Wounds from Bataan Death March Still Sting

Wounds from Bataan Death March still sting former prisoners of war in Dallas-Fort Worth area

01:25 AM CDT on Sunday, September 13, 2009

By SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News
sfarwell@dallasnews.com

Henry Grady Stanley survived malaria, dehydration and dysentery. He's been beaten, nearly starved to death and slashed with a bayonet. But those aren't the memories that disturb 89-year-old Stanley, a former POW and survivor of the Bataan Death March. He's hurt by what he sees as hypocrisy. Next year, nearly seven decades after forcing 75,000 U.S. and Philippine troops to march 70 miles up the Bataan Peninsula, Japan is expected to invite American POWs to the island nation for an official state apology.

"It's a little late now," said Stanley, who lives in Garland with his wife, Jo Ann. "Most of the boys who were over there on Bataan are gone now, and the rest of us are about in our 90s. "It just doesn't make any sense for us to go over there now."

About 400 survivors of the march are still alive in the U.S. Several men in North Texas said their health would prevent them from making the 14-hour trip. Others said they have no interest in reliving the painful memories of captivity.

Japan has been hosting former Allied POWs from other countries, including Great Britain and Australia, since 1995. Until now, American prisoners have been excluded from the Peace, Friendship and Exchange Initiative, which is billed as a program to bridge cultural barriers.

Ichiro Fujisaki, Japan's ambassador to the U.S., did not return several calls seeking comment last week. But in May, during the 64th and last meeting of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor in San Antonio, Fujisaki expressed regret for the way his nation treated the prisoners it captured during World War II.

"We extend a heartfelt apology for our country having caused tremendous damage and suffering to many people, including prisoners of war," he said. "I would like to express my deepest condolences to all those who have lost their lives in the war, and after the war, and their family members."

Some former POWs said Fujisaki did not go far enough. Only a formal state apology – a resolution debated and passed by the Japanese parliament – can codify the nation's official position on its treatment of POWs.

"This is important because 27,465 [Americans] were interned by the Japanese," said Ed Jackfert, a Bataan survivor and former commander of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor.

"Of those, at least 11,000 POWs died – 40 percent. If you look at similar statistics of those interned by Germany during World War II, about 1 percent of the POWs died. So, you can see why we're asking for this official apology."

Some survivors of the march said they've moved on. Others said their captors' cruelty was too great to forgive.

"To me, it's a sick joke," said Bill Adair, a 92-year-old retired Army major from Dallas. "Why in the hell are they just getting around to apologizing now? "I'm not saying anything about the young people over there, but those people who treated us like dogs, I'll never forgive them."

By some estimates, between 10,000 and 20,000 men died on the march in the Philippines in April 1942. Japanese soldiers forced the bedraggled prisoners to walk for days without food or water and often killed captives who fell out of line or stopped to sip water out of mud puddles.

"When I surrendered, I was eaten up with malaria," Stanley said. "It was two days before we had any water at all, and after you get so thirsty, you just can't control yourself." Stanley said the trek took POWs past freshwater springs. Many men couldn't resist. "I saw a lot of Americans lose their heads and just run over there to those springs," Stanley said. "They just got slaughtered."

Another time, after a prisoner darted into the jungle, Japanese soldiers forced the POWs to sit on the road in front of a .50 caliber machine gun. Stanley ended up atop a mound of fire ants. "That was as painful as anything I had to go through," he said. "I know better than to move because they were just waiting to shoot you. I had enough on the ball to just sit there and let it hurt."

Soldiers who survived the march were eventually crammed into freighter ships headed for a month-long journey to Japan. POWs said conditions were worse than what they experienced on the march. Men stood shoulder to shoulder, with no room to lie down – until they died of asphyxiation or starvation, and their bodies were thrown overboard. Many of the unmarked ships were sunk by Allied aircraft and submarines, often with as many as 1,000 men on board.

"It took us 38 days to go 600 miles," said Louis Read, 89, past commander of American Ex-POWs and Military Order of the Purple Heart. "I consider that experience worse than the death march."

Many POWs worked in lead, copper and coal mines for private Japanese companies such as Mitsubishi until the war ended in 1945. That work, which violated the Geneva Convention governing the treatment of prisoners of war, spawned federal lawsuits asking for penalties and back pay from the Japanese government. Those lawsuits failed, as have three bills designed to pay reparations to POWs held in Japan. The 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty between Japan and 48 countries absolves the island nation from paying financial damages to POWs.

