I SERVICE DIRECTOR`S REPORT VA TO AWARD

VOLUME 48
SERVICE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
I
NUMBER 4
PITISBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY, 1994
As yet we haven't been notified of the inclusion of the amendment,
MCompensation to Former P.O.W.s for Ischemic Heart Di8ease~ to public law
97·37. This amendment will benefit those P,D.W.e who s uffered from Beriberi
and who have developed Ischemic Heart Disease.
Members a m ict.ed should reopen yo ur claim based on this amendment.
For those widows whose deceased husbands died of heart disease, we s uggest
they reopen their case using one of the national service officers. Use the fol ·
lowing "based on P.O.W. legislation PL 97·37 and amendment dated Aug. 24,
1993, "The widow of (name) a P.O.W. captured in the Philippines wishes to
open her claim (or DIe,"
We must realize all cases are reviewed on their merit. Therefore you
want to be sure to have all your facts and infonnation ready for your hearing.
Be sure to have a connection of Beriberi either on the service record; VA medical rerords andlor Buddie statements. Good luck; don't give up.
We think it is important to repeat the article from the September 1993
Quan. If you have a ny questions, call John M. Emerick-Service Director, (41 2)
348-5478.
HEALTH CARE
TOP ADMINISTRAnON
OFFICIALS DISCUSS
VA'S ROLE IN
HEALTH-CARE REFORM
Washington, Nov. 8 - In separate addresses to senior managers of Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) health-care facilities last week, VA Secretary J esse Brown
and White House health care adviser Ira
C. Magaziner discU88Cd the department's
proposed new r ole under President
Clinton's Health Care Reform pla n.
Both Magaziner a nd Brown stressed
that VA would need to become competitive
with private health -ca re prov iden in
order to sua:eed.
"Every VA director a nd chief of staff will
have to ask 'how can we make our facility
rompctitive?' ~ said Brown. "Our survival
will depend on how well they answer that
questions, a.nd m a k e the necessar y
changes.~
VA TO AWARD COMPENSATION
TO FORMER POWs FOR
ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE
Secretary of Veterans Affai r s Jesse
Brown toda y a nn ounced that VA will
amend its regulations to allow the departme nt to award compensation to former
prisoners of war with a history of edema
due to beriberi who subsequently develop
ischemic heart disease.
Brown's decision was based on find ings
of a 1992 National Academy of Sciences
s tudy that a " noteworthy ~ relation ship
exists betwee n ed ema res ulting from
beriberi during ca pti vity a nd isch emic
heart disease (coronary a rtery disease)
occ urring late r in t he lives of former
POWs.
Said Brown , KFormer POWs already
have priority for VA hOilpital care. But this
... NAS finding warrants immediate action so
• that those who are suffering from this amdition can receive disability compensation."
Si nce passage in 1981 of the Former
Prisoner of War Benefits Act (Public Law
97-37 ), VA has presumed that beriberi ,
including beriberi heart disease, in fonner
POWs who were incarcerated for at least
30 days is service-related. The amendment
to the existing VA regulations wjl! recogpize that a seyere form of the disease referred; to as ~wet" beriberi may increase the
risk of iscbemjc heart divDSf' later in life.
Beriberi is a nutritional disorder resulting from a deficiency of vitamin B-1 (thiamine). "Wet~ beriberi is one of two forms
of the disorder, and is characterized by an
accumulation of tissue fluid (edema). It is
more rommon smong individuals who were
POWs in the Pacific, and in areas in which
white (polished) rice is the staple food.
Former POWs may obtain more infonnation about filing a claim for this and other
diseases related to captivity by rontacting
VA toll·free at 1-800-827-1000.
We suggest you pu~ a ropy of this article
in with yow valuable papers.
Magaziner said that the plan will offer
VA ~the opportunity to compete for the
millions of veterans you do not now serve.He added that he and his staff are "trying
to free (VA managers) from some of the
bureaucratic stumbling blocks yo u may
enrounter today.Under current law, VA is required to
follow el igibility guidelines, mandated by
Congress, to determine whether individual veterans can receive care st its 172
medical centers, 128 nursing home care
units, and more than 362 outpatient, community and outreac h clinics. If the
President's health-care reform proposals
are adopted, all veterans will be eligible to
enroll in a VA health plsn if one exists in
their state or region.
VA will compete for enrollments with
groups of health-care providers. health
m ai nte nance organizations and other
organizations authorized by states to provide a federally mandated continuum of
health-care services to enrolled individuals.
In a related development, the department has announced the establishment of
a Health Care Re form project offi ce t o
guide VA in the transfonnation of ita role
(continu.ed on page 2)
FEBRUARY, 1994 - 1
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HEALTH CARE
(continued from page 1)
in providing health care to veterans. Dr.
Elwood J . Headley, VA's Acting Associate
Chief Medical Director, wiU direct. the project office. The office's mission is to support the transition of VA's delivery of care
to veterans under heallh<are refonn.
The project office'. goal is to tranafonn
the VA health-eare system into 8 responsive, decentralized, customer-driven organization providing quality, cost-effective
and accessible services. All organizational
levels of VA will be involved in this
process as it continues.
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PRE-REGISTRATION
At the 1993 Convention in Pittsburgh we
tried pre-registration. It worked, and we
will do it again next year. In the next
Quan. we will publish the schedule and
registration fonn. plan to pre-register and
speed up the registration. We do not want
the registration fee , pay that when you
pick up your name badge.
4TH MARINE MEETING
4th Marine Regiment (Corregidor.
8ataan) reunion will be held in Reno, NV
May 30 to June 3, 1994. For information
write Pat Hitchcock, Food Broker
Consultants, 41 Stonebrook Place, Suite
134, Jackson, TN 38505.
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FUTURE MEETINGS
1994 Nationa l Conven tion Indi·
anapolis IN. Ramada Plaza. May 4-11,
1994 . Room Rate $70.00 sid (317) 635·
2000.
1995 National Convention Braintree,
MA. Sheraton Tara Hotel. May 25-29,
1995. Room rates $75.00 sldlt.
•
II
OBITUARIES
II
CHARLES L AGOSTINEW
Charles L. Agostinelli, age 75, passed
away on November 6 , 1993, of 8 beart
attack, at Orlando. Florida. Gus was a
member of the SOard Engineers, A Company. He was a draftaman. and served on
Batasn and Corregidor where he was
wounded - a piece of shrapnel in the
back of his shoulder. After the Corregidor
surrender, he W8a in Cahanatuan Itl and
• 2, and was sent to Japan in the fall of
1943, Hirohata POW Camp, where he
worked in a steel mill . After reparation,
be returned home and was hospitalized to
remove the shrapnel from his shoulder.
He was employed 8S a drafl.&man for the
state of Pennsylvania at Williamsport.
After retiring, he move to Pittsburgh
where he was em ployed by an Engt.
Deering Firm. He moved to Orlando with
his family . Gua was cremated, and was
interred in the National Cemetery at.
BushneU, Florida. He is survived by hia
wife Francis, one son and one daughter.
ALVIN LYNN CASE
Alvin Lynn Case, of Northwest Miami,
died at 9 a.m. Sunday, November 4, 1993,
at Care NW'8ing Home in Miami.
He was 82. Born Dec. 12 , 1910, at
Ringgold County, Iowa. Mr. Case had
lived in Miami since November of 1960.
A member of the First Presbyterian
Church, Miami, where he had served as
an elder and a deacon, Mr. Case was a
retired U.S. Marines warrant officer.
A survivor of the Bataan Death March
during World War II, Mr. Case retired
from the Marine Corps in 1957.
During WWII, he served on the
Phillipine Islands and Corregidor.
Mr. Case is survived by his wife, Mary
Beth Case, of the home; three s isters,
Nine Welch, Joan Gilliland and Alpha
Talley, and severa] nieces and nephews.
Three of Mr. Case's brothers and four of
his sisters preceded him in death.
Services for Mr. Case were at 10 a.m.
Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church
in Miami. Gene Cantrell and the Rev.
Alice McDowell officiated.
CHARLES F. CRAIG
RICHARD T. ANGUS
This is to advise you of the death of my
husband, Richard T . Angus, Jr. , on
November 7, 1993.
Dick was captured on BaLaan and made
the Death March. He was 72 years old
when he passed away auddenly. only five
days short of his 73rd birthday. He survived the death march an~ was held pris.
oner for 3 112 years. He was a life member
of tbe American Defenders of Bataan and
Corregidor, the Disabled American
Veterana, the American Ex-POWs and
tbe Veterans of Foreign Wars. After his
civilian retirement in 1979, he did volunteer duty with the DAY as well as several
civic organizations.
He was a member of the Presbyterian
Church and married to his survivor his
wife of 37 years, Jo Angua.
'
JENNINGS B. CRAIG
Jennings B. Craig, age 77, d.ied November 2, 1993 at San Antonio, 'I'X, after
a long illness. He died of respiratory failure and chronic pulmonary disease. He
was a former P.O.W. and a life member of
A.D. B.C. Captured in May of 1942 on
Corregidor, he was released in 1945. He
, was a member of the 4th Marine Reg. and
very proud of it. Graveside rite. were held
Nov. 4 at Fort Sam Houston National
Cemetery with fuj i military honors. He is
survived by his wife, Vera, 4 children and
4 step-children.
Charles F. Craig, 75, of Avon Park, FL,
formerly of Indianapolis, IN, died
Thursday, November 18 , 1993 in h is
home. He served 30 years in the U.S.
Navy, was captured on Corregidor, P.I.
and was a prisoner of war for three and a
half years. He was awarded two bronze
stars and two Purple Hearts. He retired
from the Navy in 1968 with tbe rank of
Chief Warrant Officer.
He was Past Commander of VFW Post
3160 in Norfolk, VA. A 32nd degree
Mason, he was Past High Priest of York
Rite, a Life Member of MOC-Life Member
of VFW 9853, member of the American
Legion Post 69-Avon Park, and a member
of Willow Wood Presbyterian Church, of
Norfolk, VA.
