The FReeper Foxhole Profiles The American Ex-Prisoner of War Organization - Dec. 20th, 2002

American Ex-POW Organization ^

[SAMWolf]

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

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are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

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In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.

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A brief history of the
American Ex-Prisoner of War Organization

In 1942, information was leaking out about the atrocities and sub-human treatment that American prisoners of war were receiving in Japanese prison camps in the Pacific. When wives and mothers heard about their sons and husbands who had been taken prisoners, they started calling and writing their Congressmen in an effort to find help or get assistance for their loved ones. Finally, two mothers whose sons were members of the 200th Coast Artillery and had been captured by the Japanese came up with an idea.

It was Mrs. Charles W. Bickford and Mrs. Fred E. Landon who, on April 10, 1942, persuaded other parents and relatives to hold a mass meeting and formed an organization to get relief to the captured boys on Bataan. On April 14th, the Bataan Relief Organization was formed with Dr. V. H. Spensley, of Albuquerque, as Chairman. Their motto was "We will not let them down."

This group was very active trying to get relief to the POW’s and exchange of information as it came through. From this group in Albuquerque, other chapters sprang up all over the United States. The "BRO" was incorporated September 8th, 1943.

In 1945, the control of the Bataan Relief Organization was turned over to the liberated members of the New Mexico’s 200th Coast Artillery Regiment at an annual meeting held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1946, the name was changed to Bataan Veteran’s Organization.

The first National convention was held May 14, 1948, in Albuquerque. The second National convention was held in Hollywood, California, April 1949. At this convention, it was voted to change the name to American Ex-Prisoners of War and change the name of the bulletin to XPOW. The reason for the change was so veterans from the European Theater would realize that they were eligible for membership. By changing the name to American Ex-Prisoners of War, it would welcome all former POW’s from any war. There were 800 at the 1949 convention.

In 1949 there were 7 local groups within the framework of the organization:

The Bataan Veteran’s Organization, The Lost Battalion

The Seattle Barbed Wire Club, Orphans of the Pacific

The Dad MacMannis Post, The Southwest Barbed Wire Club

The Barbed Wire Club of North Carolina.

Click on the Logo to Visit Their Site

The AX-POW emblem was designed as a lapel pin by former prisoner of war, Bryan T. Doughty of Denver, Colorado, in 1949. The heraldic symbols, representing Justice, are balanced on swords. The curves at the top of the shield portray the two massive military defeats suffered by the United States Armed Forces in World War II: Bataan and the Belgium Bulge. Later, the Ex-POW motto was adopted: NON SOLUM ARMIS, Latin for "Not by Arms Alone."

[MistyCA]

LOL. Yes, you are right. We have a long way to go to get the post count up, but that isn't the intention here because there are so many people who just read and don't comment on these issues. We love to see the comments, however! So post away! It's good to see you here. :)

[SAMWolf]

Honor Bound
by Jack Moskowitz


In September 1943, as a newly commissioned 2nd Lt. Navigator, I was assigned to the 452nd Bomb Group at Moses Lake Washington. This was a new group being formed for service in the 8th Air Force, and I was attached to a crew headed by Lt. Theodore MacDonald.

"I’ll call you Murph,” MacDonald said when we met.

“OK”, I replied, “I’ll call you Mac.” We had quite a lot in common and quickly established a rapport. He was from Rochester, New York, and I was from Brooklyn. Both of us had lost our mothers at an early age and had left college to enlist in the Air Corps.

During our three-month training period, our friendship grew. With the New Year in 1944, our group was sent to England and we began flying bombing missions against Germany. Losses were heavy at that time. Our commanding Officer was shot down on the group’s first mission.

On our crew’s eighth mission, a daylight raid on Berlin, we were in the lead squadron and were attacked over Hanover by German “Focke Wulfe” fighter planes. Our bomber was struck repeatedly from nose to tail. Two engines were knocked out of commission. I was in the nose of the plane and was hit several times in my right leg. My parachute was shredded by the cannon fire. MacDonald was ringing the “Bail Out” bell, ordering us to evacuate the plane.

I yelled to him over the intercom, “Mac, I have no chute!”

“Come up here and take mine!” he said without hesitation. “Get out now!”

He was my superior and I did as I was instructed. I took the chute, went to the hatch, and after the bombardier and copilot had evacuated the plane, I too jumped.

Fortunately for me, after scraping through trees, I landed in the midst of a Luftwaffe anti-aircraft battery. I was immediately taken prisoner and placed in a small cell at an air base. Miserable hours went by, as I sat alone in the dark, pondering the fate of MacDonald who I’d left in the disabled airplane. I knew the man had saved my life, and possibly sacrificed his own in the process. I just hoped and prayed he had made it, and I resolved to do everything I could do to discover what had happened to him.

After what seemed like forever, I heard footsteps approaching my cell. The door opened and two German guards appeared. Standing between them was none other than Lieutenant Ted MacDonald, looking a little the worse for wear, but otherwise unharmed.

We grinned at each other and I breathed a long sigh of relief. When the guards left, Mac told me he had managed to crash-land the plane but hadn’t got far before being captured.