"Some of these men, in their twilight years, are more upset with that treaty than what they endured in Japan," said Linda Goetz Holmes, author of Unjust Enrichment, which documents the forced-labor practices of Japan during World War II.

"It's heartbreaking to see these men, who are great patriots, discouraged with their own government."

AT A GLANCE: BATAAN DEATH MARCH

The numbers: The Imperial Japanese Army forced about 75,000 U.S. and Filipino POWs to march about 70 miles in sweltering heat for six days in April 1942.

Abuses: Beheadings, bayonet stabbings and casual shootings were common.

Death toll: Some reports place the death count at about 11,000; others say it was almost twice that, up to 20,000.

Repercussions: Japanese Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma was convicted by a military court in Manila after World War II and executed.

Apology: The Japanese ambassador to the U.S. apologized this year to survivors of the march.

SOURCE: Dallas Morning News research
Wounds from Bataan Death March still sting former prisoners of war in Dallas-Fort Worth area | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Breaking News for Dallas-Fort Worth | Dallas Morning News

 

This story makes me sick! absolute bull$@*%... Im sorry mods... I just can't express my distaste enough for this story. I don't blame these Vets for the way they do... an apology now? Violating the Geneva convention, and the San Francisco Peace treaty boil my blood beyond no end.

Good find White Flight... Makes me ponder the idea of forgiveness???

Jem

 

I know were on the same page here Jack.... but I'm still fired up on the subject! Bushido Code?? more like the hypocrisy act... I find no honor and virtue in the way these soldiers treated our countrymen.

Jem

 

Well of course you wouldn't find honor in it because you or a majority of Western society (myself included) did not/do not follow the Bushido code. I wouldn't call it stupid since it might offend some Japanese people as the code in one form or another is still practiced in Japanese society. I wouldn't judge the entire system based on the Japanese war crimes of World War II as the system is much more in depth and has a very interesting history to it.

The virtues of Bushido to my knowledge do not say anything about the treatment of those you defeat in battle, or if they do, it isn't to the extent that the Japanese treated these prisoners during Bataan.

Japan should apologize since it will still mean something to some people, others might think it's too late now. The United States/Allied nations should also apologize for essentially giving the Japanese government a "get out of jail free card" with the San Francisco Peace Treaty.

 

Mehar,

I just want to clarify that I never stated it was stupid... if you would enlighten me on the specifics, I would greatly appreciate that. You are correct about judgement,,, but how can one not?? especially based on the information provided in the above thread.... and Bushido or not, there is a fine line of doing things humane and maintaing honor...

I welcome your thoughts Mehar, and follow your lead.....

Jem

 

Remembering my own family involvements tales of japanese in burma has and will always colour my views on the japanese in ww2 . Together with my own nations far east pow stories . But i will always remember the us lads.. The janesville tankers.. The blokes off the US Houston and the 131st field artillery the Jacksboro boys. Bless em all the long the short and the tall as the brit 14th army song went. The texan lads suffered badly at the hands of the japanese.

 

Hi Jem,

Bushido was followed during the war but it grew into something that began to "justify" war crimes committed by the Japanese. The original principles of Bushido revolve around honoring your life, family, etc, caring for your elders, ancestors, and what they stood for. It taught courage, honesty, etc.

The issue with World War II became the "food chain" of sorts was mixed up, much like it was in the rest of the world. A poor peasant in the army who rose through the ranks would have the ability to get back at the rich landlords son who may have troubled him before the war. There are many documented cases where people would use the military and Bushido to exact their revenge on those that stood in their way.

The original code of Bushido was practiced by key members of Japanese society, mostly Samurai's. However, civilians also practiced some of the founding principles but not to the extent that the Samurai were.

Bushidoism also had a few points that either were not addressed or not very clear as to what they meant. This was manipulated during the war and used to justify many of the atrocities committed by the Japanese.

Japan wasn't the only nation to experience a change in attitudes, I'm reading through Band of Brothers at the moment and even they mention soldiers who upon entering training would change their attitudes as the atmosphere there was different from civilian life. They swore, drank, gambled, etc, stuff they wouldn't have done otherwise.

It's a very hard topic to explain, I hope I didn't confuse you in any way.

Hi,

In my post I did not defend Japanese war crimes, I merely cleared a few misconceptions about Bushido.