Funeral services were Monday, November 22 at Stephenson-Nelson Funeral
Home Chapel. Avon Park, with the Rev.
R.L. Polk officiating. Interment in Florida
National Cemetery, BushneU, Florida.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years,
Wanda Lee, of Avon Park, thl'1!f! daughters - Susanne Lesher, Jeanne Estep
and Charlene Parker, eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
DR. A.P. CURTIN
Dr. A.P. Curtin of Cheltenham, England, died on November 7, 1993. He was
born on April 4, 1914. ARer graduating
from medical school, Dr. Curtin entered
the service of the Royal Navy as Surgeon
Lieutenant in the year 1939. One of his
first assignments was the evacuation of
Dunkirk in May 1940. He was later as-
signed ' to the aircraft carrier H .M.S.
Hermes in the Indian Ocean and 888isted
in evacuating mi'litary personnel from
Singapore and the Dutch East Indies.
Shortly thereafter, the carrier Hermes
was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine
in the Indian Ocean. He was picked up by
a English m er chant vessel and while
heading toward Australia , a German
raider sank tile merchant ship and took
him as a prisoner of war. The German
Navy then transferred him to the Japanese Armed Forces and taken to Japan.
After a short stay at the British POW
camp in Kawasaki, Japan, he was assigned as a medical officer at Tokyo Area
Camp No. 2B, also located in Kawasaki.
At this camp he endeared himself to hi s.
fellow prisoners of war fo r services rendered them. With little or makeshift. medicines, he kept many of those interred at
this camp alive_ He had POWs make
crude medical instruments for his use in
the camp dispensary. On many occasions,
he was aeverely beaten by the Japanese
personnel for keeping the sick from having to perform slave labor. He never forgave the Japanese people for the cruel and
harsh treatment of prisoners of war.
Dr. Curtin was liberated on August 29,
1945 and retu.r ned home by way of the
United Statea. On his way borne, he was
honored by the United States government
for his outstanding service to hia fellow
prisonera of war, by awarding him the
Legion of Merit. After a short reschooling
at a medical college, Dr. Curtin entered
the genera1 practice of medicine.
Dr. Curtin attended many of the ADBC
conventions to be with his "boys-, in the
Kawaaaki group. His last convention was
at Pittsburgh in May 1993.
Dr. Curtin had been ill for many
montha and since. his last visit to America
in May 1993 in Pittsburgh. Upon his return to England, he had aix cardiac
arrests in less than two months. He lost
the use of both legs about a month ago. He
fell into a coma and never came out of it.
His death was painieas. He leaves many
friends , friends that not only were with
him in a Japanese concentration camp
during World War II, but remained his
very close friends for every year since the
war.
Each year, Dr. Curtin returned to tbe
United Statel to see and visit with "his
hoya-. Such loyalty and true care is sel·
dom leen in this world these days .
Everyone who knew Dr. Curtin was a
friend of his. I had the pleaa,ure of knowing this man probably better than anyone.
He was my friend and companion on
almost every trip to the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor conventions. While at the conventions I witnessed the hundreds or people who called
his name on a personal basil.
We shall aU mis8 him. God bless him
and keep him always.
Jack (Duke) Willtins
SEPl'EMBER, 1988 - 8
R.W. CONFER
Russell William Confer, 69, of Kingman, AZ, died Dec. 4 , 1993 from cardia
respiratory arrest and advanced emphyBema . He was horn in Albion, PA
February 14, 1924. He moved. to Denver,
CO, where he attended school there until
he joined the Army in May of 1941. He
was Air Offensive Japan Philippine
Island. Luzon Ground combat, searchlight
operator 763 with the 60th coast artillery.
He received the Asiatic Pacific Service
medal, Philippine Defense Ribbon with 2
Bronze Stars, American Defense Service
Medal with 1 Bronze Slar, Good Conduct
Medal, .Diatinguished Unit Citation with
2 OLC Go 14 WOO March 194.2 GO 22 30
April 1942. Wound, received in action
Pacific Theater April 6, 1942.
He Will a Japanese Prisoner of War for
3 112 years. He W8JI honorably discharged
March 18, 1946, where be met and married Thelma Seiler in Denver, CO May 25,
1946. They had 3 children, Connie,
Russell & Edwin, who died in April 1988.
He also had 3 grandchildren, Hannah ,
Jacob & Ben Confer of Calif. He retired to
Kingman, AZ, aRer 32 years with the CO
State Patrol. He was a lifetime member of
ExP.O .W. ADBC, D.A.V., Elks, Masonic
Funera l & cremation. He will be missed
by all.
JIMMIE W. FINDLEY
Jimmi e W. Findley, 78, a reaident of
Lovington since 1955, died at hia home
July 25, 1993, in Lovington early Sunday
morning following an extended illness.
Fun e r a l services were co nducted
Wedneaday morning at 10 a .m . at the
graveside in Lovington Cemetery with
military honors by the Lovington Honor
Guard and the Masonic gT8.veside ritual
by Lovington Lodge '46.
Born July 16, 1915 at Eliasville, Texas,
he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air foree in
September, 1939, and was serving in the
Phillipines on the ataff of General
Douglas MacArthur when the islands fell
to the Japanese and he was taken prisoner. He was a prisoner for 34 months ,
entering the Bataan Death March.
He was united in marriage to Wanda
Sheppard on August 23, 1945 in Seminole, Texas. He was a member of HiUcrest Baptist Church, Lovington Lodge
146, AF and AM, and the VFW Post of
Lovington.
Findley worked for Chemical Process
Co. of Hobbs for over seven years and the
Cardinal Chemical Company in Hobbs. He
moved to Lovington in 1955 to work for
Halliburton Services, until he retired in
1973. He owned and operated the Ranch
House Cafe in Lovington from 1973 until
1976 when he sold his intere8t.
Survivors include his wife, Wanda, of
the home; one daughter, Mary Smith; two
sons, David Findley and Monte Sheppard;
one sister, Mary Ann Vaughn; also by six
grandchildren and two great-grandchildreno
~F
.""00lY
4 - TIlE QUAN
MAJOR JOSEPHINE
NESBIT DAVIS
TRUMAN MARZETT
Major Josephine, -Josie-, Nesbit Davis,
retired Army Nurse Corps Officer, veteran of World War I and World War II,
Prisoner of War in the Phillipine Islands
for 33 months, recently died at the age of
98.
Josie was born on a farm in Butler,
Missouri, one of ten children and was orphaned at the age of 10 years. She at·
tended Red Cross Hospital and Training
School, Kansas City, Missouri, graduating in 1915. Recruited by the US Army
during the Flu Epide mi c of 1918, sh e
8enled continuously on active duty until
her disability retire ment in November
1946. She served at many installations in
the United States and was on her second
tour of duty in the Philippines on December 7, 1941. She escaped by boat from
Bataan and was taken to Corregidor.
When Corregidor fell she was evacuated.
to Manila and imprisoned at the Santo
Tomas Internment Camp with US Army
and US Navy Nurses. She was liberated
by Phillipine Guerrillas and the American Liberation Forces on the night of
February S, 1945.
Her honorable and courageous service
resulted in the awarding of the following
medals: American Defense Service Medal
with Foreign Service Clasp; Asiatic
Pacific Campaign Medal with two Bronze
Battle Stars; Phillipine Defell5e Ribbon
and Phillipine Liberation Ribbon with 1
Bronze St.ar; Bronze Star Meda l; Di s·
tinguished Unit Badge with 2 Oak Leaf
Clusters; World War I and World War n
Victory Me dal ; Th e American POW
Medal and the Legion of Merit.
Major Davis w as a co-founder and
Charter and Life Member of the American Legion with continuous membership
since 1919; Life member of the American
Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor; Life
Member of America n Ex-Prisoners of
War; and the Retired Army Nurse Corps
Association.
She is survived by her husband Bill ,
also a retired Major and POW, and many
relatives and friends , and especially the
remaining beloved , -Angels of Bataan
and Corregidor", with whom she shared
sorrows and joys in caring for the thousands of war C88ualties in the Phillipine
Islands during World Wa r II .
THERMOPOLIS - Truman Manett
Dickeson , 73, died Friday Dec. 17, 1993,
at Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital
in Thermopolis.
Truman was born April 27, 1920 , in
Daisy, Ark. He attended school in Thermopolis and Casper. While serving in the
U.S . Marin e Corps Military Police in
Shangbai and Manila. be was captured on
Cor regidor and sur vived the Bata a n
Death March as well as three and a hruf
years as a prisoner of the Japanese in
Mukden Manchuria.
On July 14 , 1946, h e married Doreen
"Dode- Beaver in McKenzie Bridge, OR. In
Th e rmopoli s, h e worked at Steward
Creamery, the oil field at Hamilton Dome
and re tired as a rura l m ai l carrier in
1980.
He had life memberships in the American De fenders of Corregi dor, Disabled
American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign
Wars Poat 2281, Ex POWs and was a paRt
member of the Eagles Lodge.
Truman liked t he outdoors. He loved
God, his family . his country and the US
Marine Corps. Above all, he valued hi&
freedom .
H e is s urvived by hi s wife, Dode of
'T'hennopolis; daughters Loretta Jo Cook
of Big Hom and Trudy Lance of Powell;
son, Truman, Jr. of Casper; sister Mildred
Snyder of Las Vegas , Nev.; brother
Has kel Dickeson of Thermopolis; eight
grandchildren and numerous nieces and
nephews. He was preceded in death by hi&
parent.a.
PAUL FORTNER
Paul Fortner, Forsyth , MT, passed
away on November 4, 1993. Paul was a
me mber of the 19th Quartermaster
Truck Co. He is survived by his brother
Russel Fortner, Herperia, CA. Paul was a
ham Radio Operator and maintained contact with ham stations in the Pbilippines.
