Finneman?

Soldier: I don't know, sir. He must have gotten separated from the group. Should I form a search party?

Soldier: No, we don't have time. We have to make the rendezvous.

Soldier: But sir!

Soldier: We'll try to find him on the way back. Now form the squad!

Soldier: Yes, sir.

Joe Finneman: And it worked. I watched them fade into the jungle. I waited for a while to make sure they were gone, then decided I'd take a look around. The only problem was the jungle was so thick, I didn't know which way I was going. Pretty soon I was lost. Great, Joe, just great. I wandered around for a long time. Then just before dusk, I stumbled into a small, deserted village. Or at least I thought it was deserted. In one of the bigger huts, I found

Children: Hey!

Joe Finneman: Kids! Shh! It's all right. Shh.

Young Terrence: You American?

Joe Finneman: Yeah. Yeah, I am. My name is Joe.

Young Terrence: GI Joe? He's a GI Joe.

Children: GI Joe! GI Joe!

Joe Finneman: Oh no, just Joe. No GI.

Children: Joe! Joe!

Joe Finneman: You seem to be the ringleader here. What's your name?

Young Terrence: Terrence. These are my mates.

Joe Finneman: Where are your parents?

Young Terrence: The Japanese take them. Our parents stayed to hide in the jungle until the Japanese go away. When they go, I bring everyone in here. I'm the oldest.

Joe Finneman: Oh, well, you did a good job.

Young Terrence: Thanks. You got food, Joe? We don't eat all day.

Joe Finneman: Oh yeah, sure. Come on over here, everyone. I gave them my C-rations, which they wolfed down.

Joe Finneman: They were all very scared, so I told them stories until the younger ones went to sleep. And I had Terrence show me a few directions.

Young Terrence: The Japanese take our parents off that way.

Joe Finneman: Then the American lines must be that way.

Young Terrence: When do the Japanese bring our parents back?

Joe Finneman: I don't know, Terrence.

Young Terrence: Oh. Take us with you?

Joe Finneman: It was a question I didn't expect. Bringing back a lot of kids would complicate things. Right then I made up my mind to do the most despicable thing I'd ever done. Leave them behind.

Joe Finneman: Yeah, sure. It's too late tonight though. We'll stay put and get some sleep. And then head out tomorrow, okay?

Young Terrence: Okay, Joe.

Joe Finneman: My plan was to wait until they'd all gone to sleep, then sneak away. And it worked just fine. Except for Terrence. He decided to stay awake until the wee hours of the morning talking.

Young Terrence: Where are you from, Joe?

Joe Finneman: A place called Montana. Ever hear of it?

Young Terrence: No. You got mates there?

Joe Finneman: A few.

Young Terrence: You got a best mate?

Joe Finneman: I did. He died.

Young Terrence: Oh. What was his name?

Joe Finneman: Sam.

Young Terrence: What did he look like?

Joe Finneman: Here, I got a picture of us together.

Young Terrence: He's Japanese?

Joe Finneman: That's right. Sam Saburo.

Young Terrence: Your best mate was Japanese?

Joe Finneman: Yeah. But he was also the bravest and most honest man I'd ever known.

Young Terrence: Oh. You sad about him?

Joe Finneman: Yes, I am.

Young Terrence: Don't be sad. Now we'll be best mates, okay?

Joe Finneman: Yeah. Sure. Best mates.

Joe Finneman: Finally, about an hour before dawn, Terrence drifted off to sleep. I quickly and quietly gathered up all my gear and took off in the direction of the American lines. I just don't need a bunch of kids complicating things.

Joe Finneman: But the farther away I got, the worse I felt. I kept hearing Terrence's voice.

Young Terrence: Don't be sad. Now we'll be best mates. Best mate. Best mate.

Joe Finneman: After about a half hour, I just couldn't take it anymore. So I turned around and went back. But the jungle played tricks on me again, and I wandered around for a while before I found the village. The sun was rising as I ran up to the hut. I heard the children crying again, but along with a different voice.

Children: Joe! Joe, where are you? Joe! Joe! Where are you?

Japanese Soldier: What's crying? All of you, get up and move out!

Children: Joe! Joe, where are you? Joe! Joe!

Joe Finneman: Well, I didn't know what to do. There was only one Japanese soldier in the hut, but the chances were that others were nearby. Firing my rifle would have alerted them, and I didn't want to end up in a prison camp.

Joe Finneman: So once again, I decided to do the despicable thing and leave.