Soon we were sent to Stalag Luft I prison camp for air corps personnel. My wounded leg festered and swelled and I became feverish. MacDonald, noticing this called Colonel Hancke, the camp doctor, who was a British officer. He had me transferred to the POW hospital for treatment. I was there for a month.

Liberated by our allies at the war’s end, Ted and I both returned to civilian life. Over the years we maintained our friendship. Our sons went to college near Rochester, and two of his daughters came to New York City. We celebrated weddings and Bar Mitzvahs jointly.

In early 1992, disturbed at not having received our customary Christmas card, I called Rochester and spoke to Ted’s wife, Patricia. She told me that Ted was suffering from terminal cancer and didn’t have too long to live. In March my wife Irene and I flew to Rochester to see them. Ted was fading rapidly.

There was a question that I felt I had to ask him. It had haunted me for all these years, though strangely, I had never mentioned it before, not even in the POW camp. At his bedside, in a moment when I was alone with him, I finally asked, “Mac, why did you give me your parachute?”

Despite his illness and weakness he replied in a firm voice, “I was your commander – that’s what I had to do.”

I just nodded and gripped his hand. I think I’d already known what his answer would be. The reply was so typical of him. Faithful to his country. Faithful to his comrades.

Two days later, Patricia called to tell us Ted had passed away. “He had held on for so long. It was as if he was just waiting to see you first,” Patricia told me.

That didn’t surprise me either. The bond of friendship tempered by the fire of combat is one of the strongest ties men can have. Mac and I had that connection. And always will.

[SAMWolf]

"Reunion Over Hanoi"
Col. Ken Cordier and Col. Bob Buckey were classmates in high school and college. After college they both became fighter pilots. On 2nd December 1966, then Captain Cordier and his back-seat pilot 1st Lt. Mike Lane, were flying with the 559th TFS out of Cam Ranh Bay when they were shot down and captured. They were to languish in North Vietnamese prisons for the next six years. Knowing his friend was locked up, every time Bob flew "Downtown" he thought about Ken and wondered when they might meet again. This painting shows Maj. Bob Buckey and his back-seater Capt. Dan Tibbets as he pulls his F-4E Phantom 11 away from the infamous Hanoi Hilton.

[Lloyd227]

Thanks Sam,

I have a request though and figure this is as good a place as any to find someone who might know where I can find some information.

Family stories about my great-uncle lead us to understand that he was quite the unusual over the top kind of military guy. I've been unable to find any record of him online at all even though he was a career soldier from the WWII era, special forces kind of guy who used to jump off a ship in scuba gear and swim up a river then change clothes to blend in with the locals, then swim back to a pick up ship when the job was done.

If certain family stories have even a grain of truth to them, I'd like to make sure his name is remembered.

Looking for some way to find real information to verify against family stories.

His name was Clayton Mann and passed away in the early/mid 60s in Southern California. His father's name was Raymond and his mother's name was Althea

Family stories have placed him as having served in the Army, Navy AND Marine Corp although I'm not sure how one guy spends time in 3 different branches of the military.

Family stories also have him stationed in Hawaii just prior to the planned land invasion of Japan and an active participant in that planning.

Family stories also have him infiltrating Germany for assassination style assignments deep behind enemy lines.

I have no ideas what stories are really true, I was a very young boy when he passed away. I do know however that he was given a military style funeral complete with honor guard and that the flag presented to his family had a pile of medals on it.

If anyone has good online sources for researching someone like this with only limited information, please let me know.

Cheers,
Lloyd

[MistyCA]

What a neat graphic that is!

Hey, Darksheare....come to this new thread so I don't have to jump back and forth. :)

[MistyCA]

Do you have a copy of his death certificate? How about the obituary? As far as the military records, you can contact the Military Records Bureau in St Louis to get those. You will probably need his full name, date of birth and preferably his military id number. Back then it was not the same number as the SS# used today. You can also check in the town where he lived when he was discharged to get his discharge papers from the recorder's office. Each piece of documentation will lead to new documentation. Ultimately the best of it will be what is in his military record. That is open to you under the freedom of information act. :) Hope that helps. BTW...you can attempt to contact any of the above online but will probably not get copies of any of the documentation without paying copy costs, etc. Once you know the dates of service, the branch of service, ships he may have been on, etc, you can look up more information about those units on the internet.

[MistyCA]

BTW...I find that Clayton Mann (possibly the right one) was born January 6, 1927 and died in California in February, 65
with ss# 556-30-5874.

[Darksheare]

Okers.
But.. I jump around alot myself. Like a rabbit.
So I'm here an dthere, and on thread 28 of Dimensional Doors. And everywhere else.
(On the Thread 'Who Left the Dimensional Doors open? Thread 28'.. and prior numbered threads is where you'll see the 'method to the madness' and the extent of just how wierd I get when the sleeepiness hits.)

You know you're tired when you see THEM dragging a giant clam across the road. Who are THEY?
You'll know THEM when you see THEM.
(Long distance drivers and other high sleep deprivation types know what THEY are.)

