Interview with William H. Gentry, July 31, 1985

Partial Transcript: It's July the 31st, uh, I'm with uh, William Gentry, a survivor of the Bataan Death March. Uh, he's from Harrodsburg, was with Company D--went on active duty with Company D--

Segment Synopsis: William Gentry talks about joining Company C of the 192nd Tank Battalion on the island of Luzon at the beginning of the Battle of Bataan in 1941. He describes holding actions in which he participated in support of other U.S. military units. He says the strategy was to hold the Bataan peninsula and Manila Bay. He talks about the unreliability of Filipino troops in confronting the enemy. He describes the experience of combat, especially tank combat at night.

Keywords: Artillery; Bataan; Captain Harold Collins; Company C; Company D; Corregidor; Lingayen Gulf; Manila Bay; Pozorrubio; Rosario; San Jose; Sison; Tanks; The Philippines; Umingan

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare.

Partial Transcript: We knew nothing about these lines because it was only twelve days from the time that ship arrived when we were uh, that--Pearl Harbor came by--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about the confusion in the U.S. military command on Luzon following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He talks about using tanks defensively in a delaying action which was contrary to the training his unit received in offensive tactics. He describes an intelligence mission to gather information on enemy infantry tactics as well as a fighting retreat. He describes the difficult conditions of tank combat including fighting at night, in difficult terrain such as rice paddies, and confusion. He talks about blowing up a bridge during the retreat.

Keywords: .30 caliber projectiles; 20 millimeter gun projectiles; Bamboo mats; Banzai; Bongabon; Cabanatuan; Captain Harold Collins; Company A; Company B; Company C; Delaying action; Dynamite; Engineer; Fire fight; Fort Stotsenburg; Infantry; Kris knife; Machine guns; Military maneuvers; Radio; Rice paddies; San Jose; Tactical training; Tanks

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare--History.

Partial Transcript: Okay, now we, we moved back, and as we came into town at Cabanatuan, you see, part of the, part of the, the, the Japanese advance had come down this road--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes a flanking action by his tank platoon in which they destroyed enemy artillery by running tanks over the 75 millimeter field guns. He talks about how tank crews operated their tanks by physical signals and by radio.

Keywords: Armor tactics; Artillery; Battalion; Battery; Bongaban; Bongabon; Cabanatuan; Command and control; Direct fire; Rizal; Tanks

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare--History.

Partial Transcript: We moved into Cabanatuan and we had a firefight with them there in night and we moved out in night, okay?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry continues his description of the action at Cabanatuan where his unit ran their tanks over enemy artillery. He talks about his company commander's distracted demeanor during the stress of combat. Gentry talks about his unit retreating from behind enemy lines.

Keywords: Cabanatuan; Combat fatigue; Command and control; Gapan City; Harold C. Collins; Lingayen Gulf; Radio; Tank combat

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare.

Partial Transcript: Bill Gentry we were just--took a break for lunch and you were telling me some stories about uh, s--couple of funny incidents that happened here in Frankfort--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about national guard duty in Kentucky during the 1930s before his unit was deployed to the Philippines. He describes guarding the penitentiary in Frankfort during a flood. He also talks about his unit being sent to Harlan during a coal mine strike.

Keywords: Albert B. "Happy" Chandler; Flooding; Frankfort (Ky.); Harrodsburg National Guard; Kentucky State University; Miners; Olive Hill (Ky.); Prison; Prisoners; Strike; Tank; Warden

Subjects: National guard

Partial Transcript: Well uh, I guess we ought to get back to fighting the war in, in Luzon, we fought the little battle there in Harlan. Uh, you were, before we turned the tape over--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about resupplying his unit before going into action again at Baliuag. He talks about destroying food and other property during the retreat to deny use to the enemy. He recalls fighting many days on end without sleep or rest and being ordered to "hold at all costs."

Keywords: .30 caliber ammunition; Baliuag; Bongabon. 37 millimeter ammunition; Cabanatuan; Gapan; Refueling

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: Right. What kind of equipment are we fighting? We didn't know, you know, we had never seen a picture of a Japanese tank, we didn't know what a Japanese tank looked like.

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about enemy tanks and U.S. tanks. He describes the performance and characteristics of the U.S. M3 Stuart light tank used by his unit. He talks about the operation of the M3 tank and the ordinance used.

Keywords: .30 caliber machine gun; 37 millimeter gun; Armor piercing ammunition; B Company; Baliuag; Bataan; Calumpit Bridge; Cross hairs; High explosive ammunition; Lingayen Gulf; M3 Stuart Tank; Rice paddies; Sponson guns; Tank; Telescopic sight; Tracer ammunition; Traverse

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare--History.

Partial Transcript: In uh, at Baliuag uh, we re--we uh, uh, were able to have a good meal, and uh, we were able to get some sleep, and uh, along early in the morning--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about preparations for action and receiving orders to "hold at all costs." He says his unit reconnoitered the area of Baliuag and discovered a railroad bridge that had not been destroyed by the retreating U.S. troops. He describes encounters with enemy infantry. He says his unit would have destroyed the railroad bridge but they had no dynamite.

