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Henry John Wilayto, at 92; survived Bataan Death March
The Boston Globe ^ | 3-4-2009 | Gloria Negri

Posted on 03/04/2009 5:46:20 AM PST by BronzePencil

Concord's town flag will be lowered to half-staff today in honor of Henry John Wilayto, a survivor of the 1942 Bataan Death March during World War II, who died Feb. 28 at his Concord home of leukemia. He was 92.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: bataan; ghostsoldiers; philipines; veteran
Thank you and God Bless.
1 posted on 03/04/2009 5:46:20 AM PST by BronzePencil
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To: BronzePencil

Anyone who has not read Ghost Soldiers, really should do so. It is heart wrenching but a story of great courage and will give you an idea of what these guys went through. Amazing story.

My prayers for Mr. Wilayto’s family, and good on him for living a long life after such hardship and horror.


2 posted on 03/04/2009 5:48:48 AM PST by brytlea (Proud descendent of Andrew Kent, Alamo Defender)
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To: BronzePencil

Thank you and Godspeed Mr. Wilayto.

My late uncle was a Bataan survivor as well. He didn’t speak of it until shortly before his death and then only very briefly.


3 posted on 03/04/2009 5:53:57 AM PST by whatshotandwhatsnot
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To: BronzePencil

This had to be one very strong man. God rest his soul.


4 posted on 03/04/2009 6:00:26 AM PST by Broker ( Pakikisama)
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To: BronzePencil

Go to your reward, Mr. Wilayto. God Bless.


5 posted on 03/04/2009 6:01:40 AM PST by FreedomFerret
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To: brytlea
Anyone who has not read Ghost Soldiers, really should do so. It is heart wrenching but a story of great courage and will give you an idea of what these guys went through. Amazing story.

My prayers for Mr. Wilayto’s family, and good on him for living a long life after such hardship and horror.

I'll second that. Anyone who thinks they have it rough should read this book, one on the Burma railway, the Indianapolis survivors or any other about forced labor or P.O.W. camps. Every time I do I realize what a spoiled brat I really am compared to these people.

6 posted on 03/04/2009 6:10:23 AM PST by CrazyIvan (If you read only one book this year, read "Stolen Valor".)
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To: brytlea

Just downloaded the book to my Kindle 2

Thanks for the tip


7 posted on 03/04/2009 6:17:11 AM PST by misterrob (FUBO----Just say it, Foooooooooooooo Boooooooowwwwww. Smooth)
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To: BronzePencil
Henry John Wilayto, R.I.P.

To absent comrades:

"We're the battling bastards of Bataan;
No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam.
No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces,
No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces.

And nobody gives a damn.
Nobody gives a damn.

by Frank Hewlett 1942

From a long essay:
What of the last survivors of Bataan?
Some of them died in mental hospital.
Some died of ills from their imprisonment.
Some died by their own hand, some on Skid Row.
But looking at the rest, executives, physicians, sergeants, priests, you wouldn't guess the purgatory these men had endured.
And so, with grace, and, most remarkable, a signal absence of vindictiveness, the few survivors reached a calm old age.

Check your library for "bataan: Our Last ditch" by John W. Whitman. IMO, the definitive book on the Bataan defense. I always thought we got out butts beat pretty badly but we and the Filipinos put up one Helluva fight.

Again, IMO, it was the incompetence of MacArthur that led to this disaster and had we not needed a hero so badly, there is a case for his being court martialed. (last paragraphs)

8 posted on 03/04/2009 6:25:14 AM PST by Oatka ("A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves." –Bertrand de Jouvenel)
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To: BronzePencil

Henry John Wilayto, may you rest in peace.

We lost my wifes father this fall. He was a WWII Naval veteran. I hope they all have peaceful rest considering all they have given us.


9 posted on 03/04/2009 6:28:47 AM PST by IamConservative (I'll keep my money. You keep the change.)
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To: BronzePencil

RIP.


10 posted on 03/04/2009 6:32:26 AM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: BronzePencil

My neighbor is a survivor of the Death March.
He has lived his life to the fullest, and is still going strong!
Amazing what he went through, and has outlived so many others of his generation.
(Still hates Japanese cars, too!)


11 posted on 03/04/2009 6:33:58 AM PST by frankenMonkey
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To: BronzePencil

Anyone who questions the A-bomb should read about Bataan.

The bayoneting stories made me tear up.

The Japanese were fanatical savages.


12 posted on 03/04/2009 6:45:25 AM PST by Finalapproach29er (Democrats still want to get Pres. Bush and/or VP Cheney; there might be show trials in 2009.)
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To: CrazyIvan

That’s so true. We are all spoiled. At least for now.


13 posted on 03/04/2009 6:47:00 AM PST by brytlea (Proud descendent of Andrew Kent, Alamo Defender)
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To: misterrob

Welcome, enjoy (well, that might not be quite the right word, it’s harrowing, but very well written and you will come away very impressed by these people).


14 posted on 03/04/2009 6:47:34 AM PST by brytlea (Proud descendent of Andrew Kent, Alamo Defender)
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To: frankenMonkey

Clearly a tough guy! To survive that you had to be made of stern stuff. My FIL was a ww2 vet (marine fighter pilot) and I just don’t think they make ‘em like that anymore. Honest, honorable, but don’t mess with his family or friends.


15 posted on 03/04/2009 6:49:54 AM PST by brytlea (Proud descendent of Andrew Kent, Alamo Defender)
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To: Finalapproach29er

I have to say, having lived in Japan as a child, I find it hard to reconcile the two things. They were incredible brutal and cruel in ww2, and yet when we lived there they were kind to us (we lived off base for some time and back then we kids ran around all over in the ginza etc, and felt completely safe).


16 posted on 03/04/2009 6:51:34 AM PST by brytlea (Proud descendent of Andrew Kent, Alamo Defender)
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To: brytlea

An American Hero and a very brave man - his kind is greatly missed today.


17 posted on 03/04/2009 6:52:07 AM PST by ZULU (Obamanation of Desolation is President. Non nobis, non nobis Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam.)
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To: brytlea
Having read a few historical accounts of the Indianapolis as well as Korea I find our current generation to be lacking....
18 posted on 03/04/2009 8:19:26 AM PST by misterrob (FUBO----Just say it, Foooooooooooooo Boooooooowwwwww. Smooth)
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To: misterrob

I think they have not been tested. I suspect some (many? maybe not) would step up to the plate, they just have never had to. Well, except for our brave kids in Iraq and Afghanistan. I look at my father and my FIL (he passed away a couple of years ago) and think that the Depression they went thru as kids and the culture that said you had to work for what you got helped make them into the men they became. I know there were many like them.


19 posted on 03/04/2009 9:15:14 AM PST by brytlea (Proud descendent of Andrew Kent, Alamo Defender)
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