Georgia World War II Hero Focus of new Documentary

Army Maj. Damon J. “Rocky” Gause has a World War II story to rival that of Louis Zamperini, the hero of the recent “Unbroken” film and book. Unlike Zamperini, however, Jefferson, Georgia native Gause did not live well into his 90’s; he perished in 1944 following the crash of a plane he was test-flying in London. Based on his diaries, Gause’s unbelievable tale of survival following the attack on Pearl Harbor is the subject of a 90 minute documentary that will have its world premiere in Jefferson on November 8, with plans for later broadcast on PBS in the works.

Gause abandoned a truck he was driving with supplies to Bataan following the 1941 raid, was captured and escaped, sailed and then swam the rest of the way to Corregidor, an island in the Philippines, where he awoke on the beach to see a fellow classmate from Jefferson standing over him, the nurse Mildred Dalton. She and other nurses there restored him to health as the Japanese threatened the island. He then swam to the mainland and remained hidden in the Philippine islands until he and another Army officer, W. L. Osborne, braved a 3,200-mile trip to Australia in a 20 foot boat. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Producers raised $100,000--largely from Jefferson businesses and individuals--to get the film made. It will be shown at 3 p.m. on November 8 at the William Duncan Martin Performing Arts Center in Jefferson. Tickets are available for advance purchase at http://www.jeffersoncommunitytheatre.com/tickets.html