September 2002

Just My Opinion

For us here in the northeast, this has been a record setting summer. We are just not accustomed to fifteen days in a row of 90 degree, plus, heat.

On 20 August, we had the pleasure of visiting another hot spot, New York City, where we had the pleasure of accepting an invitation from the Philippine Secretary of Tourism, Richard Gordon, to a reception held in his honor by the Asia Society. Since we discovered that we are distant cousins, our relationship has grown. The Secretary has big plans for tourists visiting the Philippines in 2003, and I am sure those among us who contemplate visiting there next year, will be more than welcomed by the Filipino people. As for this editor I plan on seeing Germany and visiting my old haunts discovered during my three years there in the Army of Occupation following the end of the war.

In July, we received a letter from Leslie Ann Murray, 1st. Vice President of FAME (Filipino-American Memorial Endowment) of Manila, thanking us for our recent financial support of the drive to erect the new markers along the "Bataan Death March" route.

Since our return trip this past April, we have had several letters concerning the DM markers from families who want to help erect the markers needed. One family has come to the conclusion that rather than buy Christmas gifts for each other, they will pool their money and have a marker erected in memory of a Bataan veteran, now deceased. Such markers cost about $500.00 each. 112 markers are needed. With approximately 40 in place or to be installed, they are slowly creeping up on the number required. We should point out that these are a very different marker than the old which were metal poles and subjected to theft. Most of the old markers disappeared through the years. The new markers are of concrete and impossible to steal.

While in the Philippines, we received assurances that the memorials and markers will be cared for by the local barrios (villages). The markers attract tourists which benefit the locals. It is this type of support that we have sought in the past without success. Several years ago, we erected a memorial to General King at a place near the surrender in the village of Lamao. Tourists visit the spot on a regular basis as it is on the itinerary of travel groups.

Edna and Dan Binkowski, of Lamao were instrumental in the building of the memorial. While Dan has past away, his widow Edna is dedicated to the care and custody of the memorial along with the people of Lamao.

While on the subject of our last trip, we rediscovered what we knew about all along-the many, many hungry children on Bataan and elsewhere in the Philippines. Tourists feed such children candy. They need food. Our trip jogged our memories. With that in mind, we have begun a program of offering financial assistance to children whose relatives were either Bataan veterans or relatives of families who helped Filipino and American troops along the March. We are concentrating our efforts in the Tarlac (Camp O'Donnell) area for several reasons:  we do so as we have the assurances of Colonel Raphael Estrada, commander of the Philippine Veterans of Bataan, that his organization will control the operation of the program. Colonel Estrada has lived his life in Tarlac and knows every family living there. He is both a friend and a highly respected veteran of Bataan. A number of us have already made a pledge to this program, and you are invited to join us. $30.00 a month is the equivalent of 1500 pesos, a good sum to assist a child. The plan will be initiated in September. Most of us spend more than thirty dollars on a meal out. Skip one of such and feed a child. PLEASE do not send any money to this editor. Final plans are yet to be worked out. "If not me, then who? If not now, then when?"

It was in Capas, Tarlac where we received the most help on our journey which resulted in many of those helping us to receive beatings for doing so. Several were actually killed for their attempt to help.

Our web site is still the site of choice to learn of Bataan's history and for the information found on it. Fred Baldassarre our web master, and son of Jimmie Baldassarre, deserves all the credit.

Recently, we were pleased to grant RETA, Regional Educational Technology Assistance, a project at New Mexico State University, permission to use a number of our artifacts found on our web site. RETA, is creating a multimedia learning module for the New Mexico State Department of Education. The learning materials will be made available to middle and high schools in the state. Such a request
adds to the luster of our site. At the present time we are averaging 100 "hits" a day. Anyone familiar with the Internet has to agree this is a site well visited. (Read the Letter From RETA)

Also received a thank you letter from Donna Charles, Volunteer Program Director, Audie Murphy VA Hospital, San Antonio, Texas. Donna thanked us for the donation of a stereo set to be used as a door prize. The thanks really belong to a BBB member, Tillman Rutledge who spends long hours as a volunteer in that area. Tillman made the donation in the name of the BBB.

Here There And Everywhere

We recently read the June-July 2002 issue of the ADBC's Quan. It contained a copy of the proposed legislation, Senate Bill 1302. Others have also read this and wrote to us.  While the Bill offered by Senator Bingaman (NM) is well meaning and sure to please his constituents, that legislation is somewhat flawed and will go no where in its present form.

We have written to the senator and have offered suggestions. The editor of the Quan, sticking to his policy of "I print em as I get em", makes no effort on behalf of the ADBC to provide input.

Riding the "popularity" of the Bataan Death March, common in the ADBC, the senator has given the figure of ten thousand men dying during the March and subsequent imprisonment. Again, contributing to the myth of Corregidor making the March. While the good senator is taking literary license in his Bill, he is misleading many. Senator Bingaman also states in the legislation "Beginning in January 1942, the Japanese military began to transport United States prisoners to Japan, Taiwan, Manchuria, and Korea."

