Post by vsnyder on May 29, 2015 3:29:39 GMT 8
My uncle Conover Bassett "Bob" Nichols was a Sergeant in the Army Infantry in Manila and Corregidor from 1940 until May 1945.
He swam across the shark-infested Manila Bay from Bataan to Corregidor, carrying his badly wounded and bleeding buddy, who was dead when they reached Corregidor.
He was attached as a secretary to Brig. Gen. Carlos P. Romulo (chief of staff of the Philippine Army), perhaps because he was the fastest typist on the island.
In his book, "I Saw the Fall of the Philippines," Romulo lamented not being able to take my uncle with him when he was evacuated. "How I wanted to take that boy along. But there was no room. Bombs were dropping then. We embraced and kissed each other. I last saw him climbing back in the darkness, a dangerous target for the enemy." Romulo also mentioned him in "My Fellow Americans."
He was captured at Corregidor and detained from May 1942 in several camps in Japan, ultimately being liberated at Osaka Main Camp bt 7, Chikko Osaka 34-135, on 25 Oct 1945.
He and his companions made an American flag from rags, using their blood for the red stripes.
POW camps were not marked. So every time the B-29's came over, he stuck his blonde head out of a window, hoping the bombardier would see him and not drop bombs on the POW camp. For these infractions and others, he was beaten on the head with a rifle butt. He came home epileptic, was hospitalized nine times, and ultimately died on 12 Aug 1957 in San Francisco from an overdose, probably intentional, of medication.
Does anybody have a recollection of him?
Van.Snyder@sbcglobal.net
He swam across the shark-infested Manila Bay from Bataan to Corregidor, carrying his badly wounded and bleeding buddy, who was dead when they reached Corregidor.
He was attached as a secretary to Brig. Gen. Carlos P. Romulo (chief of staff of the Philippine Army), perhaps because he was the fastest typist on the island.
In his book, "I Saw the Fall of the Philippines," Romulo lamented not being able to take my uncle with him when he was evacuated. "How I wanted to take that boy along. But there was no room. Bombs were dropping then. We embraced and kissed each other. I last saw him climbing back in the darkness, a dangerous target for the enemy." Romulo also mentioned him in "My Fellow Americans."
He was captured at Corregidor and detained from May 1942 in several camps in Japan, ultimately being liberated at Osaka Main Camp bt 7, Chikko Osaka 34-135, on 25 Oct 1945.
He and his companions made an American flag from rags, using their blood for the red stripes.
POW camps were not marked. So every time the B-29's came over, he stuck his blonde head out of a window, hoping the bombardier would see him and not drop bombs on the POW camp. For these infractions and others, he was beaten on the head with a rifle butt. He came home epileptic, was hospitalized nine times, and ultimately died on 12 Aug 1957 in San Francisco from an overdose, probably intentional, of medication.
Does anybody have a recollection of him?
Van.Snyder@sbcglobal.net