[Ligeia]

The George Washington Battle Group returned today to the
Norfolk Naval Station Piers after a six-month deployment in
support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Here the carrier is
being pushed by tugs to its mooring.
Photo by Mort Fryman / The Virginian-Pilot

NORFOLK -- A pouring rain and an ourpouring of joy greeted the men and women of the George Washington Battle Group this morning as they returned home from a six-month deployment.

The crowd gathered on the wet, windswept pier at Norfolk Naval Station cheered heartily as the 1,092-foot carrier pulled into view shortly after 9 a.m. Continue

[SAMWolf]

Do you have any Units he was assigned too? He almost sounds like he was doing some OSS work.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the link to he George Washington Battle Group story.

[MistyCA]

LMAO...Ok, I have probably seen a few of "them" myself! :)

[MistyCA]

Thank you for that post! What an awesome ship that is! How exciting for the crew and their family! :)

[SAMWolf]

Current Military News

United States Army soldiers wait in line for breakfast as the sun rises over the north Kuwait desert December 20, 2002. There are some 12,000 U.S. troops in Kuwait for training, many within just 5 kilometers of the Iraqi border. REUTERS/Chris Helgren


United States Army Lieutenant Eric Hooper (R) of Albany, Georgia, sits in his Bradley armored vehicle while replying to Christmas cards as a full moon rises over the north Kuwaiti desert December 20, 2002


U.S. Marines participate in a training exercise in the Kuwaiti desert near the Iraqi border Friday, Dec. 20, 2002. Hundreds of troops from the Charlie company, 15th infantry regiment, have set up a command center in the desert of Kuwait. About 12,000 troops, including more than 7,000 Army soldiers, are deployed in the desert at multiple army and Air Force bases. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)


U.S. Marines run during a training exercise in the Kuwaiti desert near the Iraqi border Friday, Dec. 20, 2002. Hundreds of troops from the Charlie company, 15th infantry regiment, have set up a command center in the desert of Kuwait.


U.S. Marines sit atop an armoured personal carrier (APC) during training exercises in the Kuwaiti desert near the Iraqi border Friday, Dec. 20, 2002.


U.S Marines run during a training excercise in the Kuwaiti desert near the Iraqi border Friday, Dec. 20, 2002

[Darksheare]

I only saw THEM at Fort Drum during AT during 24 hour continuous operations.
At 03:00, the ground starts to ripple like water as you're looking at it. And after that, your ability to speak English degrades. Thank God that Artillery didn't have any women in it...they wouldn't have understood the monosyllabic grunt conversations.

[MistyCA]

Wow. Thank God for all those men! Don't they look great? Thanks for that post.

[Darksheare]

That last pic, the guy looks like he's having Waaaay too much fun. This must be stopped immediately. Having fun in uniform is a violation of the PCBS protocols...( / joking)

Looks like we're getting serious. Godspeed to those guys.

[Johnny Gage]

Recommended Book:
The Colditz Story
by Patrick R. Reid

Colditz Castle overlooks the old town of Colditz, on the River Mulde, eastern Germany.
Castle in eastern Germany, near Leipzig, used as a high-security prisoner-of-war camp (Oflag IVC) in World War II. Among daring escapes was that of British Captain Patrick Reid (19101990) and others in October 1942, whose story contributed much to its fame. It became a museum in 1989. A highly successful British TV drama series called Colditz (1972) was based on prisoners' experiences. The castle was considered escape-proof and so was used to house prisoners with important connections and those who had a record of escape from less secure camps. Although there were 130 successful escapes, only 32 managed to evade recapture.

Side Note:
Miramax bought the remake rights to the 1957 British film THE COLDITZ STORY about Allied prisoners of war who try to escape a German castle. Rafael Yglesias (FROM HELL) will script.

[SAMWolf]

WWII Statistics:

Information on US POWs Held in WWII
Military

There were 130,201 US Military captured and interned in WWII. As of January 1, 2001, 40,794 were still alive (31.3%). Of the total count of US POWs in WWII 36,260 were captured and interned by the Japanese. On January 1, 2001, 5,348 were still alive (14.7%). Here is the grim news; the comparison of those military held by Germany and Japan. Median age of WWII POWs on January 1, 2001 was 80.

U.S. Military Held         By GERMANY         BY JAPAN
Captured & Interned        93,941             36,260 
Died While POW              1,121 (1.1%)      13,851 (38.2%) 
Alive on January 1, 2001   35,446 (37.7%)      5,348 (14.7%) 

Civilians

There were 18,745 US Civilians captured and interned in WWII. As of January 1, 2001, 3,018 were still alive (16.1%). Of the total civilian POWs in WWII 13,996 were captured and interned by the Japanese. On January 1, 2001, only 1,325 were still alive (9.4%). Again, here are the grim statistics; the comparison of U.S. civilians interned by Germany versus those held by Japan. Median age of WWII Civilian Internees on January 1, 2001 was 84.

U.S. civilian Held       By GERMANY       BY JAPAN 
Captured & Interned         4,749          13,996 
Died While POW                168 (3.5%)    1,536 (11%) 
Alive on January 1, 2001    1,424 (30%)     1,325 (9.4%)

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

bttt