JAMESW. GEE
Jimmy Gee (born Aug . 27 , 19·2 0)
paased away on October 8, 1993 at home
in Dallas, TX and was buried in DaUas
on October 11, 1993.
DICKESON
----
ELEANOR M. GAREN
Major Eleanor M . Garen, 84, of
Greenspring Manor, IN, died November
26, 1993 at 4:40 a .m. in the nursing home
after an illness. Miss Garen retired from
the Anny as a major and nune. She was
born March 7, 1909, in Fennville, Michigan, and lived in South Bend since 1975,
co ming from EI Paso, TX.
She is survived by a siste r , Loretta
Whitwell; a brother, Reese; a nd 8 niece,
Dori s Sante. She was a member of Ame rica n Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, Order of Eastern Star Hannony
Chapter, Retired Army Officers Association, a graduate of Wesley Memorial
Hos pital of Nursing of Northwestern
University Medical School, was a prisoner
of war during World War II and received
the Bronze Star.
M~ . Garen , along with the other 66
Army NUJ"8 u , was retained in Santo
Tomas lntennent Camp in Manila until
our rescue by returning forces on Feb. 3,
1945.
I am not informed as to survivors of
M~ . Caren, oniy know she lived in her
home state of Indiana and had beeD in
poor health for some years.
......
(j
JOHN GECKELER
PRESTON S. GIWAM
John Martin (Sarge) Geckeler, of
Drexel Hill , died Sept. 22 in the
Haverford Nursing and Rehabilitation
Funeral services were held in Tracy for
decorated World War II soldier Preston S.
Gilliam, 74, of Tracy.
Mr. Gilliam died Sunday at his home
after a brief bout with cancer.
A native of Stigler, Okla., Mr. Gilliam
came to Tracy 10 years ago after retiring
from a career at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore.
Sgt. Maj. Gilliam first enlisted in the
U.S. Marine Corps in 1939 and spent 8 1
years in the armed forces. He fought for
Bataan and Corregidor until thei r fall in
1942, survived the Batasn Death March
and spent four years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.
For his heroism, he was awarded the
Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Later, he fought with the First Marines
in the Korean War at the Choein Reservoir and again was decorated for bravery.
He then continued to train Marines for
service in the Vietnam War. He received
18 medals before his honorable discharge.
In September, Gen. Mundy, commandant
of the Marine Corps, contacted Mr.
Gilliam to express his appreciation for his
many years of service and convey his best
wishes.
Since his retirement, Mr. Gilliam's
favorite pastimes were gardening and
spending time with his ch ildren, grandchildren and great-grandson.
He is survived by his wife, Ella Marie
Gilliam of Tracy; Tracy a nd Jimmie
Gilliam; a daughter, Linda Wade; a brother, Wilson Gilliam; a s ister, Ruth
Ja.meraon; eight gr and chil dre n and a
great-grandson.
Saturday's funera l services were held
at 11 a.m. at Fry Memorial Chapel, with
his eldest son, Preston Gilliam, pastor of
Grace Community Bible Church and an
ex-Navy chief, officiating. Interment with
full military honors was held at Little
Arlington in Tracy Cemetery.
Center. He was 86 8.nd had lived in
Drexel Hill for 46 years.
Mr. Geckeler was a 30-year veteran of
military service. He was a captain in the
Air Force in World War n and the Korean
War. He occupation was aircraft. mechanic and he retired in 1963.
Capt. Gecke le r began his military
career in the 19308 with the Coasta l
Artillery in the Panama CaDw Zone. He
then joined the Army Air Corps, was stationed in the Phillipine Islands when
World War II began and served in the
Pacific Theater.
He received the Distinguished Flying
Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the
Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters,
the Bronze Star, tbe Air Force Medal, the
Good Conduct Medal, and a Unit Citation
with two Oak Leaf Clusters with the 19th
Bomb Group.
Mr. Geckeler was a member of the Retired Officers Association , the Willow
Grove Chapter, the American Defenders
of Bataan and Corregidor, the Caterpillar
Cl ub anll the 19th Bomb Group Association. He was mechanically inclined
and enjoyed repairing things, and he
liked photography.
He is survived "by his wife, Elsa; a
daughter, Jeanne L. Stater of Media; two
sons, Charles M. and Paul E.; five grandchilaren, and a sister, Bertha G. Elliot.
Services were held Monday, September
27, in the M.F. WilJiams Funeral Home,
Clifton Heights. Burial was in Arlington
Cemetery, Drexel Hill.
WALTER H. HEWln
Col. Walter H. Hewitt, U.S. Army
retired, died on August 28, 1993 at home
in Alexandria, Vi rginia. He was a survivor of the Bataan Death March and 3
112 years as a Japanese prisoner of war,
and in Zentsuji POW camp, Japan. He
arrived in the Philippines in 1940, and
after liberation in 1945, served in Tokyo,
Germany and Turkey until 1960. Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Nona
Fay, three daughters and two sons, eight
grandchildren and four great-grandchil.
dren.
Obitua ry rece i ved from National
Sojourners, Inc., AJexandria, VA.
HENRY KORCZAK
He nry Korczak died September 29,
1993. He was a life member of ADBC. He
is survived by his wife Myrtle. No other
details are available.
GERALD C. KASNER
Reti red design engineer and former
teacher, Gerald C. Kasner, 71, of Union
Michigan, died at 6 a.m. Wednesday,
December 22, 1993 at his home, apparently from a heart attack.
He was born July 2, 1922, in Detroit.
He married Edna Marie Phelps on June
14, 1947, in [m lay City, Mich. She died
August 16 , 1987. He married Melba
Queyquep Foronda on Oct. 6, 1990 in
Cass County, Michiga n . She s urvi Ves
with two so ns , John G. Kasner, and
Michael A. Kasner; two daughters, Rose
Marie Snoblen and Patricia Ann Kasne r;
and four grandchildren.
Mr. Kasner was chief design engineer
for K&S Manufacturing of Granger and a
fonner engineer at Adams & Westlake of
Elkhart. Previously, he taught adult edu-
cation an d algebra at Rice School in
Elkhart and at school s in Detroit. Mr.
Kasne r, who moved to Union in 1972,"Was
a U.S. Army veteran, having served in
World War 11 He was a prisoner of war in
the Phillipines and was awarded six
Bronze Stars and two oak leaf clusters for
his service in the Army. He was a member
of the American Defenders of Bataan and
Corregidor and the Michiana Chapter of
Ex-POWs.
KERMIT LAY
Forty-four years is a long time to wait,
but that's how long it took fqr one soldier
to get his reward.
Capt. (Retired) Kermit R. Lay received
the Meda l for Humane Action during a
ceremony in his honor Wednesday, the
48th anniversary of his liberation from a
Japanese p r isoner of war camp. The
medal was bestowed on him for'his service
with th e U.S. Occupat iona.i Force in
Germany. He served as the commander of
a train taking military fr eight through
Russian Sector into Berlin during the
Berlin Airlift. in 1949.
The Medal for Humane Action is awarded to a member of the armed forces of the
United States who participated in the
Berlin airlift. or in direct support of the
ai rlift for at least 120 days during the
period of June 26, 1948 through Sept. 30,
1949 within a defined area of operations.
Lay was assigned to the 7747th Military Police Railway Security Group. He
escorted supply trains from Helmstedt to
Berlin.
"We would travel at night because the
Russians didn't want us to see anything
during the day,~ Lay said.
The trains included two cabooses, one in
the middle and one at the end. Lay and
four soldiers traveled in one while a sergeant and four more soldiers traveled in
anothe r . He said without security the
Russians would break into the trains.
Lay, who lives with his wife Paula in
Clayton, Calif., has a number of other military award s as well as a few civilian
awards.
His military awards include the Silver
Star, the Bronze Star with one Oak Leaf
Cluster, the Purple Heart with One Oak
Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman
Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal and the
German Occupation Medal with Berlin
Device.
ROBERT E. LEE
Robe r t E. Lee, Sgt, Port Richey, FL ,
passed away on the 30th of December,
1993. He was a Wake Island Marine. He
is survived by his wife Barbara, who was
an intemee of the Japanese at Singapore.
Robert was cremated and interred at the
Veterans Administration Cemetery, Bushnell, FL. He was buried with Full Military
Honors.
FEBRUARY, 191M - 6
IRVING JOSEPH
BENJAMIN MARTINEZ
JOSEPH B. MATHENY
Irving Joseph, 81, a retired San Francisco city employee who survived the
Bataao Death March during World War
II and later escaped from internment by
the Japanese , died of prost a t e cancer
Friday January 7, 1994.
Mr. Josepb was the son of immigrants
from the Auatro-Hungarian Empire. He
attended San Francisco school s, the
University of California a t Berkeley and
San Francisco Law School.
After prewar stints as a copy boy and
seria] photographer for the San Francisco
News, Mr. Joseph joined the US Army in
Oct.ober 1940. H e was atatio n ed at
8ataan Air Field in the Phillipines when
the Japanese army overran the facility ,
capturing some 12,000 U.S. soldiers and
65,000 Filipinos.
Mr. Joseph survived the seve D-day
"death m arch " to Balangs and later
escaped the Japanese and joined a band
of Filipino guerrillaa. For his wartime ser-vice, he received a bronze atar and a unit
citation ribbon with two silver clusters.
Mr. Joseph is survived by hi s wife
Nemssa, and daughter Devorah. He is
a l80 su.rvived by a sister, Pearl Zeimer
and a brother, Benjamin Jo&eph.
Benjamin Martinez was a prisoner of
war in World War II for 42 months, having been captured in combat on CorTegidor in the Phillipinee in February 1942.
He was shot three times during his im·
prisonment. After his release, he received
a Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters.
He worked in civil service at KeUy AFB
for 27 years lUI an electronics technician
and retired in May 1977.
Martinex, 79, died Monday, November
I, 1993, of ca ncer. Born in Espanola,
N .M., where he grad uated from hi gh
school, he attended the University of New
Mexico for a year.