 

Agreed.."the japanese had a formal warrior code. Bushido. That taught soldierly correctness and right attitudes to duty in the warriors life and the warriors death. But anything touching on respect for the enemy,or mercy, or restraint. Did not carry over into the pow camps of ww2. In the eyes of the japanese, white men who allowed themselves to be captured in war were despicable, they deserved to die" Gavin Daws.. Prisoners of the japanese. A mostly texan based units book. My own view is this was indeed a racial war and we should not shy away from that.

 

Mehar,

Thank you for your response. This does help clear some gaps in the equation. An equation which unfortunately is very difficult to explain indeed. I'm a little biased on the topic since I side with Jack on this one... no one will ever no what those men went through.

As far as Bushido is concerned, I feel it's wonderful code to try and abide by. When the principles are skewd, and thoughts and feelings are taken into ones own hands is where I have an issue. I guess you could apply this to any ideal ie. Religion especially.... religion is a very delicate subject on this forum, and before I go any further with, I bow out gracefully. Just the idea of following a certain code of ethics per say is where I'm shootin here. Hopefully this makes sense... I'm hitting my wall at work

all the best

Jem

 

Thanks for this WF!
was just trying to explain to people over @ Facebook why we cant forget those that have died in service-or sacrifice- to this country. The people in question think we need to "let go" of the memory of 9/11 and get on with our lives. I brought up the whole history doomed to be repeated point, and they all said I was wrong......think maybe I need new friends on FB....

 

The original Bushido code implied that by surrendering one could potentially face a really harsh death at the hands of others. This of course in my opinion can be seen as a general warning that can apply anywhere. Similar to when suicide pills are given out in a sense.

I think what may have happened was some may have interpreted this as since you surrendered your enemy is able to do with you what they please which it is not saying of course.

 

Also keep in mind when someone reflects "but you need to understand...they were just soldiers doing what they were told to do."

My thirteen-year-old son and I discussed the story in depth. The long and short of it is it’s too little to late, but should happen. Their mismanagement of responsibility and education to their society in itself could and has been discussed in great depths. An official apology from the state is in the right direction, but impractical to invite survivors to Japan for the event. At this late stage of lives, it would be more appropriate for the Japanese government to hold ceremonies at several locations in the United States. I am quite curious as to why Americans were excluded from the Peace, Friendship and Exchange Initiatives that have taken place since 1995.

I agree. Japan has enjoyed various excessive fortune and success at the expense of the United States.

 

Interesting article Lou, thanks for posting

 

I knew that this book title rang a bell I picked up this book saturday, and mainly because in the back of my mind was this post and having looked through it it seems quite amazing the attitudes that the allies had to one another in the P.O.W camps with the Americans and Australians dislike of the Limeys and the dislike by all of them towards the Dutch.Reps due when I can

 

superb book..i usually cant read most jap pow books.have to force myself..but this is un put dowanable. the texas lads were dealt a raw deal..

 

How can I find information regarding prisoners of Shirakawa prison camp post-Bataan death march? I am looking for info about my grandfather, Col. Frank Brezina, died there He was with either the 7th Cav or 14th Cav, and was a Quartermaster in HQ, Luzon Force. Thanks.

 

Plenty of information on your grandfather out there. There's a VFW post named after him in California:

Col. Frank M. Brezina VFW Post 5431 - History

HyperWar: US Army in WWII: Fall of the Philippines [Chapter 21]

He also appears on the roster of the Nagara Maru:

Nagara Maru roster (POWs of the Japanese)

As a captain he had been at Vladivostock Siberia in 1918:

Edith Faulstich_Fisher (see Chapter 23)

Hopefully, a moderator will move this to a new thread so more people can assist you in your search for information

 

Here is some information I hope this helps.
Field Title Value Meaning NAME BREZINA FRANK M BREZINA FRANK M RANK LT COL Lieutenant Colonel SERVICE NUMBER O&002983 O&002983 ARM OR SERVICE QMC Quartermaster Corps SOURCE 1 FT THE LIFE OF A POW UNDER THE JAPANESE IN CARICATURE by Malcolm Fortier SOURCE 2 W THE HARD WAY HOME by Col. William C. Braly SOURCE 3 SUBORDINATE UNIT QM Quartermaster ASSIGNED UNIT Svc Cmd Area Service Command Area PARENT UNIT Luzon Force Luzon Force POW CAMPS NOTES

 

Do you need more information about your Grandfather?
I may be able to get more information about the ship that transported him to
The POW camp. I may have more information about the POW Camp too.

VP40