Keywords: 2nd Lieutenant Everett R. Preston; 2nd Lieutenant Marshall H. Kennady, Jr.; Baliaug; Bamboo screen; Captain Harold Collins; Church; Dynamite; Field glasses; Infantry; Japanese patrols; Major John C. Morley; Radio silence; Railroad bridge; Reconnoiter; Rice paddies; Self-propelled artillery; Tanks

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare.

Partial Transcript: At this point we knew it was time to, time to make our attack, and since uh, uh, it was beginning to uh, get dark and uh, so, we uh, opened fire at about fifteen hundred yards--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes a surprise attack his unit made on enemy infantry, tanks and artillery at the village of Baliuag. He says the enemy tanks had turrets that only traversed a few degrees, so they were vulnerable to attack from the side, even though they had larger caliber guns. He talks about how the fighting set the village on fire which illuminated the fighting. He says fighting continued until after dark.

Keywords: 37 millimeter gun; 75 millimeter gun; Artillery; Baliuag; Filipinos; Japanese; Tanks

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare.

Partial Transcript: And uh, uh, proceed on through to uh, the Calumpit Bridge and hold at the Calumpit Bridge.

Segment Synopsis: Gentry tells how the U.S. engineers were supposed to destroy the railroad bridge at Calumpit, but they only succeeded in damaging the bridge. He says that his tanks were able to cross the damaged bridge. He talked about his concern that the enemy could still use the bridge. He talks about deploying his tanks to defend the bridge. He describes how his unit ambushed an enemy unit trying to advance across the bridge, and using tracer bullets to ignite stacks of rice straw in nearby paddies.

Keywords: .30 caliber machine guns; 37 millimeter guns; Artillery; Bataan; Calumpit Bridge; Hay stacks; Magnetic mines; Manila; Manila Bay; Mortars; Pampanga River; Rice; Rice paddy dikes; Small arms fire; Tracer bullets

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare.

Partial Transcript: In this, in this battle now--(clears throat)--where you're, you're deliberately watching them assemble, they're assembling by the hundreds, it's a big formation--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about the engagement at Calumpit Bridge. He says that Bataan was not well supplied to mount a defense, and he laments that troops and allies did not attempt to salvage some of the food they destroyed. He talks about the political obstacles to supplying and supporting U.S. and Filipino troops during the battle of Bataan. He talks about the troops eating pack mules and cavalry horses as well as monkeys, pythons and bugs in order to survive.

Keywords: Ammunition; Artillery; Bataan; Fort Stotsenburg; Horses; Infantry; Monkeys; Mortars; Mules; Pythons; Rations; Resupply; Rice; Rice hay stacks; Tanks; Trucks

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare.

Partial Transcript: You were talking earlier before we started taping, and it might be a good time to get that on there while we're kinda on that subject about uh, planning ahead--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry says that U.S. political officials were not well prepared to support the military defense of the Philippines in December 1941. He says the result was famine and supply shortages during the campaign to defend Luzon. He describes the chronic shortages of food and supplies during the battle. He says the stock of rations would last for only three months, which was the time that would be required to receive resupply from the United States. He talks about going on reduced rations beginning in January 1942 and being forced to eat pack mules and cavalry horses. He also talks about shortages in gasoline, medicine and ammunition. He talks about eating monkeys, snakes and bugs.

Keywords: Cavalry horses; Fort Stotsenburg; Gasoline; Horses; Monkeys; Mules; Pack mules; Pythons; Quinine

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: Well, uh, by--when you get into Bataan there's several thousand Filipinos and several thousand Americans, and there must be a lot of civilians that's come back in there with you--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about the circumstances of the retreat into the Bataan peninsula including the officers and doctors present and the lack of food, medicines and other supplies. He returns to discussing the defensive action at Calumpit Bridge and another bridge he calls Hermosa. He discusses conflicting orders given by generals Jones and Wainwright with resulted from confusion in command. He talks about the deteriorating organization of U.S. military forces as the retreat to Bataan progressed.

Keywords: Brigadier General Henry L. L. Jones; Brigadier General James R. Weaver; Calumpit; Doctors; Great Far Eastern University; Hermosa Bridge; Lingayen Gulf; Luzon; Major General Jonathan M. Wainwright; Manila; Officer's commission; Porac

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: We did that holding force just north of the uh, holding action just north of the Calumpit Bridge--and uh, then we pulled back and refueled and uh, more ammunition--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about shifting his company from Calumpit to Porac to destroy artillery shelling the Hermosa Bridge. He describes the destruction of the Calumpit Bridge. He talks about caves dug by the enemy prior to the war on the west coast and south of Subic Bay to cache food for the invasion of Luzon. He quotes from John Toland's book about the failure of U.S. military authorities to commandeer available food and clothing supplies belonging to Japanese businesses. He laments the destruction of rice and other food rations rather than removing them to Bataan. He expresses the view that McArthur was right in leaving the Philippines.

