sa国际传媒官网网页入口

Dec. 8, 1941

I stepped outside my quarter doors and looked to the north. They were pretty planes, flying high in the sky. One could tell at once they weren鈥檛 our pretty planes 鈥� two waves of them, 27 each, the second some distance from the first. 

The above is part of a diary kept by Col. Harry Peck of sa国际传媒官网网页入口 during World War II that chronicles the Battle of Bataan and his 3陆-year imprisonment in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps.

Those 鈥減retty planes鈥� were Japanese bombers attacking the Allied forces at Clark Airfield in the Philippines just hours after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. 

Soon after that initial assault on the Philippines, the 515th Coast Artillery Regiment was carved out of the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment to man antiaircraft batteries in defense of Manila. The two regiments were made up mostly of more than 1,800 New Mexico Guardsmen, who had been deployed from Fort Bliss to the Philippines in November 1941. Peck was named the commander of the 515th.

Peck鈥檚 three notebooks of diary entries, written during his incarceration, were the basis of a 20-plus-story series the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 published after Peck鈥檚 return.

His diary details the months of harsh battle conditions near Manila and in the Bataan Peninsula as overmatched Allied forces fought to stave off the Japanese and Peck鈥檚 more than three years of survival in various prison camps.

He wrote these entries as letters to his wife 鈥� letters that were never sent, but that he took out of his baggage when he returned home.

The importance to him of writing this diary shone through in several excerpts.

Addressed to my wife, Eva, this diary was my lifeline, which kept me occupied at nights, enough to tide me over some of the worst times, the worst hours 鈥�

And in another excerpt, he writes:

To my dearest girl, 鈥� I am trying to bring my movements up to date from December 8, 1941, so you can read it if I ever get home to you. I have been thinking of you each day from the start, but you seem so far away 鈥�

And Peck continued to write even after his guards confiscated two of his notebooks during a surprise search of his barracks. 

At one point, Japanese guards took two of these notebook-type diaries to copy and interpret. For three months, I felt my life was in the balance, for I had written of some of their acts toward prisoners, as well as our daily life, clothing, and camp details.

Strangely enough, the books were returned. And my life, such as it was, spared.

Today鈥檚 story is based on Peck鈥檚 diary excerpts that appeared in the Journal from November 1945 through January 1946. This story includes some minor editing for clarification and changes the derogatory word 鈥淛aps鈥� to Japanese. Several of those 1945 articles are so faded, even on , they are impossible to read, and many do not have dates tied to them. So this story is not a complete narrative of Peck鈥檚 time in the Philippines, but provides a window into many of the moments he chose to share with his wife.

Peck, who was in his 40s while in the Philippines, returned home in September 1945. While in captivity, his weight dropped from 168 to 116. 

He credits his fellow prisoners鈥� 鈥減atience under adverse conditions鈥� and the 鈥渦ncomplaining care of each other鈥� for their survival. 

The initial assault

Peck鈥檚 first entry describes that first attack on Allied troops in the Philippines. He was stationed near Clark Airfield. 

Dec. 8, 1941

As I watched them (鈥渢he pretty planes鈥�) for a few seconds, I knew the loads of the first planes on their way down were responsible for the radio broadcast that Clark Airfield was bombed.

I went into quarters and got my helmet and pistol belt and started for our headquarters building.

As I stepped to the door, Colonel Sage was coming out 鈥� then the first load of bombs hit.

It seemed to be the end of all things 鈥� the flash, the smoke and debris, mushrooming up to the sky. Then, the compression.

As we went to headquarters, about halfway there, the second wave hit. We could see the Filipino civilians running from Clark Field like a herd of wild antelope.

The expression on their faces showed they were trying to get away from something, but they didn鈥檛 know what it was 鈥�

 A constant theme in Peck鈥檚 writings focuses on the lack of proper weaponry and ammunition provided to the Allied forces in the Philippines. Even in his first entry he speaks of it.

Dec. 8, 1941 (continued) 

Our batteries that were in position had opened fire (on the Japanese planes) with the 3-inch battery gun, the director of which was still over in Corregidor for repairs (the director was the system that calculated range and elevation of the bombers), and the 37-mm guns鈥� parts 鈥� were still in Manila for repairs.

Our 3-inch gun batteries had powder train issues and they couldn鈥檛 reach the bombers as they came over. If we had had the mechanical fuses, we could have reached them.

About this time, I wished we had some of the new weapons for anti-aircraft defense that were in production in the states, but too late to do us any good so far from home.

As the bombers passed over, the Japanese fighter planes came in, and they did more toward the destruction of our planes than did the bombers by strafing with incendiary bullets.

No one (of the Allied forces) showed fear of the Japanese planes. Those around headquarters began to shoot with rifles and light machine guns until they could see they would do no good. So they stood there with clinched hands.