For eight years he was in the Civilian
Conservation Corps before joining the
Army. On July 9, 1951, he married Patro·
cina Herrera in Espanola. They lived in
San Antonio and were the parents of five
children before their divorce in 1977.
MMy father's POW experience bred in
him an unusual patience: said his son,
Cmdr. Benjamin Martinez, Jr. of the
Philadelphia Navel Base. MHe s uffered
like no other and only weighed 89 lbe. on
his 5·foot, 5-inch fram e whe n he was
released from the Japanese prison i.n
Osaka on Honsu Island.
MIn Ipite of this, he felt no malice toward the Japanes e, saying they were
doing what was patriotic for them in war·
time. He was reticent about his experi.
ence, saying he wanted to put it behind
him.
"He became adaptable, learned to enjoy
the Japanese diet of raw fish and learned
to speak Japanese. He taught his children
Japanese and was pragmatic in the way
he made us see our problems. He was an
unassuming, modest man, and didn 't
draw attention to himself or brag.·
On his return to San Antonio, Martinez
worked several years at Repete at Pete's
Liquor Store and attended a vocational
technical school. He became a TV repair·
man . In 1955 he went to work at Kelly.
Additional survivors are three other
sons, Army Sgt . Robert A. Martinez ,
Michael A. Martinex, and Sgt. 1st class
David H. Martinez; and seven grandchil.
dren.
Jose ph B. (Joe) Matheny , 7 J, of
Newark, Ohio, passed away Nov. 17 ,
1993. He e nli sted in the O.S. Army in
December 1940 and served with Head·
quarters Company 192nd. Tank Bat·
talion. He was a survivor of the Bataan
Death March a.n d as a P.O.W. was in·
terned at Ca mp O'DonneD, Cabanatuan,
Bilibid Prison and Camp lIlO Futasi City,
J a pan . Joe was a lifetime member of
A.D.B.C. and American Ex-POW, a memo
ber of the Kentuckiana Chapter of
A.D.B.C. and also a member of the Ameri+
can Legion and D.A.V. Joe had the distinct privilege of serving at National
Commander of the American Defenders of
Batun and Corregidor 1991·92 and was
especially proud of being made a Kentucky Colonel aner offering a speech in
Kentucky to their Pearl Harbor Group.
J oe is survived by his wife.Shirley of 47
years, two sons, Ti.m Matheny and wife,
Ma rgie; Dan Matheny and wife, Barb ;
a nd three grandchi ldren Michael ,
Melissa and Patrick.
ROBERT J. KNIGHT
Rohert. J . Knight died November 3 ,
1993 in Lancaster, CA. Burial site is unknown.
He, also, was a member of the Bataan
Death March and prisoner of the Japanese.
A longtime resident of Carlesbad ,
Robert only recently moved to Lancaster.
HARRY F. MOCK
Harry F. Mock, 73, of Bradenton, died
Oct. 31 in HCAIL.W. Blake HOI:Ipital.
Services were held at 2 p.m. ThunKiay
at the funeral home, with the Rev, Scott
Eding officiating. Burial was in Manasota
Memorial Park.
Born in Ashland, Pa., Mr. Mock came
to Bradenton from Hatboro, Pa., in 1962.
He was a retired auto I!8leeman. He was a
member of Bayshore Gardens Community
Church. He was a prisoner of war during
World War U. He was a member of the
American Ex·Prisoner of War group, the
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Lodge,
32nd Degree Mason in Ashland, Pa., and
a life member of the Disabled American
Veterans and American Defenders of
Bataan and Corregidor.
He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann; a
son, Richard J. , of Bradenton; a stepdaughter, Nancy Snow of Bradenton ; a
sister, Hazel E. Jones of Bradenton; and
two grandchildren.
6-THEQUAN
ALONZO E. ODBERT
AJ Odbert was born Aug. 27. 1922 a t
Long Pine, ME , and died Nove mbe r 2,
1993 at North Platte, ME.
He was in the Army Air Corps, captured st Bataan, later was &ent to Japan
and worked on the docks as a P.O.W. until
liberated.
He is survived by his wife Arline, son
Mike and daughter Amy.
He was buried at Fort McPhearson
National Cemetery.
ERNEST E. McCUSH
Colonel Ernest E. McClish, U.S. Army
Ret., 84, of Raymore, MO, died Oct. 26,
1993. He served in the Army for 30 years,
retiring in 1962. He also was a veteran of
the Korean War. He was a resistance
commande r at Mindanao in the Phillipines in WWlI. He was mentioned in the
books Never Say D~, They Fought Alone,
and Am erican Gu errilla in the Philippinel. His wife, Wanda, died in 1991. He
is survived by two IOns, two daughters, a
stepson, a brother, a sister, and eight
grandchildren.
Colone l McClish served his country
very well in the military beginning with
CCC camp duty in the 19308 as a camp
office r. He was stationed at Fort Hu·
achuca, Arizona, before being sent to the
Philippines and assignment to the 57th
Infantry, PS. In September of 1941 he
was assigned to the 61st Infantry, 81st
Division, PA, serving 8S a battalion com·
mander and was in the battle of Malaba ng, Lanao, Mindanao, the week of the
surrender and escaped capture. He went
on to organize and command the 100th
Division, Tenth Military District, Mindanao Guerrill a Force , until he wa s
relieved and repatriated to the United
States in January 1945.
LAVERN MCCOMBS
La Vern McCombs passed away September 29, 1993 in Hobbs and was buried
at Memory Gardens Cemetery.
He W8S with the 200th CA in the Bataan Death March and a POW for 42
months.
LaVern was the former fire chief of
Hobbs. He is survived by his wife, Helen.
---
-
WILLIAM GILBERT ORDOS
ALBERT P. ROSS
FRANK C. SHANNON
William Gilbert Ordos, 74, of Aberdeen,
MD, died Nov. 1, 1993. During World War
11, he served with the 59th CAY, 31st Inf.
Reg. He was a survivor of the Balaan
Death March and spent 3 1/2 yeafs in
prison camps in t.he Philippines, Fonn088
Albe rt P . RoSll, 73, husband of
J oeephine (Hatch) Ross, died unexpectedly Oct. 11, 1993. He was born in Bangor,
Nov. 11, 1919, the son of Charles A. and
May (parker) Ro&s. After graduation from
Lee Academy in 1937, he enlisted in the
U.S. Navy and served aboard destroyers
until 1940, when he transferred to PT
boats. He served with Squadron 3 in the
Phillipines and was involved with
General MacArthur's Escape, following
the Fall of Bataan . Captured after his
boat was sunk in 1942 , b e spent the
remainder of th e war as a Japanese
P.O.W. Repatriated in 1945, he remained
in the Navy, received his commission in
1947, had three commands at sea, and
retired in 1958 as a commander. During
his naval service, he was awarded a variety of medals, including the Silver Star
with Oakleaf Cluster, Bronze Star, and
the Purple Heart. Between 1958 a nd
1986, he worked ssll stock broker for several firms including Hornblower & Weeks
and Pain-Webber. His professional affiliations included Kiwanis, the Retired
Officers Association, American Defenders
of Bataan, Maine Chapter of American
Prisoners of War and the PT Boats Association. He was a longtime parishioner
of St. Mary's Pari sh Community. He is
su rvived by hi s wife of 47 years,
Josephine; three sons, Albert P. Roas II
and Brian J. Ross, and Patrick J . Ross;
one daughter, Annette Ross Anderson;
two grandchild ren , several nieces and
nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial was
celebrated 10 a.m . Wedn esd ay at St.
Mary's Catholic Church , Ohio Street,
Bangor. Interment is in Maine Veterans
Memorial Cemetery, Augusta.
Frank C. Shannon, 75, of Lower Allen
Twp ., died yesterday in Ho ly Spirit
Hospital.
He was retired from the Army and the
former New Cumberland Anny Depot; an
Army veteran of World War II and recipient of the Purple Heart and POW Medal;
and a memb~ r of the ex-POW Inc.,
American Defenders of Bataan, Corregidor, Inc., the Perry Historians and New
Cumberland VFW Post 7415.
Surviving are his wife, Dorothy Dietz
Shannon, and a sister , June Coons of
Harrisburg.
Private services will be held in MyersHamer Funeral Home, Camp Hill. Private
burial will be in Rolling Green Memorial
Park, Lower Allen Twp.
Memorial contributions may be made to
Salvation Army, 1122 Green St. , Harrisburg, PA 17102.
and Japan. He was a member ofAXPOW
and Maryland North Chapter. He is survived by his wife, Faye, two sona, B brother, two sisters and three grandchildren.
THOMAS B. PAYNE
Tom Payne (bom June 14, 1909) died
October 25, 1993. He lived in C<lronado,
California. and was buried in California
on November I , 1993. He died of heart
failure.
WlWAM F. pmRSEN
William F. Petersen (MSGT, US Army,
reL) died on September 23, 1993 at Keller
Army Hospital, West Point, NY. A resi dent of Highland Falla, NY for 36 yeara,
he was born i.n Hambu.rg, Germany on
October 4, 1912.
MlSgt Petersen was wounded on Corregidor in May 1942 while serving wit.h t.he
59th Coast Artillery Regiment. He survived after the fall of Corregidor at Clark
Field, Bilibid Prison, and the Moji Camp
on the island of Kyushu. He was liberated
on V..J Day in 1945. He continued his service in the US Army, serving in Fort Benning, Fort Totten, two years of combat
duty during the Korean War, West Point
and Germany. He retired in 1964.
M/Sgt Petersen is survived by his wife,
Use; two children, Diane Travis and William Petersen: and one grandson, Alex
Travis. Interment was in Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
MICHAEL PINKOVSKY
DONALD C. REGAN
Michael Pinkovsky pa ssed away on
Oct.ober 26th, 1993. Mike was a retired
Master Sergeant in the United States·Air
Force and after his retirement from the
USAF he worked with Sears in Orlando,
Florida. In early 1992 h e moved from
Orlando to Panama City, Florida t.o be
near his son who is stationed at Tyndall
Air Force Base, Panama City, Florida.