Keywords: Artillery; Bataan; Cabanatuan; Fort McKinley; Fort Stotsenburg; General Douglas McArthur; General James R. N. Weaver; General Mateo Capinpin; Infantry; John Toland; Jonathan M. Wainwright; Layac; Major John C. Morley; Porac; Rice; Shelling; Tarlac: Colonel Charles Lawrence; Theodore F. Wickord

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: --Cross that bridge, you blow that bridge, you see that bridge blown, you're relieved you say. What, what's your, what happens to your unit--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry says that when his company went into bivouac in Bataan it was the first opportunity to meet other units in his battalion or other tank battalions as well as perform maintenance on equipment. He says that the first defensive line left a gap at a mountain thought to be impassable, but the gap was exploited by the enemy.

Keywords: 192nd Tank Battalion; 194th Tank Battalion; 31st Division; 41st Division; 51st Division; 57th Division; Bataan; Defense lines; Hermosa Line; James R. N. Weaver; Mauban; Morgan French; Santa Rosa

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: All right, after you get through with this setting right there then, and the Japanese infiltrate through the open space there, what, what what's the old--what's uh--what are you going to be doing?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry discusses the campaign after U.S. and Filipino forces withdrew to Bataan peninsula. He describes a series of three defensive lines and the "Battle of the Pockets." He describes an incident of friendly fire in which a U.S. officer was killed.

Keywords: .45 automatic pistol; 192nd Tank Battalion; 2nd Lieutenant Edward Winger; Aid station; B Company; C Company; Casualties; Company C; Field hospital; Filipinos; Gas gangrene; Germans; Springfield Rifle; Thomas Wickord; Thompson Sub-machine gun; Tuol River; Tuol pocket

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: Well, on, on the big pocket, you, you traverse a very steep ravine going down into the, to the valley. How wide was that valley if you get down there?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry continues to talk about the Battle of the Pocket and unit's participation in that battle. He talks about Filipinos of the ethnic group Igorot that helped fight as well as stealing supplies.

Keywords: Ammunition; Ammunition dump; Artillery; Fields of fire; Filipino scouts; Hand grenades; Igorot; Knee mortars; Perimeter; Pocket

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: Ten thousand, that seems like an awful big figure--have you seen some numbers on that anywhere, it's just uh--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry claims the enemy lost ten-thousand casualties in the Battle of the Pocket and over eighty-seven thousand in the Bataan campaign. He talks about his experience with Ed Dyess and the escape from Davao Penal Colony. He describes the agricultural produce of the Davao colony. He talks about how he was assigned as a leader at the farm colony.

Keywords: Cabanatuan; Cassava; Chickens; Criminal convicts; Davao Penal Colony; Field hospital; Hogs; Hookworm; Hospital; John Hay; Lt. Col. William Edwin "Ed" Dyess; Luzon; Malaria; Mindinao; Moros; Muslims; Penal farm; Philippine Department of Agriculture; Rice; Samuel Grashio; Schistosomiasis; Sweet potatoes

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: Now, let's go back, lets go back to this business before Dyess and them--how Dyess and them got away.

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about the relatively favorable conditions in the Davao Penal Colony before the escape of Dyess and other prisoners. He says that after the escape, the guards controlled prisoner movements and food more strictly. Gentry says that he was supposed to be shot in retaliation for the prisoner escape, but the executions were never carried out.

Keywords: Avocados; Bananas; Chicken farm; Coconuts; Coffee; Coffee plantation; Grapefruit; Lemons; Limes; Oranges; Pastries; Prisoner escape; Sugar mill; William Edwin Dyess

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Prisoner-of-war escapes.; Prisoners of war

Partial Transcript: Frankfort Kentucky, I'm Colonel Arthur M. Kelly, I'm will William Gentry, a, a survivor of the Bataan Death March uh, we did a tape of him yesterday, and were gonna start today.

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes how his unit was only deployed at Bataan in platoon or company strength but never as a battalion or division. He talks about how a fellow officer helped Air Corps soldiers instruction on how to fight an infantry action.

Keywords: Air Corps; Battalion; Bland Moore; C Company; Company; Hand grenades; Headquarters company; Imperial marines; Infantry tactics; John Hay; Musette bag; Platoon; Rations; Regiment; Supplies

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: Let, let's get back to Clark Field--(clears throat)--and uh--when you arrive there eventually they're going to put you in a, sort of defensive posture to defend against uh, parachutes--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry discusses his first duty assignment as a communications training officer upon deployment to the Philippines. He tells how he was promoted from 2nd Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel when given this assignment. He talks about his training in communications at Fort Knox and Fort Benning before his deployment to the Philippines.

Keywords: 75 millimeter artillery; Camp McCoy; Clark Field; Communications officer; Fort Benning; Fort Knox; General Edward P. King; General James R. N. Weaver; Morse code; Ordinance

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: Uh, we disbursed our tanks around Clark Field--uh, both battalions. And uh,the tanks were uh, I'm going to say a hundred and fifty yards apart around there to defend against uh, a parachute drop.

