[Iris7]

There were maybe three Marine regiments on Luzon when the Japanese invaded. Possibly your acquaintance said he had been, had fought, in Bataan, where the Americans and Filipinos made a last stand. Several hundred American wounded were evacuated by PT boats and then submarines. After Bataan fell some hundreds of Americans escaped capture by sea, using local fishing boats and such.

Some of the death march guys escaped during the march, I understand. There was some escape from the Japanese POW camps.

The resistance had submarine contact with the US Navy from late 1942, as I recollect, and a lot of men went in and out.

So it could be your old Marine was on the level. The short and feisty ones are some of the most ferocious of the breed.

My desire, from my heart, is to say: Believe him.

[endthematrix]

I do. I did't know if the dates jived. He was quite familiar with jungle rot as a POW and the use of dynamite. They sent him into the caves. I had a Vietnam vet coworker (Green Beret who was an escaped POW) who had the same hate of the enemy after all those years. Both saw heavy combat.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for supplying more details on Bataan Iris7.

I'd like to believe the guy was on the level too. :-)

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks Iris7 for your excellent response today. We love it when our Foxholer's share their knowledge and comments with others. It proves we are just one big family here all to help and share with each other.