Mike was on a Kidney Dialysis machine
and was receiving treatment twice a
week. Mike was aSSigned to t h e 17th
Pursuit Sqd., and he was a life member of
ADBC '313. He is survived by his wife
Dorothy and a son.
Donald C. Regan, 65, of BettendOli, lA,
died August 30, 1984. He was a member
of the 7th Material Squadron, 19th Bomb
Group. Stationed at Clark Field, P.I., he
speot 42 months as s P.O.W. Survivors
include his wife Eleanor, one daughter,
and one 80n, each have three children.
Eleanor said Don always looked forward
to getting the KQuan~. He is sorely missed
by his family. Don had his own business
as a Manufactures Rep for a number of
Industrial companies. (Submitted by Ray
H. Thompson, a member of his WWIl unit
respectfully.)
RAYMOND L SPARKS
Received word from Otto Schwartz that
Sparks died at 6:30 a.m. November 1,
1993 at his home in Alpine, California of
cancer. Otto said he bad received lh.i s
notice from the family.
ALFRED SMITH
Dr. Alfred Littlefield Smith, a retired
Richmond phy s ician, died Sunday,
November 8, 1993, in a local hospital from
heart problems. He was 85 snd lived in
Richmond.
A nstive of Lyman Township, Maine,
Dr. Smith served in the Navy on the
Yangtze Rive r gun boats a nd with the
Fourth Marine Regiment in the international settJement in Shanghai. While in
China, h e married Elizabeth Jackson
Smith.
In 1942 , he was captured by the
Japa nese on Corregidor in the Phillipine
Islands and was held for more than two
years.
Dr. Smith was awarded both the Purple
Heart and the Bronze. Star Medal .
He retired as a captain from the Navy
in 1947 on full disability as a result of
treatment he received while a priBOner of
war.
After the war, he was assistant chief
s urgeon for the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway in Richmond and served on the
medical st.a1T of t he Federal Reserve Bank
of Richmond.
Dr. Smith maintained a medical prac·
lice in the Professional Building at Fifth
and Franklin streets in Richmond until
1976, when he retired because of warrelated health problems.
He attended Springfield College in
Springfield. Mess., and rece ived his
undergraduate and medical degrees from
the University of Virginia.
He was a Pellow of the American Col·
lege of Physicians and a member of the
Richmond Academy of Medicine.
Dr. Smith was a member of St.
Stephen's Episcopal Church and the
Country Club of Virginia.
He was a member of the Yangtze
Patrol.
Survivors, in addition to his wife, include a son, Alfred L. Smith, Jr., and a
sister, Marion A Smith.
FEBRUARY. 1.... - 7
JOHN W. SPAINHOWER
WESLEY W. WILSON
LTC John W. Spainhower, U.S. Army
Retired , died on September 14 , 1993 i n
Wes ley W. Wilson , 79, U.S. Navy
Retired, of Ft. Walton Beach , FL, died
October 11, 1993. He was stationed in the
Phili ppines where he served as s lst class
signalman on a PT boat pat rolling the
outer banks of Bataan. He was captured
on Corregidor on May 6, 1942, and held
prisoner for 43 months in J a panese prison
camps. He spent 2 112 years in a prison
camp at Cabanatuan, Philippines. He also
s pe nt 21 days at sea on the freighter
Ni88YO Maru with 1,500 other prisoners.
For 11 months he worked in a 0081 mine
at a prison cam p in Japan . Tbat mine
saved him from exposure to the atomic
bomb dropped on Nagasaki a b out 25
miles away. His decorations include the
Bronu Star a.n d the Purple Heart. He
was active in veterans organizations, as a
Shriner down , a nd as a musician. He
leaves his two daughters, a granddaughter, and three grandsons.
San Diego. He waa captured on Bataan
and was a Ja panese pri80ner-of-wa r for 3
1/2 yean. He re mained on acti ve duty
until r e tirement in 1961. His wife,
Evelyn, predeceased him in 1969. He is
s ur vived by two s isters. in . law, 10
nephews and n ieces, and 21 grand nieces
and nephews. He was an active Mason, a
member of J ohn D. Spre<:kela Lodge 11657,
and a 32°. Knight Commander Court of
Honor, San Diego Bodies Scottish Rite; a
me mber of Prisoner-of·War Chapter 523,
a nd Golden Gate Chapter 18, National
Sojour n ers. A membe r of Ame r ican
Defenders of Bataa n & Corregidor.
American Ex- POW , Retired Officers
Association and Vete r a n s of Fore ign
Wars. Services were held on September
20, 1993 at Cypress View unde r the aU8pices of Spreckels Masonic Lodge '657.
The Reverend Richard L. Crozier officiatr
...
(Richard Crozier is John's nephew and
is a Chaplain stationed at March Air
Force Base.) We appreciate Dorothy Wade
(sister-in-law) for giving WI the details.
ROBERT EDWARD SPARKS
Robert Edward Spark8 of fusno, CA,
passed away August 9, 1993. He joined
the U.S. Army Corps just in time to be
sent to the Philippines a s hort period
before World War II . He was captured
April 9, 1942, and was a survivor of t he
Bataan Death March and 40 months of
confine me nt in J a pa nese POW cam ps,
including Comp O'Donnell , Pagus River,
Cabanatuan , Yod agaw a (Mits ubi s hi
Heavy Industries), and Fukuoks. He was
a past national junior vice commander of
AXPOW, as well as holding offices in the
Ca liforni a State De partment an d in
Fresno Chapter No. 1, of which h e was
oommander. He leaves fami ly and friends.
CORRECTION
There is a mistake in our obits in
the Dece mber, 1993 issu e of The
Quan . On page 6, under DECEASED
- NO DETAILS, we listed the death
of Ra y mond D. Ree d . It waa n ot
Raymond , but hi s wife that di e d .
Raymond is doing fi ne, a nd I'm sure
his friends who read T~ Quan would
like to know this fact.
Ra y mond's wife, Iri s Alberta
-Peaches" Reed did pass away September 21, 1993, at Harris Hospital in
Forth Worth, Texas. Services were
conducted a t Run away Bay Community Church September 23, 1993 ,
with burial at Greenwood Cemetery in
Forth Worth.
8-THEQUAN
FLORIDA CHAPTER
The Florida Chapter ADBC had a sueceuful meeti ng at th e Granada Inn ,
Ormond Beach, Florida on the weekend of
14th thru 17th of October 1993. There
were seventy of our members. wives and
guests.
The newly elected. officers are;
Commander - Reginald Leighton
1st Ai r Warning
Vice Comma nder - Charles McAtee
27th Bomb Group Hd. Sqd.
Jr. Vice Commander Fontaine Brownell
Army Nurse Corp.
Treasurer - A.L. Fullerton
12th Quartennaster Corp.
Secretary - John A1drich
19th Quartermaster Truck Co.
The Defenderetts of the Florida Chapter ADBC elected the foll owing Officers:
President - J oan Copeland
Secretary - Maria Raymond
Treasurer - Louise Fu1lerton and
Katie Kadel
Chaplin - Virginia Smith
The Florida Chapter ADBC will hold
the ir Genera l Meeting and 199 4 Con vention at the Holiday Riverfront inn ,
Bradenton, Florida on the 6th thru the
9th of October 1994. The room rates will
be $59.00 Single or Double plus a 9% tax.
Anyone desiring information concerning
the a bove, write to John Aldrich 4430
Pompano Drive, Tampa, FL 33617-3808
or call (813) 988-3549.
THE
CHAPLAIN'S
CORNER
Happy New Year to all fellow Members
of the American Defenders of Balaan and
Corregidor and to thei r spouses, offspring,
survi ving spouses and Associate Me mbers!
Lately the Christmas and Ha nukkah
Seasons have dominated our lives, as they
should; most of the world knows about
those two religious seasons. And moet of
the Christian world knows that sometime
during the Spring of each year will come
Lent a nd Easter.
We need to be reminded that between
Christmas and Lent come the Season of
Epiphany. Epiphany means the showing
forth of God's saving Grace to ALL of the
peoples of the world . While we understan d that t h e Messiah , according to
God's plan, would spring forth from the
national Israel, the message of Epiphany
is that when He did come into the world,
the Me.saiah would be the Redeemer of all
peoples.
During Epiphany we take lime to read
the stories that connect us to the Christ;
stories such as the Three Kings who came
to Bethlehem bearing gins to the Baby
Jesus in the manger. The Three Kings
were of the Gentile nations but they came
to wors hip and receive Him . ·L ater in
Jesus' life He would strengthen the link
between himself and the Gentiles by His
gently revealing Himself to the woman at
the well.
Epiphany is a comfortable Season; one
in which we quietly rejoice in the inclusion of the Gentiles in the ministry of t he
Christ and for the hope and meaning that
His presence gives to our lives.
Let U 6 give praise to God the Father
whose love to us was so great that He
sent His only-begotten Son to be the Light
of th e world and the Saviour of a ll
mankind.
Fr. Bob+
National Chaplain
ADBC
MUKDEN
From: Arthur & Frances Campbell, and
a1l the rest of members of the Committee
of the Mukden Reun ion of Ex-POWs held
Oct. 21-24, 1993 in Arlington , TX.
Thank You! Tha nk You! for the wonderful notices you printed in the Quan.
People did respond. Really liked t he last
notice on front page and in Bold Type.
People came from all over, California to
New York, Washington to Florida and all
places in between. Even had 2 men come
from England!
The Reunion was a great Success!
Should have been there. Thanks again for
your help.
EX-POW INSPECTS TROOPS
IN CEREMONY
By DORIS WACHSMAN
lntelligence Center a nd Fort Huachuca PAD
Nearly 50 years after her liberation, a fonner prisoner of war helped inspect. pre&ent-day troops from her pereh in a "humvee" at Friday's PQW/MlA Recognition Day
retreat ceremony on historic Brown Parade field.