That afternoon, Japanese planes also strafed Fort McKinley and Nielsen Airfield.

Peck was told that a provisional regiment 鈥� which a few days later was named the 515th Coast Artillery 鈥� would be created from the 200th to protect Manila. He was to command the 24 officers and 500 men, most from New Mexico. 

Peck and his regiment left Fort Stotsenburg at 4:30 p.m. for Manila, located about 50 miles south. He and his regiment arrived that night, having to navigate through the city鈥檚 narrow, unknown, winding streets during a total blackout. 

Dec. 8, 1941 (continued)

So ended the first day in Manila for the regiment that was just one day old. And my thoughts were 鈥渋f we only had the latest equipment to carry on with.鈥�

It was soon discovered that the powder-train time fuses for their 3-inch gun batteries had deteriorated in the tropical heat during months of storage. The shells failed to explode, making it nearly impossible to shoot down a plane.

Dec. 8, 1941 (continued) I want to say here that if our nation had kept up as we should at all times with sufficient ammunition, weapons and trained men to operate the same, we鈥檇 have mighty cheap insurance. I know our nation didn鈥檛 want war, but we can鈥檛 control other nations with an eye on another鈥檚 property. 

The Allied forces remained in Manila until the end of December, when they were ordered to leave for the Bataan Peninsula. 

Protecting Bataan Peninsula

The Japanese quickly captured Manila, but could not use the crucial Manila Bay for their naval warships or supply vessels because Allied artillery on Bataan and Corregidor island blockaded the entrance. Bataan鈥檚 rugged terrain allowed a relatively small force to hold off a larger invading army 鈥� for a while 鈥� stretching out the campaign for more than three months. 

Peck describes how Allied air fields were constructed on Bataan, with the 515th tasked with defending one, and how a large ammunition storage site was placed in an area so thick with bamboo it was difficult to find.

He recounts one instance where he and other officers were on their way to inspect the ammunition dump when Japanese bombers attacked.

I went over the top of the bank, as I couldn鈥檛 find any other place. The bombs followed me over the bank, just a few feet over my head. They landed below, but did no damage.

He also describes how the troops were stretched thin, and rations were low.

It took every officer and man on some gun positions to fire. Even the cooks had to take their places.

In March, orders came in to make shelters to protect the men during the rainy season which started in June. They were able to get supplies but 鈥�

March 1942

But then came the hard part. The men being on short rations for so long and getting less as days went by weren鈥檛 in such good condition and could only work at short periods. Also, the batteries had to be on the alert at all times and couldn鈥檛 get far from their positions.

Peck wrote that he did not expect the shelters would never be used unless something major changed. Both Bataan and Corregidor were suffering continuous bombing and Peck said his group was down to just a few planes. The men were starving and ravaged by illnesses.

Peck knew the end was coming.

And in early April, orders came in to form a line of resistance to protect withdrawing troops.

Early April, 1942

The war was over for us. We chalked up to our credit 35 Japanese planes. We could鈥檝e had a lot more if only we had the latest equipment or at least the ammunition that we were supposed to have. 

Then orders came to destroy all equipment and ammunition so the Japanese could not use them. The evening before surrender, Col. Sage and Peck sat on two empty gasoline tins.

April 8, 1942

We talked of folks back home and what the morning might bring. 

All at once the gasoline cans we were sitting on started to move. 鈥� 

鈥� We realized we were having a good old earthquake. With what we were up against, we didn鈥檛 think an earthquake needed to be added to the situation. But there wasn鈥檛 much we could do with that last night of freedom.

Just before daylight word came that Major General King and party had gone forward to contact the Japanese for terms of surrender.

Well, it looked as if we had reached the end. Col. Sage and I were blue. We hadn鈥檛 thought when we left Fort Bliss eight months ago, that it would come to this.

Start of captivity

Japanese forces came in the next day and Peck was ordered to take a count of the troops near him.

April 10, 1942

I was instructed to count them, the Americans in one group and the Filipinos in another. As I remember now, there were about 800 of our men. After counting, an interpreter instructed the men to form in columns and start up the road.

It was the beginning of the Death March.

The infamous Bataan Death March, which cost thousands of lives, was the forced transfer of some 75,000 Filipino and U.S. prisoners of war. It consisted of a 65-mile march, a stifling train ride and a final march of about eight miles. More than 16,000 men died en route to the final destination, Camp O鈥橠onnell.

Several hours into the initial day of the trek, Peck and a few officers were picked up by a Japanese truck and thus escaped much of the tortuous miles on foot. But they endured harsh conditions and beatings before the train ride and final march to the camp. 

April 10, 1942 (continued)

Up the road to the north, passing thousands of Japanese going south, unit after unit, cavalry, tanks, infantry and artillery of all kinds. It began to sink in what we were up against 鈥� plenty of everything.