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about how his tank platoon was deployed in the defense of Clark Field when the war began. He talks about the steps to prepare equipment for shipment prior to deployment to the Philippines. He describes the bombing of Clark Field at the beginning of the war.

Keywords: 194th Tank Battalion; Bombing; Company mess; Cosmoline; Fighter aircraft; Fort Stotsenburg; Half tracks; Headquarters company; Machine guns; Mount Arayat; Pursuit planes; Strafing; Tanks

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare.

Partial Transcript: Let's go back right to the start of the dropping of the bombs. You, you, you look up and you see, you see some of the pursuit planes as you call them which are Japanese planes circling Mount Arayat--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry continues to describe the bombing of Clark Air Base in December 1941. He explains that Clark Field was bombed only a few hours after Pearl Harbor was bombed, but there is often confusion about the timing because the Philippines is west of the international date line.

Keywords: Aircraft; Bombing; Bombs; Col. Wickert; Company Mess; Fort Stotsenburg; Headquarters company; International date line; Officer's club; Reconnaissance platoon; Runway; Stick of bombs; Strafing; Tank park

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Bombing, Aerial.

Partial Transcript: One of the things that I had at Fort Knox was a, a group of radio operators that I feel were second to none. And they were all fantastic uh, men--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about his duty as trainer for military radio and communications.

Keywords: Draftees; Electrical engineers; Ham radio operators; Harrodsburg (Ky.); Louisville (Ky.); Philco Radio; Selectees; Tanks; Trucks

Subjects: Radio, Military.

Partial Transcript: Jack Reed uh, drove a command car--and he was Private Jack Reed. And uh, Edward Preston, and Horris Cull, and Arch Rue and myself were in this command car--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about being criticized by another officer for eating with an enlisted man at a public restaurant in the United States before the war. He talks about praise his unit received in an inspection report from General George Patton's staff. He says the common background of coming from the same hometown contributed to their unit cohesion in the national guard.

Keywords: Chauffeur; Colonel Moore; Esprit de corps; General George Patton; Louisiana; Morgan French

Subjects: Military discipline.

Partial Transcript: Okay we moved out a--at the end of the runway and, and disbursed our tracks, uh, half tracks across uh, the end of the runway. Out on the golf course--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry continues to describe the bombing of Clark Field. He talks again about his training in various military skills during national guard training.

Keywords: Armory; Bombers; Bombing runs; Fragmentation bombs; Jim Parsons; Monkey wrench; Navigation; Pursuit airplanes; Sergeant Morgan French; Summer camp; Training; Weapons

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Bombing, Aerial.

Partial Transcript: --(Clears throat)--Well, it was just a--the way we got our commission there was a regulation saying that--army regulation at that time saying that anyone in the first three uh, enlisted grades--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes his application and testing for a commission as an officer.

Keywords: Archibald Rue; Basic Officers Course; Clark Field; Commission examination; Everett Preston; Golf clubs; Horris Cull; Manila Bay; Mechanical horse; Polo; Specialty schools

Subjects: Military officer

Partial Transcript: All right uh, let's go down to the, to the surrender--we've fought the battle through, the delaying action and the battle in Bataan--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry recalls where he was and what he was doing when his unit received the code word, "Blast" directing them to destroy their tanks and equipment. He says this was when he first knew of the U.S. surrender. He recalls falling asleep in a jeep when he was awakened by a shockwave and earthquake resulting from the destruction of a nearby ammunition dump. He says he received the code word shortly after the blast. He says that "Blast" was a standing codeword for destroying equipment. He talks about the hunger and sickness among the troops at the time of surrender.

Keywords: 194th Tank Battalion; Ammunition; Ammunition dump; C Company; Captain Frederick C. Moffitt; Code word "Blast"; Dysentery; Earthquake; Food; Gasoline; General Brower (?); Jeep; Major Theodore F. Wickord; Malaria; Medicine; Mount Marivales; Mount Mariveles; Subic Bay; Surrender; Tuol River; Zambales mountains

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: All right, when you get the command "Blast," now you know--(um-hm)--this is the moment when you know that the surrender--you're going to surrender--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry continues to recall the details of where he was and who he was with when they received the code word "Blast" ordering them to destroy their tanks. He talks about the procedure for scuttling a tank. He describes the condition of his fellow officers after the destruction of the tanks. He discusses plans for escaping to the hills instead of surrendering, but abandoning the plan after being told of possible court martial for refusing to surrender.

Keywords: 2nd Lieutenant John F. Hay; 2nd Lieutenant Marshall H. Kennady, Jr.; Bataan; Brodie helmet; Captain Frederick C. Moffitt; Captain Harold C. Collins; Company C; Horses; Mules; Subic Bay; Tanks; Zambales Mountains

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Tank warfare--History.

Partial Transcript: When you get the word "Blast"--you've gotten it and you've blown the tanks, and uh, uh, you're looking in the faces of these people and, and you're talking--how long is their hair?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about the unkempt condition of the troops at the time of the surrender.

