Word: wamba
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...more than a month, the main target of the Congo's two mercenary rescue columns had been the town of Wamba, where rebel Simbas were known to be holding some 250 white hostages. Last week the mercenaries finally made it to Wamba, and what they found confirmed their worst fears. Though 121 whites were still alive, another 28 had been brutally massacred. Most of the dead were Belgians - including Monsignor Joseph-Pierre Albert Wittebols, Bishop of Wamba. Most of the survivors were Greeks - who had paid for their lives with cash and cooperation...
...Mike." Bishop Wittebols, 26 Belgian priests and laymen were slain on the day of the para drop at nearby Paulis. According to survivors, the Simbas raced around screeching "Kill, kill, kill them all!" The Belgians were shot, clubbed to death or tied up and hurled alive into the Wamba River. But that was killing with kindness compared to the fate of American Protestant Missionary William McChesney, 28. They performed a mad war dance on his prostrate body until internal bleeding from ruptured organs ended his agony. Then the Simbas plucked out his eyes and threw his corpse into the river...
...Wamba massacre brought to nearly 200 the total of whites killed since the Belgian-American para drop on Stanleyville last November, and left at least 90 more whites still in rebel hands. The Wamba rescue brought to an end one major phase of mercenary activity, and with it came bad news. South African Mercenary Commander Michael Hoare flew back to Leopoldville to inform Congolese Premier Moise Tshombe that he did not plan to renew his six-month contract. With starchy, spit-and-polish "Mad Mike" threatening to issue his last harrumph, other battle-hardened officers in Tshombe's dwindling...