Posted on 08/15/2011 8:00:34 PM PDT by decimon
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A doctor once told Albert Brown he shouldn't expect to make it to 50, given the toll taken by his years in a Japanese labor camp during World War II and the infamous, often-deadly march that got him there. But the former dentist made it to 105, embodying the power of a positive spirit in the face of inordinate odds.
"Doc" Brown was nearly 40 in 1942 when he endured the Bataan Death March, a harrowing 65-mile trek in which 78,000 prisoners of war were forced to walk from Bataan province near Manila to a Japanese POW camp. As many as 11,000 died along the way. Many were denied food, water and medical care, and those who stumbled or fell during the scorching journey through Philippine jungles were stabbed, shot or beheaded.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I have never heard of Albert Brown but now I won’t forget him. Thank you for posting.
Years ago when I was just 18, I met a man who had been a Marine captured on a small island in the Pacific within 2 weeks of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I wish I could remember more.
a LOT from Texas, who ended up working on the Siam/Burma railway...
Me too...this guy was extraordinary. A fine and truly blessed man. I am sure he will be greatly missed by the people who knew him.
Page 492, section 81, sub-section 2, third paragraph, first sentence of the journalistic license states “36 is nearly 40”.
I met a guy at a party down in Cedar Hill one time. I couldn’t figure out what his ethnicity was so I asked him. Philipino. We got to talking, he asked me if I ever heard of Bataan. I said sure, the Death March. His dad disappeared while being force marched in that mess. The guy had moved to America with his mother in the 50s and is a presently a proud American patriot.
Never forget the evils of tyranny.
j/k=Just kidding newbie (j/k)
It’s clearly marked as sardonic sarcasm. No need for decorum police.
j/k=Just kidding newbie (j/k)
Many turned to canabalism when they were on the prison ships. American planes sank some of the ships, not knowing there were Americans aboard.
So horrific.
They should have executed the entire Japanese Army that was in Luzon, Horrible what they did!
Mr. Charles Lamb, my 5th grade teacher at Walnut Avenue Elementary School, Chino, California was a survivor of that march. I’ve known several others through the years.
My wife’s Dad was a survivor of that march from hell...
He was a haunted man who passed way to young back in the early seventies...
You made a pretty stupid post.
Words escape me. If we were in person you'd already have a smashed nose and missing teeth. The legal consequences to me I could care less.
They should have executed the entire Japanese Army that was in Luzon, Horrible what they did!
General MacArthur made sure some of the Japanese generals had swift trials and speedy executions. They cut some corners off the legalities, to say the least.
“Many turned to canabalism when they were on the prison ships. American planes sank some of the ships, not knowing there were Americans aboard.
So horrific.”
Yes they stuffed them in the holds and covered the hatches,Bastards.
Our Post Master was a survivor. He was missing fingers on both hands. The japanese had put his hands on tree stumps and cut each finger off with hatchets, one at a time.
Keep in mind folks, a Navy officer, I think a Houston survivor, was awarded the MoH for conduct in a Japanese prison camp. I don't know the details of the citation, but what he did was very brave, and it cost him his life, IIRC.
RIP Doc Brown, I hope you got to outlive all of your tormentors.
perhaps, but only if you are prone to sucker-punching people.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.