Keywords: Crew cut; Fort Stotsenburg; Haircut; Razor; Shoes; Tuol River; Uniforms

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: All right uh--your feelings at this time about the fact that you're surrendering?

Well, okay--we, we said that we would go to the--we were going to go to the hills--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about being directly ordered by General King to surrender, and that anyone refusing to surrender was threatened with court martial. He talks about his anger over his feelings of abandonment and humiliation after surrender. He says he blames the Congress, President and public of the United States for pacifism, failure to support and supply troops, and his imprisonment.

Keywords: Casualties; Court martial; Defensive lines; Esprit de corps; Fire fight; Franklin D. Roosevelt; General Edward P. King; George Patton; Hand grenades; Land mines; Mortars; Pacifists; Tanks; Trail 21; United States Congress

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: We were talking about the uh--the surrender and, and, and, and your pride in having done a job well done and your attitude--do you want to do some more?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about nicknames and songs adopted by various military units after the surrender. He talks about the relative merits of the enemy forces. He discusses casualties incurred by both sides of combatants.

Keywords: "Battling Bastards of Bataan"; B Company; Bamboo spears; C Company; Calumpit Bridge; Casualties; Filipinos; Leyac Bridge; Scouts

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: Well, the Filipinos, they--the Filipinos felt that they were Americans. They wanted to be Americans. They didn't want, they didn't want the Philippine--the average Filipino did not want independence--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry expresses the view that the Filipino people did not want to be independent but rather wanted to be a state in the United States and to have United States citizenship. He talks about walking through territory occupied by Filipinos calling out "josé" to indicate he is friendly. He talks about the stealthy skills of the Igorot people and their ability to steal ammunition and supplies from the enemy. He asserts that it is unfortunate that political considerations resulted in independence of the Philippines and he talks about the strategic value of U.S. military installations at Subic Bay and Clark Field among others. He says these assertions are based on his conversations with Filipinos.

Keywords: Battle of the Pocket; Death March; Filipinos; Igorots; Independence; Philippines; U.S. Capitol; Victory parade; White House

Subjects: Philippines--Politics and government--1935-1946.

Partial Transcript: Uh, let me take you back now to General King comes up--a messenger comes up and tells you that you know, you've got to surrender--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about his unit's debate over surrendering to avoid court martial or escaping to the hills. He says a majority favored following orders and surrendering. He talks about marching to the place of surrender. He describes the process of destroying small arms prior to surrender.

Keywords: Agloloma river; Anvil; Bagac; Defensive line; Frederick C. Moffitt; General Edward P. King; Harold C. Collins; Mindanao; Mount Mariveles; Mule; Rifles; Side arms; Sledge hammer; Surrender; Tanks; Theodore F. Wickord; Trucks

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942

Partial Transcript: I want you to kind of--for the benefit of future generations--(coughs)--paint a picture of uh, the men of the 192nd, their appearance and so on, and their physical condition and--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry says that surrendering troops were all thin and malnourished. He talks about "Hell ships" which transported POWs to Japan, and how most of his battalion's losses died when some of those ships were sunk. He says many troops suffered from malaria and exhaustion. He recalls how troops exchanged war stories, but he does not recall any specific story.

Keywords: 2nd Lieutenant Everett R. Preston; Camp O'Donnell; Casualties; D Company; Death march; Harold C. Collins; Hell ships; Malaria; Theodore F. Wickord; War stories

Subjects: Bataan (Philippines : Province), Battle of, 1942; Prisoners of war.

Partial Transcript: On our marching south to Mariveles, uh, we hadn't gone very far until we met a contingent of Japanese coming north. Uh, they had already gone south--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes encountering enemy soldiers who abused prisoners of war by beating them with their own helmets. He talks about other members of his unit and their ultimate survival or death during the march. He describes other incidents of prisoner intimidation and abuse. After a break in the recording, Gentry talks about his brief career playing basketball at University of Kentucky under Adolf Rupp.

Keywords: Battalion; Battlefield commission; Brodie helmets; Jacques Merrifield; Prisoner of War; Saber

Subjects: Death marches--Philippines; Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: All right. Well, let's go ahead then and pick up at uh, at uh, this march south--(clears throat)--and you, you, you were just talking about the incident--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry continues his account of an enemy officer intimidating his commanding officer with a saber and how that officer discarded his rank insignia to maintain anonymity. He talks about prisoners held captive on a beach for two days without any water supplies or shelter from the sun. He describes abuse of prisoners by enemy guards and artillery shelling originating from U.S. occupied Corregidor. He talks about suffering for extended periods with little or no water.

