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Last bataan death march survivor

Started by pineywoods, June 30, 2012, 03:11:15 PM

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pineywoods

The last survivor of the infamous bataan death march died last week. If you care about men who defended our country, we need to honor the memory of this man. He was born and reared about 5 miles from where I sit typing this. I knew him and his family, most of whom still live in this area. One of the things the newspaper article doesn't tell is how he cared for a very sick and weak companion during that extremely difficult time. That companion was a close relative. He and nearly 16,000 others didn't survive.

here's a link
http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20120630/NEWS01/206300335/One-greatest-now-gone?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

RIP JC,
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

Jim_Rogers

We should honor all who serve.....regardless of which war or conflict.. Thanks for the post about your neighbor.. 
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Warbird

May he rest in peace.  Thank you for sharing this.

chain

Thank-you Piney for the remembrance of our Nation's heros. I also had an old friend who was a survivor of the Death March. Years after the war he would write his memoirs of the experience, his stories printed in local newspapers. His wife was a very kind, and quiet lady, she was my HS typing teacher and I've always credited her to keeping me out of  the infantry and 'Nam.

Also, my HS football coach was a Marine WWII vet. Three time purple heart recipient, and the only landing he wasn't wounded on was Tarawa. He was in the first wave, as part of his regiment took cover near a pier...then watched as the next three waves of Marines floundered and many drowned or were cut down.

Both these vets and tens of thousands more came through the hell and horror for our America.s freedom.

thecfarm

pineywoods,thank you. You are honored to know him.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

wesdor

Thank you for the posting.  Our WW II veterans were great heroes and this man was one of the very special ones.  I work with a group that is having high school students interview and create online videos of the survivors.

As Jim Rogers observed, there are a lot of other heroes from other conflicts.  Thanks for sharing about this great man.

BaldBob

Quote from: pineywoods on June 30, 2012, 03:11:15 PM
The last survivor of the infamous bataan death march died last week.
RIP JC,

While he may be the last survivor of the Bataan Death March from your local area, I'm certain that he is not the last survivor. A Filipino man in his 90's who lives in the retirement center across the street from me is a survivor of that ordeal. Whether or not the soldier written about in the article you linked was the last survivor, is secondary to the fact that all who went through that are real heroes.

shinnlinger

Good Article...  I saw a holocaust survivor speak once and someone asked if he hated Germans.   He said "how could I hate all Germans?".  He didnt like the guard that smashed  his teeth in for no reason, but a German woman in a factory he was working in risked herself by smuggling him a sandwich every day. 
Shinnlinger
Woodshop teacher, pasture raised chicken farmer
34 horse kubota L-2850, Turner Band Mill, '84 F-600,
living in self-built/milled timberframe home

Rocky_Ranger

I used to have a cousin who wrote a book about his experiences on the death march, http://www.ento.okstate.edu/museum/guest-of-the-emperor.pdf
I visited with him many times while he was still alive - the above link is his book about the ordeal in his own words.  Pretty good read..........I usually try to spin with something witty, but for this topic - 'nuff said.
RETIRED!

Shotgun

Thanks, Rocky.  I have saved the .pdf and will read it at my leisure. I have heard about the march, and basically understood what happened, but I will certainly appreciate reading about it first hand.

Norm
Joined The Forestry Forum 5 days before 9/11.

hardtailjohn

Quote from: BaldBob on July 01, 2012, 01:15:58 AM
Quote from: pineywoods on June 30, 2012, 03:11:15 PM
The last survivor of the infamous bataan death march died last week.
RIP JC,

While he may be the last survivor of the Bataan Death March from your local area, I'm certain that he is not the last survivor. A Filipino man in his 90's who lives in the retirement center across the street from me is a survivor of that ordeal. Whether or not the soldier written about in the article you linked was the last survivor, is secondary to the fact that all who went through that are real heroes.


The guy I bought my mill from is a survivor of the Bataan Death March as well. Awesome guy and the stories he can tell.... yes, they certainly heroes!!!!
John
I'm so far behind, I think I'm ahead!

Clam77

I know of a local guy here too that's a survivor.  He's not doing the best but he's still out on a tractor farming and doing what he likes to do to this day..    ;)
Andy

Stihl 009, 028, 038, 041, MS362
Mac 1-40, 3-25

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