Corregidor

[VR-21]

On this date in 1942, General Wainwright surrendered the American forces on Corregidor. Those men (my father among them), and a small number of nurses began their captivity at the hands of the Japanese army.

My respects to the Americans and Filipinos who were The Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor.

[2banana]

Compare contract the treatment of American prisoners by the Japs to Abu Grab.

Naked pyramids vs death marches and starvation by forced slave labor...

[RexBeach]

How did that verse go?

“No mom, no pop, no Uncle Sam,

We’re the battling bastards of Bataan.”

God bless’em.

[MarineBrat]

[bert]

In my personal museum, I have fragmants of artillery round fuses from the Island.

I visited and studied the battlefield there and across the water on Bataan. Our troops both US Army and the Philippines stood with their backs to the wall.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

My grandfather’s brother was caught, too. Bataan, Camp O’Donnell, Cabanatuan, slave labor in the coal mines on the Japanese home islands, the whole nine yards. Rot in hell, Dugout Doug.

[VR-21]

"We're the Battling Bastards of Bataan, No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam, No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces, No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces, And nobody gives a damn!"

This was written by Frank Hewlett, 1942. It reflected the bitterness the men of the 31st Infantry felt when they realized there was no help coming.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

[RexBeach]

Thank you!

[Hegemony Cricket]

I remember finding a book about Coregidor in my father’s library when I was about 11 or 12. I started reading it, but was too horrified to finish. Unbelievable brutality.

Salute to all our war heroes...

[VR-21]

I visited Corregidor too, when I was in the Navy. I sent my father a picture of myself standing at what remained of Battery Cheney, where he served as part of the 60th Coastal Artillery (AA). I’m sure he wasn’t sure that he’d have any offspring at that time, much less one speaking english.

[Andyman]

My grandfather was 60 when he survived the Death March. I can’t imagine how great a man he was.

[Eepsy]

In case anyone is interested, “So Proudly We Hail”, a 1943 film about Army nurses stranded on Corregidor, was released on dvd for the first time last year. It’s a very good film, and nice to not be at the whim of TCM scheduling.

[VR-21]

Your picture reminds me of the surrender on the Missouri. It’s almost never shown in the footage one sees of that event, but when the Japanese signed the document, they were required to use two pens. Immediately after the signatures were made Mac called Generals Wainwright and Percival (commander of the British forces at Singapore) to the table and gave them each one of those pens. I guess is’s not considered diplomatic to show that portion of that film.

[VR-21]

"It’s a very good film..."

I agree (as is almost anything with Claudette Colbert).

[prf]

My father was one of those captured when Corregidor fell. He remained a prisoner of war for over 3 years until liberated in the Great Raid on Cabanattuan. He was 6 feel tall, but weighed only 89 pounds when he was freed. He would have laughed at the uproar over Abu Grab. Always, to his dying day, he respected the Philippino people for their help and kindness during his captivity.

[Oatka]

He was 6 feel tall, but weighed only 89 pounds when he was freed.

One of the POW books I read had a story where the prisoners were allowed to send censored mail back home, telling about how great they were treated by the Japs. One guy wrote "I was 160 pounds when I was captured, now I weigh almost as much as Jimmy."

"Jimmy" was a nephew who weighed 90 pounds.

Many of these POWs died at an early age because the abuse they went through crippled their bodies and immune systems.

[VR-21]

"Always, to his dying day, he respected the Philippino people for their help and kindness during his captivity.

As did mine! My father was for the most part very close-mouthed about the war, and particularly his captivity. Like yours though, he was very respectful and grateful to the Filipinos. They risked their lives to aid the Americans, and my father credits them with saving his life by smuggling a few cans of condensed milk to him when he was ill and had nothing to eat or drink for days while enroute from Bilibid prison to Cabanatuan 3. The story of the courage of the Filipinos then is yet another sadly untold story of that time.

[CougarGA7]

Wainwright worried the entire time of his captivity that he would be looked down on by the American people for surrendering. The first Americans he saw when the war ended was a group of OSS personnel who had been airdropped to secure the safety of POWs (This was being done all over the areas where POWs camps were known to be). He asked on of the men what people back in the states thought of him. He was told that he is a hero and was even on the cover of Time”.