Keywords: 1st Lieutenant Kenneth B. Bloomfield; Artesian well; Artillery; Beach; Brodie helmet; Cabcaben; Canteen; Corregidor; Jeep; Mariveles; Oak leaves; Prison guard; Rank insignia; Saber; Shelling; Theodore Wickord

Subjects: Death marches--Philippines; Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: Can you describe that uh, thirst and that thirst build up over the extended period of time like four days--what that was like--what happened to your saliva--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about the lack of water during the march and the uncertainty over their ultimate fate. He recalls receiving beatings from guards and other abuses. He says that many prisoners died from deprivation and abuse. He describes how a captured sailor with an American flag tattoo on his arm was pulled aside by enemy guards who cut his tattooed arm off, and how other prisoners applied a tourniquet to save his life. He talks about how prisoners helped each other on the march.

Keywords: American flag; Amputation; Bayonet; Cabcaben; Camp O'Donnell; Chronic thirst; Death march; Donald Bertram; Jacques Merrifield; Lamao; Leyac Bridge; Malaria; Mariveles; Prison guards

Subjects: Death marches--Philippines; Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: Back where we were talking earlier, we w--only had twelve days from the time we got off the ship until they bombed Clark Field--(um-hm)--uh, we never had a chance to make a reconnaissance--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about his unfamiliarity with the east side of Bataan which was where the death march took place. He talks about the effects of sun, lack of water, illness, crowding and abuse on the prisoners. He speculates on the reasons behind the guards' treatment and the language barrier between the prisoners and the guards. He talks about witnessing escape attempts and summary executions of prisoners.

Keywords: Abucay; Bataan; Blister; Bowels; Buried alive; Cabanatuan; Cabcaben; Dysentery; Excrement; Garden hose; Grave; Lamao; Limay; Mindanao; Orion; Rice paddy; Road maps; Suicide; Summary execution; Sunburn; Thirst; Torture; Warehouse

Subjects: Death marches--Philippines; Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: All right, uh, how soon are you going to get your first drink of water?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry recall his first drink of water came from a puddle contaminated with dead human remains. He talks about trying to purify the water with iodine and the harsh effects of using too much chemical. He talks about prisoners helping each other even if they were strangers. He recalls that he only drank 7 canteens of water during the 11 day march to prison at Camp O'Donnell. He talks about barriers to communication between prisoners and prisoners with the guards. He recalls eating raw sugarcane and some rice on the march which was his only food.

Keywords: Artesian wells; Blisters; Cabanatuan; Camp O'Donnell; Canteen; Canteen cup; Delirium; Diary; Dysentery; English; Frisking; Hand signals; Iodine; Japanese; Japanese currency; Leyac Bridge; Major Havelock D. Nelson; Malaria; Prison guards; Rice; Sign language; Sugar cane; Water; World War I

Subjects: Death marches--Philippines; Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: Uh, are, are you going to get on the train at uh, San Fernando like some of them did? --(Uh)-- or are you going to march all the way?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about boarding a train for part of the trip to prison at Camp O'Donnell. He talks about how prisoners treated each other and showed compassion to each other on the march. He talks about fear and despair of the prisoners on the march and during their imprisonment.

Keywords: Camp O'Donnell; Canteen; Casualties; Corpses; Hitch pin; Insanity; Malaria; Mindanao; San Fernando; Suicide; Train

Subjects: Death marches--Philippines; Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: Okay we were on the death march and we've gotten up to the bridge. As you go from the bridge on in to the, the railroad station where you're going to be picked up by the train--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes the crowded and harsh conditions on the train in which they were transported part of the way to Camp O'Donnell as prisoners of war. He also talks about his later transport by ship to a prisoner of war camp on Mindanao. He describes the awful smell within the hot cramped quarters. He talks about how prisoners tried to help each other during this confinement.

Keywords: Boxcars; Camp O'Donnell; Force feeding; Luzon; Mindanao; Morton Deeter; Railroad station; Train; Tropical heat; Ventilation

Subjects: Death marches--Philippines; Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: Okay so you get off and you--and how long are you going to have to march before you get to Ca--to uh--O'Donnell?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes the last leg of the march after disembarking from the train. He recalls the long lines for the solitary water source which required a prisoner to return to the end of the line as soon as he filled his canteen. He lists the items in his possession upon his arrival at the prisoner of war camp at Cabanatuan. He talks about working on burial details.

Keywords: Burial details; Cabanatuan; Camp O'Donnell; Canteen; Canteen cup; Coveralls; Dog tags; Filipinos; Prison camp; Spoon; Water pump; Water spigot

Subjects: Death marches--Philippines; Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: You're going to stay at O'Donnell for a while and then your going to head for parts south. We talked about that farming experience yesterday I guess.

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about the escape of Ed Dyess after his transfer to Davao Penal Colony. He describes a reunion with Sam Grashio at San Francisco after his liberation. He says that his family received notice of the change of his status from missing in action to prisoner of war by way of telegram delivered on Christmas Day 1942. He talks about conversations among prisoners and their religious discussions. He talks about receiving lessons in playing poker as a prisoner of war and later winning a large amount of money during the ship voyage returning to San Francisco.