鈥� Just at dark, a Japanese truck pulled up. We were ordered to get into the truck, also 10 other officers. This truck moved (slightly) faster than the column and made as much headway as possible. As we went along, Japanese troops hit us with rifles, sticks, and at times jumped into the truck and hit us with fists. 鈥�

At 10 pm, we were taken into a building. 鈥� We all went to bed. That is, we lay on the floor for our first night in captivity. Now 15 officers were in the room  鈥�

Later a truck took us to a little town nearby. There we were placed in a small room. We just had space to lie down, but not to turn over. Rats ran over us and mosquitoes were plentiful.

They remained there for a few days. Apparently some of the Filipino officers were able to buy fruit and received Japanese money in change. This money would later 鈥渃ost the lives of some 15 men at Camp O鈥橠onnell.鈥�

Peck and his group were driven to San Fernando, where the rest of the troops eventually arrived. They were then put in box cars, 80 to 100 men in each car, and taken by train to the Capas Train Station in Tarlac. The box cars were so cramped and hot that several more men died from heat exhaustion. The survivors then walked the final eight miles to Camp O鈥橠onnell. Along both marches, Filipinos tried to help the struggling Allied troops.

Mid-April, 1942

The Filipinos set out water as we passed. They threw food at us, then straw hats for those that lacked headgear. Japanese guards chased them away, hit the Filipinos, but the Filipinos kept coming back with food and water. A number of our men fell out. I never knew if they reached the camp. 

Camp O鈥橠onnell

At Camp O鈥橠onnell, the troops were lined up and searched again.

It was about now that the money was found from our officers鈥� friends. They (the officers) were taken to headquarters and never seen again. One officer who had such money hid it on the grounds, and his life was saved. Later he died on a Japanese ship from bombing.

No use telling you about our life in Camp O鈥橠onnell. Believe me, all the atrocities you have read describe it correctly. Don鈥檛 question the authenticity of those stories. 

The rest of the excerpt is faded, but the message appears to be that the pain of remembering the details is too great, 鈥渓et alone writing or talking  about them.鈥�

Peck does go on to write:

Very little drinking water. 鈥� No medicine for the sick and the hospital was just a bamboo building with no floor or bedding.

Other prison camps

From Camp O鈥橠onnell, the POWs were sent to other camps.  In August 1942, Shirakawa Camp in Formosa, now known as Taiwan, opened to hold high-ranking officers, including Peck. The Japanese segregated many high ranking officers from the other troops, hoping to dismantle the command structure and make the lower-ranking troops easier to command.

Still, conditions at these smaller camps for high-ranking prisoners were brutal 鈥� the men, most of whom were not young, were placed on severe starvation diets and subjected to back-breaking agricultural labor, clearing fields and planting root vegetables. They were promised some of those vegetables, but the guards always confiscated them. There were beatings and harassment, and the guards used humiliation tactics to try to break down the prisoners mentally and emotionally.

Shirakawa Camp in Formosa, 1942-43

A Japanese newsman came around at times. They like to take pictures of high-ranking officers herding goats, which they published in some of the local papers. I turned out to be a carpenter. This was easier for me for I didn鈥檛 have to walk up and down the hill to the farm and could sit down sometimes while working 鈥�

We had never been able to get towels, handkerchiefs, socks or underwear except for a couple of light shirts, which weren鈥檛 durable. Near the end of October, cold weather came along from November to the middle of March. We had plenty of it. While it wasn鈥檛 cold by actual measurement it was terribly cold for us. I have never suffered so in my life.

We had no heat of any kind nor were we allowed to wear our shoes inside. I made a coat out of a 鈥� part of an old blanket, also a vest from the blanket to wear under my shirt. And with what was left, I made cloth shoes. 鈥�The food we received having no fat made no heat for our bodies 鈥�

March 22, 1943

Some Red Cross supplies arrived, which they didn鈥檛 give us until April 10. Banner day! 鈥�What a great day. It may not have seemed like much to eat, but it was birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the rest to us. 

The remainder of the excerpt  is too faded to read so it鈥檚 unknown exactly what was in that package, but the words 鈥渙range drops鈥� and 鈥渧ery good鈥� are legible.

Nov. 12, 1943

We still had beatings of officers. 

Thirty of our new officer prisoners were lined up last evening and slapped. They had put a Japanese mosquito netting on top of their luggage. 鈥�

Nov. 16, 1943

We killed 200 flies today. We turn them in daily so the Japanese have proof we killed the number they ordered us to. Our Sunday dinner tasted like wilted weeds stewed up and a small cup of rice. 

May 9, 1944

Twenty-five months of prison life have passed today. Brig. Gen. Allen McBride, born 30 June 1885, died during the night. He worked yesterday afternoon and I guess the heat was too much for him. In fact, the heat is too much for all of us, working out in the hot sun. It is about more than I can take. 