Funny, I was just reading about his liberation last night not even making the connection that today would be May 6th, the day he surrendered.

[vigilence]

For many those were the darkest days of the war. Sure, Pearl Harbor was devastating but, from what I’ve heard from my family who lived through it, the fall of the PI with absolutely no way for us to rescue our troops was a real psychological blow...and they didn’t even know what kind of treatment they were actually receiving but did know it wouldn’t be good. I’ve stood on Surrender Deck of the Mighty Mo now docked in Pearl and it was a very moving experience as I recalled in my minds eye the films of the surrender and the solemn voice of General McArthur as he directed the formalities in Tokyo bay. And when he called Wainright up you could see the man was only a shadow of his former self. It was the most touching moment of the ceremony and not only fitting but in no small part, a gesture to the Japanese (who had sent low level officials, an intended slight on their part I am convinced) that we, the American and Philipino people had taken all the Japanese could dish out and here, in the emodiment of that attitude stood General Wainright, accepting their unconditional surrender. Some say it was just the natural courage of the “greatest” generation and can’t argue with that. I would only add that it carries on from generation to generation and is an inherent trait of a free people and those that love freedom so much they’re willing to endure any hardship to defend it.

[merry10]

There is also a book about the nurses called “We Band of Angels”. Interestingly, some of the nurses did not want to be part of the book.

[fredhead]

The way I remember reading it was that MacArthur himself used four pens to sign the surrender documents. He signed for the United Nations, Adm. Nimitz for the US. One was given to Wainwright, one to Percival, one sent to West Point, and the last given to Jean, his wife.

[merry10]

Had you two met before this thread? How interesting...how many prisoners were at Corregidor? A few years back, I read the book “Ghost Soldiers” and thought it was an amazing testament to the strength of our soldiers.

My aunt’s husband was a young boy then who lived near Corregidor. Apparently when he would see the Japanese soldiers go by on the roads he would throw rocks at them from the trees. They never saw him though. Your posts make me want to go back and re-read the book.

[VR-21]

Is that book “Never Plan Tomorrow” by Joseph Petak? That’s a very good book, and it has copies of the mission report of that OSS mission written by it’s commander. The prison they liberated was Hoten Camp. It’s where my father spent most of his captivity. He was amoung the original group who were transported on the Tottari Maru, and stayed at Splinter Camp.

[VR-21]

"The way I remember reading it was that MacArthur himself used four pens to sign the surrender documents. He signed for the United Nations, Adm. Nimitz for the US. One was given to Wainwright, one to Percival, one sent to West Point, and the last given to Jean, his wife.

You could very well be right. My only knowledge is from having seen that portion of the film footage, where he called those two generals to the table.

[backhoe]

Here’s some old stuff of mine ( the first link may require repeated “refresh” hits to come up )—

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b10d92a28d6.htm
Recalling Past Wars- the Bataan Death March, the Fall of Corregidor...
05-27-01 Author: the heavy equipment guy

http://www.freedominion.com.pa/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=976851#976851
Fort Drum, the Concrete Battleship of the Phillippines
Posted: 13 May 2007 08:56

[Galatians513]

I worked with a fellow several years ago whose father had written his memoirs of WWII. He had surrendered at Bataan, escaped to Corregidor (or vice-versa) and surrendered there also. Ended up in a prison camp in Japan. When the war ended, he walked to the nearest city, which happened to be Nagasaki. He was basically the first american in Nagasaki after the atom bomb. Wish I had a copy of that book.

[vetvetdoug]

My neighbor, S.T. Derryberry, survived the Bataan Death March and the three years of Japanese imprisonment. I heard when he came home he weighed 80 pounds. He passed away last year and was one tough old man. He later served out his twenty years in the USAF.

[vetvetdoug]

Was that the survivor from Throckmorton, Texas, that passed away just last year?

[VR-21]

Thanks for the material Backhoe. I did get that first link up and I’ll certainly look it over.

[backhoe]

Appreciate your looking...thanks!

[VOA]

Some photos from the surrender on the USS Missouri; click on the
thumbs for enlarged image.