Retired Lt. Col. Madeline M. Ullom, a former Army nurse captured in the
Philippines, attend the event 8S the distinguished guest of Maj. Gen. Samuel A. Lerner,
commanding geoeral, Infonnation Systems Command, who pre8ided over the ceremony_
Among the troopa under the 82-year-old's scrutiny were soldiers of the llth Signal
Brigade. commanded by Col. James E. Downey, a5 well as the 36th Army Band and B
Troop, 4th Regiment, U.S. Calvary (Memorial).
In addition to remembering those still missing in action and those who have been
POWs, the hour-long observance recognized the third year of 8 DOD program commemorating the 50th anniversary of World War IL
Addressing the former POWs and families of POWslMlAs in the audience, Lerner
acknowledged their "extraordinary sacrifices on behalf of this great country.- He called
wartime a time of "tremendous sacrifice."
He said being a POW is "one of those experiences that we wOuld have to live
through oUJ"Selves to fully understand and appreciate - and I'm sure Madeline would
agree with that."
Ullom was serving as an Army nurse on Corregidor Island in the Phillipine& when,
on May 6, 1942, the J a panese took it. She spent 1,000 days in captivity before being
released on Feb. 3, 1945.
Lemer described those days of captivity, shared with more than 5,000 others in the
Santo Tomas internment camp, as "long, sterile days often punctuated by indescribable
suffering."
The suffering, however, was not l.imit.ed to the prisoners of war, he said. The families of the scrvicemcmben who did not come home a lso suffered from t he pain of separation and uncertainty about their loved ones.
'7he I08S of a loved one killed in action is a lways devastating," he said, "but the
pain is especially acute when servicemembers are missing in action and their families
are left not knowing what happened to them.Those Americans stiU missing or unaccounted for include about 3,500 servicemembers from World War r, 78,000 from World War II, 8, 100 from the Korean War and
2,250 from the Vietnam War. Lerner said research teams in the Vietnamese cities of
Hanoi and Da Nang are reviewing thousands of wartime documents and artifact.8 that
could provide some information about American MIAs.
The general said that the families' grief process is severely disrupted as long as
hope remains alive that loved ones might return.
The debt owed to them is one that can never be repaid, although the United States
government's ongoing commitment to achieve full accountability is a step toward easing
the pain and suffering,. he said .
Leffier said he was thankful the MJA statistics did not increase during the most
recent conflict, Operation Desert Storm, in which 29 servicememben were killed in
action. Although 23 others were captured by the Iraqis, all were released.
HELP-PLEASE
BRASS PLAQUES
I am the daugh ter of Capt. Albert E.
Durie, Jr. 0*305 568, Cij.ptured on Corregidor, imprisoned at Cabsnatuan and
Belibid. In January 1945 he was killed
aboard th e Jap ship Brazil Maru , in
transit to Japan.
In carrying out family research I
have been able to secure ver)' limited
information on my (ather, whom I never
knew, from he Depart. of the Army.
Can your members provide me with
infonnation on my father, his military
se rvice, imprisonment and death .
Please contact me . Mrs. Ann Durie
Westerfield, 26 Riverside Dr., Rumson,
NJ 07'160. Phone (908) 747-4745.
ADBC logo brass plaques, excellent
quality workmanship, raised brass is
polished, relief area Oat black Phillipine
Defense Ribbon red. Sma ll size with
engraving bar 5 3/4" H x 3 314- W x
3116- thick, wt. 1 lb. Cost $20.00 plus
shipping priority mail $2.90 or insured
priority mail sa.65. Large size 7~ H x 5
3/4" W x 51l6" thick, wt. 2 lbs. Cost
$40.00 plus shipping priority mail $2.90
or insured priority mail $4.50. Orders
to Edward W. Buchner, P .O. Box 439,
Etna, CA 96027. Checks payab le to
ADBCWSC.
Write only to Ed Buchner, Elmer
Long does not handle these items.
REPARATION
CLAIMS ISSUE
(continued from page 16)
(b) In particular terma, is the U.S. government prepared to support the intervention of The War Amputations of
Canada (our sponsors) before the Huma n
Rig hts Commjuion of th e United Nations?
(c) As an a lternative, is the U.S. government prepared to consider the claim for
C<lmpensalion in relation to the SLA VB
labor and inhumane condi tions suffered
by
th e
Americans
who
were
POWsIInternees aa a financial responsibility of the U.S. government specifically
under the provisions of the Optional Protocol?
As we have indicated in our correspondence to M.r. Dinger, it is our position that
in the event t he U.S. government is not
prepared to exert ita influence upon the
leaders of the Japanese government in
thia matter, then we have no other altern ative than to request that the issue be
considered by the Human Rights Committee under the International COvenant
on Civil and Political Rights.
Madame Alexander, we would respectfully ask that you and your colleagues
give appropriate consideration to this
claim and our sincere request for your full
support in this regard.
Respectfully,
Ralph Levenberg
Major, USAF (Retired)
Special Projects Officer
American Defenders of
Bataan & Corregidor, Inc.
DISABLED VETERANS
TO RECEIVE INCREASE
IN BENEFITS
The Department of Veterans Affaira
(VA) h as announced that disabled veterans will receive a 2.6 percent increase in
their compensation payments, effective
Dec. 1.
The cost-of-living allowance was included in legislation signed by President
C lin ton on Veterans Day , Nov. 11.
Veterans will begin receiving the higher
payments in their January 1994 checks.
Almost 2.2 million veterans are affected
by the increase. Their monthly payments
will now now range from $87 f or a single
veterans with a 10% disability rating to
$1.774 for a single veterans with a 100%
percent disability ratin".
Also affected are more than 340,000
survivors of veterans or service members
who died from aervice-connected caU8CS.
Veterana whose service-connected disabilities are rated 30% or higher may
receive additional aUowances for dependent.8, based on the number of dependents
and extent of disability.
FEBRUARY, Hle4 - 9
CHAIRMAN, ADVISORT CO,\t.JtUlliI
.
ON fORMER POWS
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I
This is Indianapolis
By CATIU WINELAND
The Indianapolis of this century's fioaJ decade is exploding with energy. fue1ed by the
amazing growth of recent years. As the nation's 12th largest city, Indianapolis is now
reaping the benefits of the urban revival of the 1980s. Community, govemment and busi·
neas leade1'8 joined together to implement their innovative vialoR of lndianapolill' pote~
ttaJ. Today, the Circle City is a center of manufacturing. service, and agricultural indu&tries. The quaJity of life is among the best in the country. Cultural and sporting activities
abound Education and research are revered.
Indianapolis is also a city of contrasts. It offers big city attractions with the chann
and friendliness of a small town. The popuJation represents 8 rich mixture of various CU].
lures. The glass and steel skyecrapers of downtown are minutes from quaint neighborhoods, woods, lakes and fields. Historic buildings are prized snd renovated while new
business and retail complexes thrive.
Whether in Indianapolis for businesa or pleasure, visitol'8 will find the city convenient, safe, reasonably priced, and fun! Traveling to Indianapolis is a breeze by either air
or auto. Ten U.S. highways and interstates inter1leCt here, allowing over half of the
nation'a population to drive to Indy in a day or le8.9. Parking is plentiful and affordable.
Fourteen ml\ior airlines schedule 224 nights to over 50 non-stop destinations from
Indianapolia. And the rurport is a ahort 12 minute drive from downtown.
Unlike scores of other attmctive cities in the U.S., accommodations are never a problem when traveling to this capital city. Indy boats nearly 16,000 botel and motel rooms,
all within a short walk or drive of the Indiana Convention Center & HOOlIier Dome and
the bustJing downtown. And Indianapolis has one of the lowest average per diem coets of
any major city.
Of COUrBe the Circle City is know as home of the "greatest. spectacle in racing," the
Jndianapolis 500 Mile Race. Indianapolis. however, is a highly acclaimed center of the
"'"'.
Theater buffs need not travel to Broadway to enjoy an excellent array of performances. The Indiana Repertory Theater is the state's full-Beason, resident, professional
theater company which has recently completed ita 20th season. The American Cabaret.
'IbeateJ' offers light, fun musica1 shows with deep American social and politicaJ themes.
For a buffet dinner and Broadway production in an intimate setting, Beef and Boards
Dinner Theater is the ticket. The lndianapol.is Civic Theater, the oldest continuously
operating community theater in the United States, keeps 'em coming back for more.
The Phoenix Theater is a professional theater offering issue-oriented contemporary
works in a vintage church bUilding located in a historic downtown neighborhood. All summer long nationa11.y known starts headline top quality musical productions at Starlight
MWlicals.
Every four years the eyes of the world are focused on Indianapolis as it plays hoat to
the International Violin Competition for young performers. And each year ushers in new
seasons for the Indianapolis Opera, the Indianapolis Ballet Theater and Clowes Memorial
Hall at Butler University.
A diversity of musical styles abound in Indianapolis, ranging from Jazz on the
Avenue at the Madame Walker Urban Life Center, to pop, rock and dasaic performances
at Deer Creek Music Center, to the pride of Indy Barbershop Harmony Chorus. The
renowned Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra can be heard at their home in the historic
Circle Theater and at Symphony on the Prairie in the summer, but fans extend acl'068 the
ocean as the ISO completed a 13-city tour of Europe this year.
Complementing t.he performing arta,
visual arta also takes a bow in Indianapolis. One of the nation's finest collectiona
of American Western and Native
American art and artifacts can be found
at the Eiteljorg Museum of American
Indian and Western Art. The Indianapolia
Museum of Art if home to an impressive
collection of Oriental art as well a8 comprehensive collections of the works of the
Neo-Expre88ionists, Old Masters, Mrican
artists and J .M.W. Turner. Across tow n
at the National Art Museum of Sport.,
Indianapolis ' newes t muse um boasta
sporting art from the 19th and 20th centuries a nd t.raveling exhibitions as well.
