Reflections and Lessons
The Pain of Defeat
by Bob Wolfersberger
It is difficult to explain or describe the desolate feeling that
a person had after fighting a steady, losing battle for 4 months
then finally surrendering to the enemy and now to be in his custody.
After seeing the enemy lower the US flag and raise the “Rising Sun”
in its place, it took a lot of pride out of an individual witnessing
such an event. We members of the 16th Bombardment Squadron,
27th Bombardment Group were renamed the 16th
provisional infantry company and were ordered to report to the small
fishing village of Mariveles at the southern tip of Bataan peninsula.
There we mingled with U.S. soldiers, sailors, Marines and Filipinos
and awaited instructions from the Japanese as they poured in among
us. After finally getting us into formation, they started to move
us out, heading north on a two land dirt road. The fortified island
of Corregidor was two miles away but US forces there were withholding
their artillery fire because we were moving out on one side of the
road as the Japanese towed their artillery on the other side. We
POWs were used as human shields as we marched approximately 65 miles
north to San Fernando. I marched 65 miles in six days in extreme
heat and witnessed and heard other people talk of numerous atrocities
committed by the victors. Such events as beheading, stabbing and
shooting prisoners took place because the POW’s were weak, exhausted
and sick; people who couldn’t keep marching and sat or laid down
by the side of the road. Since this event I have read numerous accounts
in Europe, The Civil War in the U.S. and throughout history where
the victors brutally abused the defeated. So the lesson learned
in all of this is: Do not be defeated! Don’t be afraid to fight
and win! It is difficult to recall the atrocities that were inflicted
on POWs, as we were driven, not marched off the Bataan Peninsula
in April 1942 after four months of fighting a one sided battle in
favor of the enemy. The enemy was allowed to set foot on the battlefield
before any hard resistance was established. We had no food, equipment,
or medical replacements. The enemy had complete control of the sea
and air. We fought a hard but futile battle against terrible odds,
but the battlefield was not the worst experience, The post combat
battle for survival as a prisoner become the most sever challenge.
We were transported all over Asia - Japan, Korea the Southern Philippine
Islands and North China on overcrowded “Hell Ships.” These ships
were often attacked by US planes and submarines, their commanders
not knowing that POW’s were aboard the unmarked ships. If there
was a way the Japanese could make life miserable, they did.
Stu’s Notes: These are the words that Bob told to me over lunch.
Bob, a P.O.W. and Darby Miller a long time Veterans Memorial Committee
Member. Darby, at 17 was involved with the liberation of the Philippines
in 1945. The Japanese attacked us soon after Pearl Harbor , December
7th, 1941, we did have over 8 hours
to prepare, but General Douglas Macarthur did nothing (Bob’s words,
remember he was there)To get ready for the attack we knew would
come. Most of our Aircraft were caught on the ground and destroyed;
they should have been well concealed, not parked in the open. Our
weapons were encased in cosmoline, (a very heavy grease that takes
more than a day to clean off the weapons). The first few days we
hid in the jungles around Ft. McKinley then on to Bataan
Dec. 10th or 11th. To be continued.
Oroville’s 12 Annual Veterans Day Parade will be held on Thursday,
November 11th at 11:00. A committee
has planned for 2 months to do it right under the guidance of Bob
Hewitt of the Oroville Exchange Club. The Parade will start at
5th Avenue and Montgomery ending at
Montgomery and Downer. The reviewing stand will be at the Oroville
Chamber Office at Montgomery and Lincoln. Honorees will be the Prisoners’
of War and Missing in Action with a big welcome home to our Troops
from Iraq and Afghanistan. I must say this , the men and
women in our Military from Butte County have been coming
and going back and forth for many years. Some of us have talked
about a big Home Coming like we had here in Oroville a few years
ago. But what to we do under the above circumstances. We say welcome
home and a way they go again. Well hopefully our welcome Home National
Guard banner will get fixed and go up by Parade Day. It may say
National Guard but it stands for all of the service men and women
that have come and gone. Call 534-8393 for Parade Information.