FREESTONE PAST/PRESENT J.R. (Sonny) Sessions JAPANESE PRISONERS OF WAR There were several former WWII Japanese prisoners of war living in Freestone Co. after the war, the one’s I most familiar with are Clifford England, Jerry Steward, Tom Chandler and Wade Bottoms the only one still living who lives between Simsboro and Shanks off FR 80. All told of inhumane treatment and the hardships they endured. Don’t think any liked to tell about their experiences as brought back bad memories. Wade after all these years speaks more freely about it today than before and after many years of physical and mental problems caused by this experience doing better than most who survived it. Wade enlisted in the United States Army in 1937 and stationed in the Philippines when invaded by the Japanese in 1942. Wade weighed 185 pounds when he arrived in the Philippines and weighed 160 when Corregidor surrendered in May 1942 where they had no ammunition or food. Wade tells of eating mules, snakes or anything they could get their hands on and suffering from dysentery. They received no help from the United States and “is called the most humiliating military disaster ever suffered by the US”. Wade became a prisoner of war along with about 20,000 US military and 45,000 Filipino soldiers killed or captured. He was moved to Manila where his detail transported cordwood from the mountains on their backs. From Nov. l942 until July 1944 he was at the Port Area Prison stevedoring, handling cargoes of all types, his physical condition worsened. On July 17, 1944 to August 8, l944 he spent 22 days in the hole of a ship so crowded they could not sit down, water and food severely rationed, a cup of water and a cup of barley daily. At Oeyema Prison in Japan he worked in the nickel mines from August 1944 to September 10, 1945, the last few weeks he was too weak to walk so had to sit and make envelopes and sacks of straw, they all worked 10 to 24 hours a day. There was little food or clothing, The only shoes, even in the winter and it very cold here were boards with holes punched thru them and cloth threaded thru to hold them on. Even water was in short supply. What rest they got was on the ground, concrete floor or wooden platform, shoulder to shoulder. Failure to produce the quota of labor meant punishment by beatings, slappings, standing at attention in the rain, hot sun or snow from one to six hours or double timing until you passed out. At no time did the Japanese comply with the Geneva Convention of 1929. They did not mark prisoner of war camps, trucks, trains or ships to keep them from being bombed or shot by our troops. After 3 years, four months and 3 days the 1st Calvary Division liberated them. The next year and two months were spent in hospitals. After about seven years his health improved some and today is fair. Most former Japanese prisoners of war never recovered. improved some. Today he sees hhe After his retirement Wade Bottoms was awarded his Prisoner of War Medal at a surprise military ceremony at Fort Hood presented by Lt. Gen. Richard G. Graves on Nov. 30, l988. I was honored to be among those attending. I want to thank Sgt. Bottoms for his service and friendship over the years. *** Each winter when the Fort Worth and Houston Fat Stock Shows and Rodeo’s held brings to mind during the War years attending both events. I think it with our FFA class. The group hired Mr. Odell Ray to take us in the back of his big truck, on a trailer with a tarp, to get under for a little protection from the cold and rain. This was not furnished by the school but each of us helped pay the fare. If we spent the night we slept on the trailer. I don’t think any of us had enough money to attend the rodeo or special functions. It was fun and an experience then but I wouldn’t want to do it today. *** Grandpa’s Report Not much to report here as Ham’s bunch over the chicken pox. Anna and Katy made a coat for Max their new Collie during the cold weather, which they said he didn’t appreciate. Grandma and I busy with cattle feeding during bad weather assisted by Fred. Basketball games for some, Kali’s team paid Frost back for defeating them recently. Cooper and Briar played with big boy’s team. Kenzie, Devin and Sara practicing with their teams, games start soon. Grandma and I joined full school auditorium on cold rainy night for Wortham’s PTA second annual “Talent Show”, Sara and Camey took first place in their division with duet. We bought Kenzie’s Dr. Pepper cake she baked for the cake sale. Enjoyed it all that night and the cake later.