Children: Joe, where are you? Joe! Joe!

Japanese Soldier: Look, crying!

Children: No!

Joe Finneman: I don't remember much about the fight. I jumped in, struggled with the kids screaming, and the bayonet. Somehow I managed to knock him out of the hut. In New Guinea, the huts are built on top of long poles, six or eight feet off the ground, so when he went, he fell backwards and landed on his neck.

Children: Joe!

Joe Finneman: The kids rushed to me. It's all right. It's all over now.

Young Terrence: Where'd you go, Joe?

Joe Finneman: I, I, I, I, never mind. Come on, we got to get going. Oh!

Young Terrence: What's wrong, Joe?

Joe Finneman: Bayonet in my side.

Children: Joe, you're bleeding!

Joe Finneman: Bayonet. He must have got me. Help me up.

Children: Joe!

Young Terrence: You sure you can walk?

Joe Finneman: Yeah. Yes. We got to get out of here. Now, come on, everyone, outside.

Young Terrence: You saved us, Joe. You saved us. You're the bravest of all.

Joe Finneman: You know the rest. I collapsed just as we got back to the American lines. I was out for three days. When I woke up, you must have told everyone what had happened, Terrence, because everybody was treating me like a hero.

Terrence: Yes, I did.

Joe Finneman: But I wasn't a hero. Now you all know why I refused those decorations. How could I accept a medal for bravery when I ran away from my outfit and almost ran away from the kids twice? I'm no hero. I'm a coward.

Terrence: Well, that may be the way you look at yourself, Joe, but that's certainly not the way I look at you. And neither do any of the other kids who were there. You saved us from slavery and probably from death. To us, you were and always will be a hero. And nothing anybody says, including you, Joe, will ever change that.

Joe Finneman: I thank you for that, Terrence. But I still ran away. Nothing's ever going to change that either. Now if you'll all excuse me.

Connie: Hello?

Joe Finneman: Sorry, we're closed.

Connie: It's me, Uncle Joe.

Joe Finneman: Oh, Connie. Well, I thought you'd be watching the big Memorial Day parade.

Connie: I was. Hey, did you see the article Mr. Jacobs wrote about you?

Joe Finneman: No.

Connie: He tells the whole story, Uncle Joe.

Joe Finneman: Well, at least I don't have to hide it anymore. I guess I ruined his war hero theme, huh?

Connie: You tell me. Listen.

Joe Finneman: I really am not interested.

Connie: I think you'll be interested in hearing this. Sometimes it's difficult for us to see the forest for the trees. When most of us look at Joe Finneman, we see a man who fought bravely and was wounded to rescue a group of children he didn't even know from an almost certain death. But when Joe Finneman looks at Joe Finneman, he sees a man who ran, both from his unit and from those children. So was he a hero?

Connie: Well, if you think heroism is never doubting or being afraid, like they show on TV and in the movies, then no. He wasn't a hero. But if you think of it as doing the right thing when it counts, then Joe Finneman is every inch a hero. And in my book, remains so today for setting the record straight when it counted. So here's to you, Joe. It's my sincere hope that someday you'll be able to step back here with the rest of us and see how great the forest really is. I'm going to go watch the rest of the parade now, Uncle Joe. But I just wanted you to know that the only person around here who thinks you're a coward is you.

Joe Finneman: Connie?

Connie: Yeah, Uncle Joe?

Whit: Looks pretty crowded out there.

Connie: Whit's saving my spot.

Whit: Do you think maybe there's enough room for both of us?

Connie: We'll make room. But we better get going.

Whit: Okay. And thank you, Connie.

Connie: No, Uncle Joe. Thank you for being there when a group of kids and the rest of the world needed you.

Chris: I'm glad Uncle Joe didn't stop caring about those children, and I know those children are glad too, even if he did start to run away. It's like Mr. Jacobs wrote, heroism is doing the right thing when it counts. And that's our adventure for today. How'd you like it? Write and tell me about it, okay? I'd love to hear from you.

Guest (Female): Just send your letter to Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995.

Guest (Male): In Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver BC, V6B 4G3.

Guest (Female): And don't forget to ask how you can get a copy of today's episode. It's called The War Hero.

Guest (Female): The address once again is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995.

Chris: Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family.

Guest (Female): The War Hero was written and directed by Phil Lawler. Our production engineer was Mark Drury and our executive producer, Chuck Bolty.

Chris: And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.