Signing the Instruments of Surrender
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/japansur/js-8g.htm

Wainwright and Percival standing behind MacArthur
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/ac00001/ac04627.jpg

Formal Surrender
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/japansur/js-8.htm

“Japan Capitulates”
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/japansur/japansur.htm

and one of VOA’s favorite graphics:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/i00000/i00856k.jpg

minor factoid: I remembered an interview with a future film star recalling
his witnessing of the surrender in Tokyo Bay:
“Between 1942 and 1945 Curtis served in the United States Navy aboard
the submarine tender, the USS Proteus. He witnessed the Japanese surrender
in Tokyo Bay September 2, 1945, from 300 yards (274.32 m) away.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Curtis

[vigilence]

Thanks for the links, especially the one of your certification of attendance to the ceremonies. I would imagine that would be one of your most cherished possessions. Cheers.

[Galatians513]

Was that the survivor from Throckmorton, Texas, that passed away just last year?

I wouldn't think so, the fellow I knew was from Iowa, I believe. What was the guy's name, do you know?

[CougarGA7]

I’ll have to look that book up. Sounds like a good read. I’ll ping you to the book I’m re-reading tonight when I get home. I cant remember the authors name and the title is War in the Pacific or the Pacific War. It was written by a retired Marine/historian who my mother met in Hawaii back in 2002. She got me a copy because of my intrest in history. I had a grandfather in both theaters during the war. One was one of Murrell’s Murauders and the other was a nose gunner in a B-24 Liberator in Europe.

[trimom]

My husband’s uncle was among those surrendered on Correigidor. At over 6 foot tall and red headed, he was very short to survive at Cabanatuan. The cause of death was listed as dysentery. Reading over time has convinced us that might not be accurate. Who knows? All I am sure of is that he was one more life ended far too young.

[VR-21]

Dysentary was a common cause of death amoung prisoners of the Japanese. Prisoners were transported in very crowded conditions and what little water that was given was often not clean. It was actually rare for prisoners not to get dysentary. What made it so serious was the poor nutrition and debilitated condition of the prisoners when they got it. Wet beri-beri and hepatitis were also responsible for many deaths. My father survived wet beri-beri, and lost all of his teeth from malnutrition. Health problems caused more prisoner deaths than anything else.

The men of Corregidor generally had a higher rate of survival than the men of Bataan. The received the same brutal treatment by the Japanese when they fell into captivity, but they were not as starved and sick as were the men of Bataan, who in such debilitated condition endured the "Death March" and the hellish Camp O'Donnel.

[VOA]

Thanks for the links, especially the one of your certification
of attendance to the ceremonies. I would imagine that would be
one of your most cherished possessions. Cheers.

"vigilence",
Like most folks on Free Republic, you are MUCH too kind.
Actually I did NOT attend the Tokyo Bay/USS Missouri surrender
ceremony, nor did anybody I know personally.
I was not even "a glimmer" in my father's (AND mother's) eye
for at least a decade after the surrender ceremony!

I (VOA) was just saying that that photo/.jpg image of that
card (documenting Balfour's attendence) from the surrender ceremony
was one of the most impressive and symbolic graphics I've seen
on the Internet.
And I suspect it's pretty much "politically incorrect" in today's world.

But I have to say, it was a great day when I stumbled onto the
US Navy website with all those great photos/images.
And that "rising sun" card is just one of the greatest (IMHO!).

[VOA]

Hello “vigilence”,

For your reference, here’s a direct link to another of my most enjoyable
Naval Historical images.
Followed by a link to the (basically) “front door” to the vault for
this great archive of US Naval images:

Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle, USAAF (front), leader of
the raiding force, wires a Japanese medal to a 500-pound bomb, during
ceremonies on the flight deck of USS Hornet (CV-8), shortly before his
force of sixteen B-25B bombers took off for Japan.
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g40000/g41191.jpg

People of the Doolittle Raid
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/misc-42/doolt-p.htm

(Don’t paint me as xenophobic regarding the Japanese...I’ve worked
with a number of very good Japanese scientists. Including one whose
father “risked all” by being a Christian conscientious objector that
refused to serve in Hirohito’s military in WWII.)

Naval Historical Center; Online Library of Selected Images
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org11-2.htm

[CougarGA7]

Almost forgot to give you that book title.

Title: War in the Pacific, subtitle: America at War
by Jerome T. Hagen

[VR-21]

Thanks guy.