Keywords: Baptists; Buddhism; Cabanatuan; Camp O'Donnell; Catholics; Chaplains; Clergy; Davao Penal Colony; Harrodsburg (Ky); Islam; Jews; Mindanao; Missing in Action; Playing cards; Prayer; Presbyterians; Prisoner conversations; Prisoner of War; Religion; Sam Grashio; San Francisco; Theology; William Edwin Dyess

Subjects: Prisoners of war.

Partial Transcript: We were all interrogated. And when I went for interrogation, uh, uh, they wanted to know what my duties were and I told them I was a liaison officer--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes his interrogation as a prisoner of war. He recalls he was asked about his military duties and his work as a civilian. He describes meeting a Japanese interrogator who spoke perfect English who told him about his education and work as an English instructor in the United States before the war. He describes torture and intimidation of other prisoners during their interrogation. He says those coercive techniques resulted in prisoners telling their captors lies. Gentry talks about his commanding officer masquerading has him because of lies the commander told during interrogation.

Keywords: Cigarettes; English; Liaison officer; Michigan State University; Prison guard; Theodore F. Wickord; Torture; farmer; interrogation

Subjects: Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: A-as you go to uh, to the farm down in Mindanao--experimental farm where you do some farming and Dyess escapes and he's your bunk mate--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry tells about how the general officers and colonels were segregated from the other prisoners and transferred to Japan for imprisonment. He describes witnessing a meeting between General Weaver and an enemy general with whom he was apparently acquainted. He talks about how some prisoners such as officers could seek security by remaining anonymous among the large numbers of prisoners. He recalls occasions when he was brutalized in POW camps. He talks about refusing an offer of food when there was not enough for his men, and being attacked by an officer with a sword. He talks about a serious beating which left him with a broken arm and many large knots which left him hospitalized. He talks about a second hospitalization for dysentery which lasted until his liberation.

Keywords: Cabanataun; Company D; Davao Penal Colony; Dysentery; Emetine; English; Japanese; Medicine; Rations; Saber; Theodore F. Wickord, General James Roy Newman Weaver; Torture

Subjects: Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: On the trip back from, from Mindanao to Cabanatuan we were down in the hold of a ship, and here again we were crowded in so close--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about the harsh conditions on board ship during his return voyage from Mindanao to Cabanatuan on Luzon. He describes how he and the other prisoners appeared blackened with the coal dust from the ship's hold. He lists the men from Harrodsburg that he can recall were still in camp at Cabanatuan at the time of liberation. He talks about the invasion of U.S. troops on Luzon that led to the liberation of Camp O'Donnell at Cabanatuan.

Keywords: Army Rangers; Artillery; Cabanatuan; Coal dust; Gilbert Raulty (?); Harrodsburg (Ky.); Hell ships; John "Jack" Reed; Liberation; Lingayen Gulf; Luzon; Manilla; Philippine invasion

Subjects: Cabanatuan (Philippines : Concentration camp); Prisoners of war--Abuse of.

Partial Transcript: As, as these forces come in at Lingayen Gulf, you're at Cabanatuan, about how many are there? Are there hundreds or thousands?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry says that there were about 650 prisoners at Cabanatuan at the time of liberation. He says these prisoners were too sick to be transferred to Japan. He says that treatment of the prisoners improved immediately before the raid that liberated Camp O'Donnell. He talks about rounding up cattle after the guards had briefly abandoned the prisoners.

Keywords: Airplanes; Army Rangers; Canned milk; Cassava; Lingayen Gulf; Lt. Col. Henry Mucci; Prison guards; Prisoners of War; Rescue; Sweet potatoes; Water buffalos

Subjects: Cabanatuan (Philippines : Concentration camp); Prisoners of war.

Partial Transcript: Well when the rangers came in they had--this new bunch had been there uh, probably a week. Uh, and the reason the rangers came--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry says General MacArthur ordered the liberation raid on Cabanatuan because of the discovery of an order on a dead enemy officer that prisoners of war would be liquidated if defeat seemed immanent. He describes the attack of the Army Rangers on the camp beginning with a single ranger stalking an enemy guard inside a tower while awaiting the signal for the attack to begin. He talks about the single casualty among the Rangers as a result of friendly fire. He talks about winning a camp lottery based on the time of liberation. He describes contingency plans prisoners made in case of liberation, and he talks about the events of the raid. He says he was armed by a Ranger with a .45 automatic pistol and told to report to an officer at the camp gate. He describes the evacuation of the camp and escape after the raid.

Keywords: Ammunition; Army Rangers; Barracks guard; Barrio; Bongabon River; Cabanatuan; Colt .45; Filipinos; Fire fight; Friendly fire; Guard tower; Guerrillas; Hand grenades; Liberation; Lottery; M-1 Carbine; Medical officer; Newsreel; Perimeter guard; Raid; Scouts

Subjects: Cabanatuan (Philippines : Concentration camp); Prisoner-of-war escapes.

Partial Transcript: The next morning about ten o'clock they laid artillery, uh--put up an artillery barrage around us. And we pulled up in a mango grove and sat down.