Countl ess visitors to the Circle City
stream through the his toric homes of
President Benjamin Harrison and
Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley. The
Indi anapolis Zoo, the Union S tation
Festival Marketplace, the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
and the Conner Prairie living history museum are topa on visitors' IisUl:. The Children's Muaeum, the largest in the wo rld,
feat.ures handl!l-on, interactive learning
opportunities for youngs ters and the
young-at-heart. Architecture and history
enthusiasts won't miss t he Murat Temple, the Indianapolis City Market, the
Indiana State Museum and the Scottish
Rite Cathedral.
Indianapolis is almost. synonymous
with sports. Known as the amateur sports
capital, Indianapolis has hosted more
than 250 national and international sport.ing events since 1979. In additio/l to'1.he
NCAA Final Four and the World
Gymnastics Champion ships in 19 9 1,
Indianapolis played host to the Olympic
Festival, the Pan Am Games. U.S. Olym·
pic Trials and other r elated Olympic
events for t.rack and field, swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, basketball ,
!IOCCer, rowing, volleyball, and canoe and
kayak. These events demand the worldc1au venues found in Indianapolis. Many
of these facilities are open to the public.
On the professionaJ side, sports fana are
treated to fast-paced action of football
with the Indianapolis Colta, basketball
Indiana Pacers-style, and hockey courtesy
of the Indianapolis Ice.
The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race
remains the best known sporting event in
the Circle City . The eyes of the world
focus on Indy in May for the world's
largeat one-day sporting event. Visitors
and residents alike participate in the 500
Festival, a month-long celebration which
includes activities like a mini-marathon, a
parade, queen's ball, kids' day and a festi val of the arts.
A trip to Indianapolis would not be complete without a shopping spree or a visit
to one of the Circle City's dining establishments. The Victorian village of Zionsville,
the Indianapolis City Market, art. galleries
of Massachusetts Avenue Gree nwich
Village-style Broad Ripple and abundant
malls offer unique ahopping experiences.
Convenient. multi-ethnic dining options
range from Italian, Japanese, French and
Thai to Me xican, Region a l American,
Greek and English fare .
The planned growth of Indianapolis has
focused on the busineu sector as well as
attractions and sporta venues. Indianapolis has recently been awarded major
contracts wit.h United Airlines who will
build a $1 billion airc raft maintenance
facility here; the U.S. Postal Service who
will build its new $62 million, S3-acre
Eagle Network Hub in Indi anapolis;
USAir. which will increase the number of
nights to Indianapolis by 40 percent; and
Federal Express, who plans for a $300
million expansion of ita air hub here.
In 1991 , INC. Magazine named Indianapolis as the top city in the Midwest
and one of the top ten cities in the nation
for -growing a new busineu". Last year,
World Trade magazine named Indianapolis as one of the top ten U.S. cities for
international companies. Ml\ior corporations that know first-hand how great it is
to do busineu in Indianapolis include Eli
Lilly & Company, Thomson Consumer
Electronics , and Boehringer Mannheim
Corporation.
A new addition to the Indianapolis skyline and one of the final components to the
highly lauded revitali:tation of downtown
will be Circle Centre Mall. When completL'<i in 1995, Circle Centre Mall will house
(continued on page 12)
FEBRUARY,l9(N -11
INDIANAPOUS
VETS FIGHT BACK
(continued from fX18e 11)
Editor:
The War Amps of Canada, using it.8 official status before the United Nations as
a non-governmental agency, has been trying aince 1987 to obtain fair compensation
for Canada's Hong Kong Veterans.
The Canadian government has not support this claim.
Using the United Nations mechanism
called the Optional Protocol, the Can·
Dome.
This fall, the Indiana Convention Cenadian Government has beenp ut on notice
ter & Hoosier Dome completes a $43 milto explain:
• Whether it signed away the rigbts of
lion, two-story expansion Bnd renovation
our Hong Kong Veterans by agTeeing to a
which will provide gnater nuibility for
holding simultaneous, overlapping and
peace treaty with Japan which did not
provide sufficient compensation for slave
back-lo -back events . Claas-enclosed
pedestrian walkways will connect the
labor.
complex to over 1,000 hotel rooms aod
• Whether in doing so Canada is on
contravention of the Geneva Convention;
2,700 parking spaces.
The energy and exuberance of IndianaThese are matUlrs which will be judged
polis is unmistakable. No matter the reain the court of public opinion.
The War Amps has raised money from
son for your visit, we invite you to experi·
ence Indy fi rstrhand. Be sure to start your
its corporaUl friends and produced a new
visit at the Indianapolis City Center ,
film, Canada's Hong Kong Veterans: The
located downtown between the Hoosier
Compensation Story.
Dome and Union Station where you can
Copies have been provided to nearly
pick up maps, brochures and event8 list100 cable networks in Canada and will be
ings at not cost. We hope that s pecial
shown on the community channels over
brand of "Hoosier Hospitality" along with
the next few months. The film inc1udca an
all of our gTeat attractions, events a.n d
interview with Dr. Gustave Gingras, who
facilities will keep you coming back again
documented the disastrous medical aftereffects of imprisonment on these young
and again!
Canadians.
We are seeking back.pay for slave labor
BOOK SUMMARY
of $23,940 for each of the 1,000 surviving
PQWs or their widowS.
HOLLOW VICTORY by Jeffrey Re·
cord, A Contrary View of the Gulf War.
H.C. Chadderton, OC,
ISO pages plus 18 pages of notes and bibChief Executive Officer,
liography. 1993.
The War Amps
The author diacu88es whether war was
avoidable, whether sanctions alone would
have succeeded and concludes: probably
not. Iraq was in desperate financial condi·
tion . Kuwait was reckless in relations
May I include to the Jist of Japanese
with Iraq. There was strong possibility
POW 'Hell Ships' of WWIl these two
that if Iraq succeeded in Kuwait. Saudi
Japanese vessels.
Arabia would be next.
January 10, 1942 U.S. Prisoners from
Saddam W 88 not much of a general. He
Guam boarded the Argentina Maru for 9.
allowed full US/ UN deployment into
trip to Japan and POW camp Zent.8uji.
Saudi Arabia with no interference. His air
In January 1942 , the Nitta Maru
force gave only token resistance. Some
transported Wake Island civilian workers
hundred planes ned to Iran, previous
and Wake Marine, Navy and 6 Anny perenemy of Iraq. No mention of what hapsonnel to Yokohama and on to Shanghai
pened to these planes. The air was an air(Woo Sungl. The 'Nitta Maru was overman's paradise. Tactical was very effeccrowded with beatings even 5 Marines
tive. Strategic not fully successful : Iraq's
were beheaded aboard to Japa n . Very
Scud miMiles not knocked out.
poor food with only two smail bowls of
Apparently Saddam could (and did)
rice gruel per day. Cold weather condiafford to lose a war; but he could poasible
tions. Complete lack of adequate w~nler
not have aurvived had Iraq not fought .
clothing, this was truly a 'Hell Ship'!
President Bush called off attack at least
May of 1942 the Wake Island sick and
one day too early. P088ibly the UN man·
wounded were tran s ported to Japan
date should have included di sposal of aboard the Asuma Maru . Both s hips
Saddam, who remains antagonistic to UN
arrived at. their destination free from
direction.
bombing of bei ng torpedoed .
Future conflicts in the Arab world?
Jack R. Williamson
Likely. And not as easy as the Iraq Gulf
War.
Comments by Benson Guyton, 704 14th
Avenue, SE; Decatur, AL. November 1993
three anch or stores, over 100 specialty
shops, 8 multi-screen cinema, a "Wintergarden- public gathering space, a food
court. and parking garages. This $300 million project ia o n e of th e largest in
Indiana's history aod will connect to several hotels, office buildings, retailers and
the Indiana Convention Center & Hoosier
------
----
P.o.w. SHIP
12-TBEQVAN
VA EXPANDS
PTSD SERVICES
NATIONWIDE
The Department of Veterans Affaira
(VA) is announcing the establishment of
34 new or expanded post-traumatic stre.!lll
disorder (PTSDl treatment prGgTaml at
VA medical centers, bringing to 110 the
number of such specialized programs nationwide.
"VA is a leader in PTSD outreach ,
treatment and research,· said VA secre·
tary Jesse Brown. -I'm pleased. to be able
to expand treatment to veterans suffering
the psychological effects of trauma from
military service. Their invisible scars are
no less debilitating than the trauma suf·
fered by their physical injured comrades.
With appropriate care, these men and
women can make peace with themselves
and become productive members of soci·
ety," he added.
Selected from a competitive field of
more than 100 different proposals from
VA facilities nationwide, these programs
include 16 new ones and the expansion of
18 currently successful programs. A special focus has been underserved and
minority populations, such as African
Americans, HispaniCS and Native Americans. New programs in areas with high
African American veterans populations
will be locat ed in Was h i n gton , D.C .;
Murfreeaboro, Tenn.; Atlanta; Manhattan; and the -Alabama network; compri sed of VA medical centera in Bir·
mingham, Tuscaloosa and Tuskagee.
VA's PTSD treatment programs are
designed to meet the varying needs of
PTSD patients through long-tenn, domiciliary-based programs; inpatient pro·
gTams; and programs for veterans who
also suffer from substance abuse. VA also
provides PTSD services through its net·
work of 20 1 Vet Centers and outpatient
clinics at 172 medical centers.
DISABLED VETERANS
TO RECEIVE INCREASE
IN BENEFITS
The De partment of Veterans AfTairs
(VA) has announced that disabled veter·
ans will receive a 2.6 percent increase in
their compensation payments, effective
Dec. 1.
The cost-of·living allowance was include d in legi s lation signed by President
Clinton on Veterans Day , Nov . 11 .
Veterans will begin receiving the higher
payments in their January 1994 checks.
A1moat 2.2 million veterans are affected
by the increase. Their monthly payments
will now range from $87 for a sin,gle veteran witha 10% disability rating to $1,774
for a single veteran with a l OO'l> disabili·
ty rating.
