CWOJackson
Charter Member
Read about his remarkable story here: http://news.yahoo.com/oldest-survivor-bataan-death-march-dies-105-211535697.html
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The Staff of SOH
Oldest survivor of Bataan Death March dies at 105
- Thread starter CWOJackson
- Start date
deathfromafar
Charter Member
I remember my Father teaching me about the Bataan Death March nearly 40 years ago. Horrifying accounts.
May he finally rest in peace with his Brothers in Arms.....:salute:
May he finally rest in peace with his Brothers in Arms.....:salute:
| For all POWs in Japanese death camps... It was a GRAND DAY World over!!...66years ago!! Victory over Japan Day (also known as Victory in the Pacific Day, V-J Day, or V-P Day) is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II, and subsequent anniversaries of that event. The term has been applied to both the day on which the initial announcement of Japan's surrender was made in the afternoon of "August 15, 1945" Unconditional Surrender 
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Daveroo
Members +
i used to work for a guy ( as a plumber,did service work at his house) who was on the "death march"....he had a P38 marking on his truck and i started asking about it one day..i kinda pushed and he told me it was his favorite plane...i must have seemed disappointed ,,he knew i knew he was a vetran,,so he asked me in to his "den" and we talked....he told me details i didnt want to know..but i listened and and even shed a tear,,,i dont think ill ever forget that day....and he must not have either as he remembered me in his will with a his favorite model...it is a brass P38...but i asked his wife to keep it...she did and i have no idea where it is now..but she told me at the funeral he was a changed man after that talk...like a ton of wieght had been removed....
There was plenty of horror to go around in all theaters of WWII, but I honestly think the POWs in the Philippines caught more hell than just about anybody else. I'll expand my comment to include all prisoners of the Japanese. Those who survived and went on to lead long and productive lives like Doc Brown show how the human spirit can still triumph over so much evil dished out in such great quantity. RIP Doc.:USA-flag:
CWOJackson
Charter Member
PBS did a special on this gentle survivor.
Series Description: LEST WE FORGET - A SURVIVOR'S STORY traces the life of World War II veteran Gustav Potthoff, from his birth in Indonesia to his imprisonment in the Japanese slave labor camp responsible for building the infamous bridge over the River Kwai. Potthoff survived the brutal heat, lack of food and vicious captors but remained haunted by his nightmarish four-year captivity in Thailand. Decades later, he began painting visceral yet spiritual scenes of POW camp life - the guards, beatings, jungle, escape attempts and those left behind. During the film, Potthoff, his family and friends, museum curators and an art collector each convey the historical and cultural value of Potthoff's work.
Anyone passing near Columbus, IN should stop by the little museum next to the Columbus airport terminal and visit with Gustav. You won't regret spending a few hours with this kind, forgiving and inspiring man.
Interestingly, Gustav said that not only were a few of the Japanese guards human, over all he believes the Korean's in Japanese service were the most brutal, as if they were trying to prove something to their Japanese superiors.
Series Description: LEST WE FORGET - A SURVIVOR'S STORY traces the life of World War II veteran Gustav Potthoff, from his birth in Indonesia to his imprisonment in the Japanese slave labor camp responsible for building the infamous bridge over the River Kwai. Potthoff survived the brutal heat, lack of food and vicious captors but remained haunted by his nightmarish four-year captivity in Thailand. Decades later, he began painting visceral yet spiritual scenes of POW camp life - the guards, beatings, jungle, escape attempts and those left behind. During the film, Potthoff, his family and friends, museum curators and an art collector each convey the historical and cultural value of Potthoff's work.
Anyone passing near Columbus, IN should stop by the little museum next to the Columbus airport terminal and visit with Gustav. You won't regret spending a few hours with this kind, forgiving and inspiring man.
Interestingly, Gustav said that not only were a few of the Japanese guards human, over all he believes the Korean's in Japanese service were the most brutal, as if they were trying to prove something to their Japanese superiors.