SURVIVOR WW II Bataan Battle Surrender Prison Camp POW Memoir SIGNED Philippines

Memoir of Defeat and Captivity. The author has inscribed this book on the titlepage.

This is a very rare, well-written and personal memoir of a survivor of the Bataan Death March, and various Japanese Prisoner or Internment Camps in both the Philippines and Japan during the Second World War. It is illustrated with some black and white photographs as well as maps and drawings of camp life made by prisoners that Harrison knew personally, both in the camps and after the war ended.

At the time this book was written Harrison was in his seventies and his wife had talked him into recording the history as he saw it before it was too late. There are relatively few of these first-hand memoirs written by men of the Greatest Generation. The experiences are totally engrossing, and it seems unbelievable that someone could have survived such hellish circumstances. Thomas Harrison was a new Second Lieutenant in the US Army when he was sent to the Philippines in the summer of 1941. He was attached to the Philippine Army as an instructor and artilleryman.

He describes his experience of the fighting before the surrender on Bataan, the Bataan Death March, and internment at several Philippine prison camps including Camp ODonnell and Cabanatuan. I weighed ninety-five pounds at wars end and was twenty-seven years old, but felt much older. I was angry and resentful toward the Japanese and knew my attitude could be ruinous to me if it continued.

Therefore, I made up my mind to put the war period behind me, and to begin the rest of my life unencumbered by the rage and hatred that had been a part of me for so long. As a part of that therapy, for many years I have refused to dwell on or to discuss those times in any detail with anyone, excepting for an anecdote from time to time.

The resolution has been partially successful. My wife , daughter and two sons have always been curious about those experiences but reluctant to insist on the telling of them for fear of re-opening old wounds. It is, however, a part of their birthright and this book is an attempt to relieve their curiosity.

To begin it with the surrender of Bataan and the starting of the Death March would not be appropriate. There would be no understanding of the events, both intimate and military, which led to those disasters, and no insight into the maturation process that took place in their husband and father along the way. My story is a personal chronicle covering the period beginning with induction into the Service in 1941and ending with return to the United States in 1945. It does not contain a scholarly historical analysis of grand strategy and military tactics, but concerns my limited understanding of that strategy and those tactics at the time they occurred, and as they affected me individually. In short, this letter to my family recounts the day to day experiences of one very minor segment of a much larger picture.

9 1/4 x 6 1/8 inches--223 pages. This hard-cover book is in very good condition.

There is no dustjacket--I do not believe that it was issued with one. The green leatherette (faux leather) cover is very clean, but shows some light wear at the corners. The interior is very good with only the authors inscription and no marks, underlining, tears or odor. There is a small spot on pages 18 and 19 (see pic) that looks like it may have been a coffee drip.

The hinges and binding are excellent with no loose or missing pages. ALL ITEMS ARE CAREFULLY AND SECURELY PACKED TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE DANGER OF CRUSHING AND OR WATER/MOISTURE DAMAGE. PLEASE DO THE SAME FOR ME.

I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE ALL OF THE BOOKS, AUTOGRAPHS AND SIGNATURES ON BOOKS I SELL. I do not submit any of the signatures for authentication. You must return the book and its autograph to me. I carefully pad the book and wrap it in cardboard as long as it fits. The item "SURVIVOR WW II Bataan Battle Surrender Prison Camp POW Memoir SIGNED Philippines" is in sale since Monday, June 25, 2012. This item is in the category "Books\Antiquarian & Collectible". The seller is "tstivers" and is located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This item can be shipped worldwide.

Binding: Hardcover
Subject: Military & War
Topic: WWII (1939-45)
Special Attributes: 1st Edition
Origin: American
Year Printed: 1989
Country of Manufacture: United States
Author: Thomas Harrington
Language: English
Original/Facsimile: Original
Place of Publication: Salt Lake City