Also affected are more than 340,000
survivors of veterans or service members
who died from service-connected causes.
,
REPOf!'! FROM THE HISTORIAN, ADBC
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REGISTRATION
As we get older we object to standing in line for anything so it would follow sooner
or later someone would say. "Why can't we have a pre-registration.~ So for the 49th
National Convention in Indianapolis. we will again try to pre-register anyone who wishes to send in the information.
If you choose not to send in a pre-registration we will register you when you a rrive.
We don not want you to send any money; pay tha t when you pick up yOUT registration.
Please mail to Josepb A. Vater, 18 Warbler Dr" McKees Rocks, PA 15136. If you
don't want to cut the Quan. make a copy of the page.
REGISTRATION CARD - PLEASE PRINT
NAME ________________________ PHONE ( ___ ) __________
ADDRESS __________________________________________
CITY ________________________ STATE ______ ZIP _______
UNIT IN P.1. _______________________________________
P.O.W. CAMPS ________________________________________
MILITARY SERVICE. __________________ S.S .• ______________
LIFE MEMBER.______________ GOLD CARD MEMBER _____________
GUEST ____________________
~W
TOURS
We will be planning to make available sight-seeing toW'B of Indianapolis. Please
indicate your preferred times. Check off 8S many times as you wish , this will help the
committee to achedme the events.
o Thursday afternoon
o Friday afternoon
o Sunday aftemoon
o Friday morning
o Saturday afternoon
Name
NORTHWEST STATES
INFORMATION NEEDED
The Northwest States Chapter of
American Defenders of Bataan and
Corregidor will hold their annual reunion
and fun time on June 9.10-11, 1994 at the
Village Green Motel in Cottage Grove,
OR, a small town about 15 miles south of
Eugene, OR.
There are no dues and only a small registration will be charged , and all
AD.B.&C. members are welcome.
For the RV'era - The Village Green
also haa a very nice RV park with full
hook-ups for $14 per night.
A secondary motel - The Comfort Inn
is about 6 bl0ck8 from the V.G.
Phone for the Village Green - 1-800343-ROOM
Comfort Inn (503) 942-9747
If you wish more infonnation - Please
write or call
Helen Davidson
25020 Larson Rd.
Monroe, OR 97456
Reunion Chairman
(503) 424-3023
Joseph - new subject.: will you please
run these 8 names in the next Quan:
They were members of the 7th Material
Squadron, 19th Bomb Gp at Clark Field;
I have been to all the Govt. a gencies
without results for two and a half years,
if anyone knows anything about these
men please notify Ray Thomp80n, 2933
W. Heatherbrae Dr., Phoenix, AZ 850174118, or call me (602) 249-2544, collect if
you wish; All the men were on BATAAN
and later to Japanese work forces in P.I .
or Japan.
Campbell, Teddy C.
Clark. Roy W.
Crosby, Harvey
Good.by, Clyde
Parra, Rudol1ho B (Medic)
Monm. Robert L
Roble.. Manuel F.
Watts, Thomas E.
Your assistance will be greatly appreciated, for if I find these 8 men's status,
it will complete the data on all 336
Officers and Enlisted men asaigned to
our unit as of December 1941.
14-THEQUAN
NEWS RELEASE
CENTRAL FLORIDA
ADB&C HOLDS
ANNUAL
CHRISTMAS PARTY
Thirty-eight members of the ADB&C
met on Saturday the 11th of Dec. 1993 for
their annual Christmas get-together at
the 4th Fighter Squadron restaurant at
the executive Airport in Orlando, FL.
The exPOWs and their wives and ladies
all from centra1 Florida have been holding
these get-togethers for over twenty years
and Saturday was once of the best minireunions ever held.
J immy McCarthy, USN Rtd, led the sa-.
lute to the Flag. National Chaplin, Father
Bob Philipps, gave the invocation. PNC
Sam Moody acted as Ma st e r of Ceremonies.
Each man present introduced himself
and his lady and told what camps they
were in and what organization he was in.
This resulted in a couple of reunions of
men who had not seen each other in many
ye8r8.
The program was the film "They All
Came Home", which is the story of all
the American NuNlCs who had been prisoners of war. The program was well received by all in attendance.
It was followed by many door prizes so
moat of the people went home with very
nice gifts, mostly donated by Lou Curtis,
USM corps Rtd and Sam Moody.
A few of those in attendance were Dom
Giantonio, J ack Bradley, Chuck McAtee,
John Wood, Lou Cusano, Bill Park, Dick
Sikkema, Mary Grayson, Ruby Chatham,
J ohn and Dolly Goodrow, Johnny
Northcott, Crayton Bums, Paw Freeborn,
Dr. Marrocco, who celebrated his 87th
birthday, Howard Linn, Ed Pernal a nd
Tom Patten, plus Mu McClain who ran
the film.
----
HELP REQUESTED
Dear Mr. Vater,
I am interested in communicating with
anyone who might have known my Uncle,
Major Irving R. Mendelson.
I know that he was attached, for a time,
with the 30th Infantry.
J am not certain whether he was captured on Balaan or Corregidor, I do know
he was wounded twice (once in Jan. 1942)
and part of his internment was in POW
camp 6245 Davao '2.
He was killed on one of the POW ships
that was sunk in Subic Bay December 15,
1944.
J am his last living close relative and
want very much to preserve his memory
for my children & theirs.
1 would greatly appreciate it if you
wowd publish my request in the Quan.
Thank You,
Steve Pruskauer
P.O. Box 4394
Estes Park, CO 80517
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for a Gold
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MOVING SOON?
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•
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JOSEPH A VATER - Editor. The QuaD
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Please Send Correct Addreaa When Moving
REPARATIONS CLAIMS ISSUE
The Honorable Madeleine Albright
The Representative of the United States to the United Nations
Dear Madame Ambassador:
I received a copy of colTespondence dated February 24, 1993, from your office,
responding to Senator Larry E. Craig, regarding the issue of reparations for American
veteTana who were prisoners of war ofLhe Japanese during WWll.
For your infonnation, on February 22, 1993, at 21:30 hours, in Geneva, Switzerland,
Messrs. Brian Forbes (Legal Counsel to the War Amputations of Canada - an NCO
with consultative status within the U.N.) and Dr. John Humphrey (the fonner Director
of the United Nations Human Rights Center and co-author of the United National
Universal Declaration on Human Rights ) presented a major submission to the
C<!mmission on Human Rights on behalf of over 200,000 AJlied POWs and civilian
internees.
The AUied POWs in question included American veterans who had been held as
POWs by the Japanese and forced to carry out slave labor under the most inhumane conditions conceivable.
This claim for reparations was s ubmitted to the U.N. initially in 1987 by the
Canadian "Hong Kong Veterans" in conjunction with the War Amputatiol1B of Canada in
relation to the "gross violations of human rights" committed by the Japanese in relation
to the incarceration of veterans a nd the internment of civilians as POWs during World
Warn.
For your further information, on February 23, 1993, the NCO Press Conferencel
Briefing was held in Geneva for representatives of some 83 nations by fonner POWs representing the six allied nations involved in this claim for compensation (United States,
Canada, The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain). I was privileged to
present the case of American veterans who had been held as POWs and for certain civilians who had also been incarcerated by the Japanese during World War II. I am truly
sorry that no one from the United States delegation to the United Nations Human
Rights C<!mmisaion was interested in this presentation.
Madame AJexander, the United States govemment was apprised of this clsim on
May 24,1990, by a letter addressed to the then Secretary of State, Mr. James A. Baker,
m. At the same time, a letter of notification was sent to the Ambassador of J apan advisingofthiB U.N. communication.
Since the initiation of this claim, both President Bush and President Clinton have
been advised of this action. Each haa responded to our communications - both via the
Department of State. I have enclosed these responses, coupled with our communications,
for your information.
I must empbasize, Madame Alexander, this claim is based on the fact.8 in relation to
FORCED SLAVE LABOR AND GROSS VIOLATIONS OF "OU R" HUMAN
RIGHTS! It is noteworthy that is waa only following the trials of members of the
Japanese Imperial Forces by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East that
the true nature and extent of the crimes perpetrated against the POWs by the Japanese
became fully known. Through the COW"8e of those particular war crimes trials, the then
Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, made the following statement:
"Accordinr to repot"ta of cruelty and inhumanity, it would be neceq.ary to
aummon the reprellentativetl of aU the demo n s available a nywhere and
combine th el.r ftendiahneea with aU tbat ia bloody in order to deaeribe the
conduct of thOM w h o I.nflicted tbose unthinkable atrocities."
18-THEQUAN
It is also noteworthy with reference to
your letter to Senator Craig of the 24th of
February, 1993, that with all due respect,
war crimes, crimes against humanity and
-grave breaches" of the Geneva Conventions bear no statutory limitation or prescription in sofar as the pursuit of the
right of compensation is concerned under
International Law. In this conjunction,
we have appended to our CtlITe8pondence
to you a copy of the submission made by
Mr. Forbes and Dr. Humphrey at the
commission on Human Rights this past
February, which describe in considerable
detail the legal bases for our claim under
the international instruments concerned.
We would further advise that the Canadian NGO, The War Amputations of Canada, hae recently filed a claim under the
Optional Protocol of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
calling into account the Canadian government for its failure to protect the interests of the Canadian POWs throughout
the course of this matter. It is our respectful lubmission that the United Stales
government is also in contravention of
this International Law and, in addition,
specific provisions of the Geneva C<!nventions and other related international
instruments vis-a-vis the rights of former
individual American PQWs.
We would reiterate our position as outlined in our letter to Mr. John Dinger,
Deputy Director, Office of Japanese Affairs, United States Department of State,
dated September 28, 1993, wherein we
specifically requested the U.S. govern·
ment's position on the following ques·
tiOM:
(a ) Is the United States government
prepared to SUPPORT our claim for an
apology and for compensation against the
Japanese government?
(continued on page 9)
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