From those that were there…(1)

Bataan Death March

Captain William Dyess was a fighter pilot stationed on Luzon when the Japanese invaded.  He offered a shockingly graphic account of the ordeal in the “Chicago Tribune” newspaper in 1943.  Initially his story was censored, but cleared for publication when the war effort turned to retaking the Philippines.  The captain was one of a handful that escaped captivity. The following is only a portion of Capt. Dyess’ story, due to the length of the series and the truly atrocious episodes related, I have chosen what I feel is best.  The entire length can be located in “Combat, WWII Pacific” edited by Don Congdon.

Willian Edwin Dyess

About a mile east of the hospital [at Little Baguio] we encountered a major traffic jam.  On either side of the congested road hundreds of Jap soldiers were unloading ammunition and equipment.  Our contingent of more than 600 American and Filipino prisoners filtered through, giving the Japs as wide a berth as the limited space permitted.  This was to avoid being searched, slugged, or pressed into duty as cargadores [burden carriers]. Through the swirling dust we could see a long line of trucks, standing bumper to bumper.  There were hundreds of them.  And every last one was an American make.  I saw Fords – which predominated – Chevrolets, GMCs and others.  These were not captured trucks.  They bore Jap army insignia and had been landed from the ships of the invasion fleet.  It is hard to describe what we felt at seeing these familiar American machines, filled with jeering, snarling Japs.  It was sort of super-sinking feeling.  We had become accustomed to having American iron thrown at us, but this was a little too much.

LtColonel Willian Dyess

It was dark when we marched across Bataan field, which with Cabcaben field I had commanded two days before.  It was difficult walking in the darkness.  Now and again we passed the huddled forms of men who had collapsed from fatigue or had been bayoneted.  I didn’t kid myself that I was safe simply because I was keeping up with the pace.  The bloodthirsty devils now were killing us for diversion. Skulking along, a hundred yards behind our contingent, came a “clean-up squad.”  Their helpless victims, sprawled darkly against the white of the road, were easy targets.  As members of the murder squad stooped over each huddled form, there would be an orange flash in the darkness and a sharp report.  The bodies were left where they lay, that other prisoners coming behind us might see them.

William Dyess’ ribbons

 

############################################################################### Military Humor – 

Most popular guy in camp

Target Practice

Cartoon postcards are courtesy of Chris @ Muscleheaded, CLICK HERE to see his site. ################################################################################ For those people looking for a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day post, I felt I did not know what to add to last year’s – which can be located HERE! ############################################################################### Current news – 

USS Kailua (Dickenson)

USS Kailau historical site

The cable ship, Dickenson, was chartered by the US Navy after Pearl Harbor and renamed the USS Kailau.  Her remains have recently been located lying intact 20 miles from Oahu in 2,000 feet of water by the Hawaii Research Laboratory & the NOAA.  Her initial use was to keep global telecommunications open and later she became the target for submarine periscope practice, but her resting place was never marked.   ################################################################################# Farewell Salutes –  Justus Belfield – Utica, NY; US Army, MSgt., WWII, ETO Albert Bueler – Farmington, NH; US Coast Guard, Vietnam Theophile Chusty, Jr – Baton Rouge, LA; US MC, Cpl., WWII Albert Debreceny – Taranaki, NZ; NZ Ammunition Corps, Sgt., WWII Robert Glod, Sr – Schaumburg, IL; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS Kitkun Bay Florence Hutchison – Edmonton, CAN; RC Navy, WWII Joseph Lapka – Woodland, PA; US Army, WWII, PTO Philip Mack Jr – Seattle, WA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, *th Air Force, B-17 co-pilot Leon Reed – Jupiter, FL; US Air Force, Col. (Ret.), Vietnam, fighter pilot (189 missions) , 559 Tactical Fighter Sq/ 12th Wing Elias Saavedra – San Rafael, NM; New Mexico National Guard, Bataan survivor ##############################################################################