Segment Synopsis: Gentry continues his description of the escape after the liberation raid by the Army Rangers. He says that during the escape, he lost all his possessions except a belt and the .45 automatic pistol. He says he was otherwise naked during the escape. Gentry talks about how a cameraman making a film of the escape had to edit all images of him from the final newsreel. He says at a rendevous point a woman with the Red Cross gave him her skirt to wear. He talks about becoming lame during the escape and having to ride in a truck for the remainder of the journey. He talks about a Filipino who offered him clothes that were too small.

Keywords: Bamboo fence; Clothes; Filipinos; Henry Mucci; Ligaments; News reel; Photographer; Red Cross

Subjects: Prisoner-of-war escapes.

Partial Transcript: When you come out of that camp, how long did it take ya'll to clear that camp itself--Cabanatuan--(clear that camp?)--Um-hm, minutes?

Segment Synopsis: Gentry says it only took a few minutes to evacuate the camp during the liberation raid. He says he fought with the rear-guard during the escape. He talks about the assistance of Filipino scouts during the raid for intelligence, logistics and combat support. He says there were a total of 75 Army Rangers participating in the raid. He describes support the raiders and escaping prisoners received from the Filipino people.

Keywords: Army Rangers; Artillery barrage; Bongabon; Bull carts; Cabanatuan; Combat element; Evacuation; Filipino scouts; Front lines; Guerrillas; Machine guns; Prisoners of War; Reconnoiter

Subjects: Prisoner-of-war escapes.

Partial Transcript: I was sitting in the back of the truck--by the time I got uh--we got back to the field hospital, the--I was about knee deep in cigarettes--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about the generosity of the U.S. troops and welcoming attitude toward the liberated prisoners through gifts of cigarettes and artillery salutes. He becomes emotional during this description. He says he was immediately hospitalized after liberation and evacuation to a safe place.

Keywords: Americans; Artillery salute; Cigarettes; Field hospital; Filipinos; GI; Mango grove; Prisoners of war; Red Cross; Victory sign

Subjects: Death march survivors; Prisoners of war.

Partial Transcript: Okay, the, the doctors came in and they, they looked at my legs--how they were drawn up. And uh, uh, I don't know what you, what, what you fellows called them--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes the medical treatment he received for the tightened ligaments in his legs after liberation, including the pain medications he received. He says he had recovered from dysentery by the time of his liberation. He says he does not clearly recall the route of his escape. He describes the various stages of his evacuation and recuperation during the next month. He says liberated prisoners were provided as much beer as they wanted because of the vitamin and carbohydrate content were good for recovering from malnutrition. He says it was easier to consume beer than the beef they had eaten just before liberation. He says he recovered quickly from malnutrition.

Keywords: Beer; Blue Heavens; Cabanatuan; Corpsman; Davao Penal Colony; Dysentery; Evacuation; Lingayen Gulf; Vitamin B-1; Whiskey; Yeast

Subjects: Death march survivors; Prisoners of war.

Partial Transcript: We uh, we went up to an airfield and got on a plane and flew down to Leyte. And at Leyte we got on a, on a uh, Navy uh, transport--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry describes the various stages of his return voyage from the Philippines to San Francisco. He talks about a reunion with his brother in the Philippines. He talks about the welcoming treatment he and other prisoners received from other military personnel.

Keywords: Air Corps; Hollandia New Guinea; Leave of absence; Leyte; Luzon; Medic; Medical attachment; Navy transport; San Francisco

Subjects: Death march survivors; Prisoners of war.

Partial Transcript: So you're going to be put in a situation where, you're, you're told by the army not to tell any of the people in Harrodsburg who's, who's alive--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about participating in a meeting of POW relatives after he had been sworn to secrecy by the army regarding the fate of some prisoners still missing. He says this was later a source of conflict with some family members. He says he learned about Hell Ships and their sinking during a debriefing in San Francisco.

Keywords: American Red Cross; Harrodsburg (Ky.); Hell ships; Japan; Prisoners of war

Subjects: Death march survivors; Prisoners of war.

Partial Transcript: Well, now that you've been through all this, what would you say--would you say that it's changed you for the better, changed you for the worse--

Segment Synopsis: Gentry talks about learning humility during his combat and prisoner of war experiences. He says he is willing to fight to defend his country again, but is resolved never to be taken prisoner again. He recalls his homecoming reception during which he was treated as a hero. He says he was interviewed and photographed by a reporter from Life Magazine. He talks about the pride he takes from his voluntary military service. He concludes by saying he favors strong national defense and compulsory military service for men and women. He talks about his support for Strategic Defense Initiative and atomic weapons. He talks about war as inevitable and urges preparation through arms and strong defense. He speaks of his opposition to the United Nations and says he considers the institution as spies.

Keywords: Active duty; Atomic arsenal; Camp O'Donnell; Compulsory military service; Conscription; Draft; Isolationism; Japanese; Life Magazine; National defense; National guard; Ordeal; Pacifism; Prison camp; Strategic Defense Initiative; United Nations; Volunteer

Subjects: Death march survivors; Prisoners of war.