The legislation as written has us being transported as prisoners when we weren't prisoners, yet. It may be he means British and a few Americans captured in China in December 1941, but it is still a misleading statement. One has to wonder where our Congress gets their information and from whom. I am afraid much of that info comes from poorly written books - and statements - by survivors and misinformed historians. At any rate the Bill in its present form is going nowhere. Commenting on the Bill Senator John McCain, (R) Arizona, a former POW of Vietnam, calls the Bill "Pork Belly", and that is what it appears to be.

Senator Bingaman also has included civilians. Hopefully, that means those civilians who fought, were captured, not interned, and worked in "slave labor camps", and that it does not include those held in internment camps such as Santo Tomas, where life was good up to the last three months of the war.

This brings us to the last point we wish to make regarding the legislation: The Bill authorizes the payment of "a gratuity."  We don't seek a gratuity, but compensation. One is a handout and the other is something due us for our labor. If our government has decided the Japanese are not responsible, then they must accept that responsibility. By accepting that onerous "Peace Treaty" they have an obligation to take the place of the Japanese firms. To tell us we should all be happy for the "peace" brought to the Orient by the treaty since the war's end is pure hogwash. Millions have died since then. Mean while, the "White Hats" are in disarray not knowing whether to push for the law suits or to ask for a handout. Their camp is divided. Some of them are in bed with the lawyers who stand to profit the most and the others don't care how they collect. To date, the only ones who have gained from all this talk of law suits are those who have had their travel expenses paid for travel here and abroad paid for by those anticipating
a bigger return.

News about this time of the year

We recently read in the Associated Press-by way of Yahoo News-dated 3 August 2002, that documents on the JAPANESE version of the Atomic Bomb were recently returned to Japan by the widow of one of the Japanese researchers working on the project. "Despite military orders to destroy the documents on the eve of Japan's August 15 surrender. A colleague saved them and four years later they were brought to this country to resume research."

We have always known that Japan was working on an atomic bomb, as were the Germans. One has to ask would they have dropped one if they had the chance. Only those who knew the Japanese mentality of that day would give a resounding yes to that question. They were not fast enough as the Nazi were not fast enough, or we would have been the victims. So for those who go around wringing their hands at this time each year over America's use of "an evil weapon" stop and think. You might not be here now, if we had not dropped the bomb. Their being capable of being evil was amply shown in Wake Island, Thailand, Indochina, and the Rape of the Philippines in February 1945.

If the "hand-wringers" can stand to watch a program depicting that event they will understand the evil of the 1939-1945 Japanese. My suggestion is for television to show a tape depicting that Rape of Manila both on 6 and 9 August each year. Fear not as that will never happen as we don't dare offend the Japanese. The stockholders in Sony would insure that never happens.

Mitsushima

For those held in Mitsushima, Japan, as this editor was for three years, I have discovered that a marker has been placed there by the community of Mitsushima, commemorating the deaths of Allied prisoners who died there. There are those Japanese who are aware of the killings and outright murders that were committed in Mitsushima, albeit a few.
The marker reads "In April 1943, we did get a supply of Red Cross medicines, but it was insufficient for our needs and due to the lack of medicines the lives of the prisoners was endangered and many prisoners died due to a lack of medicines. The following prisoners died as a result of the behavior of the Japanese camp staff in withholding food and medicines. Taken from the Medical Records of the Yokohama War Crimes Trials." On the wall are the names of 48 Allied prisoners of war. I guess that is the nearest thing I will ever see where the Japanese admit to their guilt, but note, the caveat: Taken from the war crimes trials. Even when they admit, they don't admit.

This was sent to me by a British teacher of English residing near Mitsushima who while touring the school at the location discovered that a prison camp had existed on the site. The playing field in front of the school was our parade ground and assembly area and where punishment was dispensed on a nightly basis.

All of us have been aware of the rotten treatment accorded to our General Edward P. King, Jr. As a result of his courage, we are alive today. Yet, General King has been a forgotten figure in American military history, except for those who fought for him in Bataan. When liberated, MacArthur refused to see or talk to him, still seething from King's ignoring of his order not to surrender. MacArthur could feel that way while in Australia. Soon, except for brief public appearances warning of the Japanese, the General soon disappeared into oblivion and unjustly so. A number of high ranking officers from Bataan and Corregidor were awarded promotions, MacArthur, Wainwright, Beebe, and others. King remained a major general. He should be recognized by his country and receive a posthumous promotion. The ball, however, lays with the King family to initiate such action. A family member must do it. We have offered to give any help we can. Give some thought to how he has been treated by his country and how much we owe him. The very least he deserves is a decoration for his military ability, his bravery, and his courage during those dark days of Bataan and even in prison camp.

As the years go by and we learn more and more of General Mac we have to wonder: how did this man qualify for a Congressional Medal of Honor, while a soldier's general went unnoticed?

OTHER ITEMS

We now have a very nice looking baseball cap commemorating the Anniversary of the "Bataan Death March". We owe this accomplishment to our Philippine representative Jim Litton. After honoring our commitment to replace the very poorly made Hoover caps. The initial cost of the caps is being borne by the BBB. After replacing those caps, we will place the remaining caps on sale. Each cap will cost $25.00 S&H included. All moneys received will go to our O'Donnell Memorial Maintenance fund. There are a small number of caps available so it is a first come first served basis.

Until the next time

Your Editor

Maj. Richard M. Gordon
USA (Ret.)