[PGR88]

Sorry for the vanity, but I had to share this. Mr. Zale is a family friend. I'm only as old as his grandson, so always looked up to him. Not mentioned in the article is that Mr. Zale was also a survivor of the Japanese Hell Ships, and his final year in captivity was spent laboring in a Japanese-run coal mine in NE China. For as long as anyone remembers, he was a regular volunteer at the VA, working with other POW's and injured soldiers. He was a quiet man, and always a giver, never a taker. A real American hero.

[massgopguy]

Read “Ghost Soldiers”.

[nutmeg]

God bless your friend John S. Zale, and I am so grateful for his courageous service to our beloved country. I will keep John's family and friends in my prayers.

It saddens me to see so many WWII veterans passing every day. Both of my parents were WWII veterans (My father saw a lot of combat in the Pacific: Guadalcanal, etc.). My mother served stateside as a Navy WAVE. My father died back in 1994, my mother passed away just last year. I miss them - and their incredible WWII stories - terribly.

[NEMDF]

Thank you for sharing his story, and may he rest in peace.

[Gaffer]

In my childhood years, I was fascinated by JWs “Back to Bataan” movie....I must have seen it at least a dozen or more times. I remember in the movie when credits were rolled or somewhere in the movie, scenes were filmed of the death march (re-enacted)....in the scenes were multiple survivors of the actual death march....I wonder if Mr. Zale was in any of the scenes.

[fso301]

RIP Mr. Zale.

[null and void]

Ping

[skeeter]

This guy was apparently made of Wang leather. To survive a serious wound weeks before being made a prisoner in a system that in 3 years killed half of its charges.

God bless Mr Zale.

[left that other site]

RIP Mr. Zale, and thank You.

[cpdiii]

One of my patients in the VA Anticoagulation clinic was a Batan Death March survivor. I asked his permission to inquire from him about the experience. He said, “okay.”

I asked what was the difference in those that survived the camp and those that did not? His answer was, “When you gave up you died.”

I asked what keep him going? His answer was, “The only way I had to defy the Japanese was to live one more day each day.”

He was a kind and gentle man with a soft voice. However, he was a hell of a man. He is what is called a Mans Man. I would hope that I can be half the man he was and is.

[Bigg Red]

Don’t apologize for posting such a story. Sounds like a wonderful man.

RIP, American hero.

[Oatka]

Their faces tell it all.

From Wiki: Approximately 2,500–10,000 Filipinos and 300–650 American prisoners of war died before they could reach Camp O'Donnell.

[Balding_Eagle]

Wow. My uncle was on that march, and was never heard from again.

To think he could have lived this long.

[paul51]

Just saw this. Incredibly, he was my scout master when I was a kid and I went to school with his son

[Joe 6-pack]

No doubt going to Heaven as he already did his tour in hell.

RIP.

[Bataan son]

Thank you from the very bottom of my heart...maybe I know who you are...your handle doesn’t give a clue, but THANKS!!