Comments of a Liberated Crew

In Singapore, TIME Hong Kong Bureau Chief Roy Rowan interviewed members of the Mayaguez crew. Some of their reactions:

Third Mate David English, 28, of Seattle: "I had just left the bridge when the Cambodians started firing over, under and across our bow. Once they boarded the ship, they tried to round us up. But we still had pretty much the run of the ship. There were as few as six and as many as 40 Cambodians aboard at one time. They were young kids, a little ignorant and touchy, especially when they were shooting at the U.S. planes. They were no good at all at firing hand-held weapons. Their security was very lax. At one time, I think it would have actually been possible for us to overpower them.

"The most depressing moment came when we were taken into Kompong Som. I looked up and saw all those armed people on the dock and I thought, this is it, the old North Viet Nam prison stunt. I figured they'd march us down the street and into some jail and nobody would hear from us for years.

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"The funniest moment came when the Cambodians were about to release us. Early Thursday morning the camp commander, who had been a smiling-type fellow, came in. Now he looked like he had just lost his fortune in a poker game. He had to give up his prize. But before he let us go, he lined us all up and had his No. 2 man take our pictures."

Messman William F. Bellinger, 52, of Houston: "Every spare moment I scribbled in my diary. For some reason these Cambodian guys never confiscated my pad. But one of them lifted the pen out of my pocket and asked for it. Very polite like. They never took things off you without asking. But you don't say no to a guy who's got a gun on you.

"They were a raggedy bunch and they didn't know how to use things. One guy just squatted on the wash basin. So we showed them how to use the toilet. The shower was the big hit. Once we showed them how to use it, they had a ball. One guy held the gun, and the rest piled in under the shower. Some times they were afraid of things they did not understand.

They wouldn't let us touch the typewriter. I guess they thought we could send messages out on it. I don't think anybody got sick on their food even though it wasn't what you would go into a restaurant and order. They served us first and ate the leftovers."

Abie-Bodied Seaman Herbert McDonald, 57: "This was my second hijacking at sea. I was on a freighter off the coast of Pakistan when some guys came aboard and pointed guns at us. Then they let us go. At first I thought the Cambodians were going to take us out and shoot us. But they were so nice, really kind. They fed us first and everything. I hope everybody gets hijacked by them."

Abie-Bodied Seaman Earl Gilbert, 52, of Pascagoula, Miss.: "After the Marines came, God I felt good. Damn good. Those Marines are great. Ford did a damn good job, but I just want to thank those Marines."

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