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Home Foreword Introduction The Road to Bataan The Bataan Death March The San Fernando Train Ride Camp O'Donnell Clark Field Concentration Camp Bilibid Prison The Hell Ships Japan The Nomachi Express Camp Nomachi Surrender, Liberation, and Repatriation The Homecoming Epilogue In Memoriam Extra: Bataan Death March Route Map Extra: Philippine Department of Tourism Extra: Star Tribune: March of Time ("Article of Interest" for 4-6 Grade Basic Skills Reading Test Prep) Extra: Footprints in Courage (A Book About Alf Larson and the Bataan Death March) Extra: Alf's Letter to God Post/View Comments |
Surrender, Liberation, and Repatriation
Did some of the guys get sick because of the short rations and restricted diets you had been on for so long? No one got sick that I know of. I sure ate a lot of eggs and Spam and drank lots of milk! How long were you there? We were there about two weeks. He was there long enough to put weight on. When he came home, I thought at first he would be skin and bones. But he looked great! (Jane). Did you receive additional medical attention? Some soldiers were hospitalized in Manila. We were emaciated, but not sick and went directly to the rest and recuperation camp. At Camp Nomachi in Japan everyone survived except those who said they wouldn't work another day for the Japanese? That's right. Other than what happened to those guys, no executions or injuries occurred during our captivity in Japan. You got on that train from your camp on September 15, 1945, and went to the hospital ship. Then you went to Manila to the rest and recuperation camp. By the time you left the rest and recuperation camp, how much time had passed? Almost a month has passed since we had gotten on the train. Interestingly, the Air Force recruiters wanted me to re-enlist. They really pestered me! I could have chosen where I wanted to be stationed. I would have been upgraded in rank and gone to school at government expense. If I re-enlisted, the Air Force would fly me home right now! I almost did re-enlist! Anyway, we left the rest and recuperation camp and boarded a liberty ship in Manila harbor. We sailed and stopped in Honolulu. We didn't go ashore because it was just an overnight stop. We sailed directly to San Francisco and were immediately hospitalized at Letterman General Hospital.
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