June 3, 1944

Received two letters today from you. One dated June 29, 1942, and one dated August 4, 1943. So you can see how we are getting mail.

July 1944

Today one officer was sent to the guardhouse for putting up his hands to protect his face while being beaten.

Oct. 3, 1944

We got some beef in our soup tonight 鈥� two pounds of meat for the now 482 of us.

Manchuria POW camps

Beginning in Autumn 1944, many POWs were transferred to camps in Manchuria to keep them from being rescued by advancing Allied forces. Peck marched, took a ship and then a train before arriving in November 1944 at a camp in Manchuria. His excerpts are a little unclear, but it is likely he was first taken to Hsian Camp, designated for senior officers.

March 17, 1945

St. Patrick鈥檚 Day. We received orders this morning to wash up winter clothing and have it ready to turn it in. Some of the prisoners won鈥檛 have much to wear. One stove in our barracks will be cut tonight and no more fire this winter.

April 2, 1945

No fire, no lights or heavy underwear and no other proper outside clothing. Lots of officers think things will close up over here this spring or summer, at least by fall.

April 3, 1945

It was quite cold in the barracks today; frozen ice in the room last night. I woke by 3 a.m. and never warmed up after that.

May 11, 1945

We heard Germany is out. We saw Truman is President.

May 13, 1945

We feel there is something going on over here. Have for some time. 

About six days of rations left in our kitchen. We were told we will leave about the 20th (for Mukden). 

About 100 miles to the southwest lay the largest camp in Manchuria, Hoten Camp, outside Mukden. It housed thousands of Allied troops from various countries throughout the war. Rumors start to fly that the war may be coming to an end.

May 20, 1945

Up at 4 a.m. Turned in our bedding. Clean the barracks. Looks lots better than we moved in last November. At the depot and aboard the train at 12:45 p.m.

May 21, 1945 

Arrived in Mukden yards at 7 am. Marched some distance to the camp.

Met a number of our boys here. Some had been here since 1942. Some arrived from Japan about two months ago. Some of our officers arrived at the same time. They had been on ships bombed enroute to Japan. Stories they told us were bad ones. So many of our officers and men had died or been killed by bombs.

Many of my dear friends are dead. It鈥檚 a sad day. 鈥� The barracks aren鈥檛 so bad.

End of the war, but no quick trip home

Aug. 9, 1945

Lots of rumors. Don鈥檛 know what to make of them. Something must be going on. 鈥� 11 months since a letter from you. 40 months of prisoner of war.

On Aug. 15, 1945, Japan accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration that defined the requirements for Japanese surrender.  

Aug. 19, 1945 

American planes came in today and landed at the airfield. The Japanese wouldn鈥檛 let them be unloaded. They have supplies for us. The Japanese said they are surrendering to the Russians and the planes would have to wait until the Russians got there. We just have to sit easy for a while.

August 20, 1945

Just taking it easy and ready to start for home when we can.

Aug 21, 1945

A Russian crew from a plane came in this morning. All is all right right now. Brought supplies.

Aug. 22, 1945

A Russian general was in camp this morning. Understand it will take about 30 days to get us all out of here.

Aug 30, 1945

Getting lots of good things. Picture machine came in by plane. So we鈥檒l have a show each evening while we鈥檙e here. Home is all I need now.

Sept 10, 1945 

Goodbye to Mukden at about 8 pm and the first leg of a long trip home.

Sept. 11, 1945

Taken on the hospital ship about 3:30 pm. Had a bath, given pajamas and a real American dinner with steak. 

Sept. 12, 1945

Up at 5:30 a.m. Want to see the ship as it leaves these parts. Had my first ice cream today. Sure was good, but not as good as your homemade peach ice cream.

Sept. 15, 1945

In Buckner Bay Okinawa about 4 p.m.

Sept. 16, 1945

Still aboard the ship in a very bad storm. Moved over to the west side of island. ... Have gone out to sea to ride out the storm.

Sept. 19, 1945

Our plane left Okinawa at 7:30 a.m. for Manila. Red Cross service, coffee and cookies on arrival at Nichols Airfield.

My regiment was on duty at this field in December 1941. Sure different field than when I left it. Never have seen so many planes or such a large field.

Conclusion

Well, that鈥檚 the end. Many unpleasant happenings were left out of my diary for I addressed this to my wife, and I didn鈥檛 want to cause her more pain than she had already felt. Besides, I would like to forget what happened. I know I never will.

Of the more than 1,800 men in the 200th and 515th regiments from New Mexico, 829 did not come home 鈥� dying in battle, during the Bataan Death March or in prison camps. Only half of those who did return were still alive a year later.

Karen Moses is a former editor at the Journal. She can be reached at kmoses@abqjournal.com.