Here’s a long talk (1 hour 25 minutes) from a survivor of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines in 1942, followed by over three years in Japanese captivity. It’s a sobering reminder of a period of history about which far too many are ignorant today.
There are very few survivors left among us from World War II. We need to record their memories like this one, so that future generations won’t forget.
Peter
Oh, we should never forget!
A man from the Death March lived in my husband's town. He never got over it.
I highly recommend this book:
Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission by Hampton Sides.
Willfully Ignorant.
One of my teachers, USMC Major Ted Richardson, was a survivor of that march. "The Maj" was a fine man, and I wish I had had the presence of mind to tell him so when I had the chance.
Very interesting, but his comment of being in the first tank battle of WWII is not correct. What about what had been going on in Europe and North Africa before the USA got involved?
Thanks Peter, This man is inspirational. I passed the link on to others. I especially like how he talked about small goals.
@Timbo: It was the first tank battle of WW2 in which US forces were involved. Obviously, the USA wasn't a party to the war before December 7th, 1941.
The sad thing is, Hitler and Stalin won. Having to show our papers to do something for example. Government intrusiveness everywhere.
A good friend of mine. We've been having coffee since 1997 on a regular basis.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/life/features/world-war-ii-veteran-recalls-the-rank-fear-and-uncertainty/article_8b2999e9-9131-5b80-a318-21139faf925f.html#.VkPMf-1YT7M.facebook
sth_txs said…
The sad thing is, Hitler and Stalin won. Having to show our papers to do something for example. Government intrusiveness everywhere.
Sorry, disagree. Yes, we've gotten "there", but if the Nazi's had won there wouldn't even be a United States.
One of my TI's in basic had a "souvenir scar" from a bayonet that ran the length of his face. One his buddies stitched up the wound as he was supported by two more buddies because the japs would not let them stop. This scar was a Frankenstein. He was one tough man plus a good instructor.
Fred
My uncle, Byron Brock, was a survivor of the Bataan Death March. During one of the few times he talked about it, he said, the only reason he survived was that he and a buddy found a tin can with a hole in the bottom. Holding the can in the rain with a finger over the hole allowed them to drink clean water, instead of being forced to drink the ditch water the Japanese soldiers forced their prisoners to drink. He came out of the POW camps weighing less than 90 pounds and with what would today be called PTSD. I remember while visiting during the 60's, my mother sent me to wake him. I was instructed not to touch him, not to go into the room but to stand in the doorway and call his name until he was awake. He hated the Japanese and refused to eat rice to the day he died.