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Post by JohnEakin on Apr 15, 2012 3:11:39 GMT 8
Thanks, Okla, I'll add that to my list of books to watch for. I also found an excellent history posted on the 31st Infantry Association web site.
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Post by chadhill on Apr 15, 2012 11:34:28 GMT 8
John, I'm home for a short while between two business trips and checked out several books in my library that together list thousands of names (including "Heroes of Bataan, Corregidor and Northern Luzon" and "Ghost of Bataan Speaks") and unfortunately could not find anything on Pvt. O'Donnell. But these references are limited, and as you know names frequently slip thru the cracks, so to speak. If ever a book needed an index, it is Abraham's "Ghost".
I have the name marked for future reference--Chad
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Post by JohnEakin on Apr 16, 2012 2:01:51 GMT 8
Thanks, Chad. The 31st Infantry Assn website has an excellent history, but it is a little vague on locations. As you know, the fighting in late January 42 stretched from the town of Abucay on the coast to (and beyond) Abucay Hacienda, which was a considerable distance up the mountain. My hope is that with more information on where he was lost we can narrow the number of possible unknowns.
There may also be some confusion on the name, too. The family and the ABMC database list him as Francis J. O'Donnell, while the online history lists James F. O'Donnell, but the 24 Jan 42 date of death and Co L are the same.
FWIW, we still haven't received the balance of the WWII X-files for the PI, but the Army keeps assuring me that they almost have them ready for me. Their computer security is so tight that they can't simply dump them to a USB drive or ftp them to me - they have to burn the files to dozens of CD's.
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Post by okla on Apr 17, 2012 20:50:03 GMT 8
Hey John....I threw you a "curve ball" in regard to the " Bataan - Our Last Ditch" book. The author is John Whitman, rather than Morrison. This might help in your search for this volume, I would think, lol. In re-reading the Abucay fight narrative I got a better idea of where Company L operated on 24 January 1942. 3rd Battalion was operating as the rear guard for 1st and 2nd Battalions in the withdrawal. These two latter Battalions had born the brunt in the 31st Infantry's Counterattack against the Japanese line near Abucay Hacienda some days earlier, thus the 3rd Battalion(Companies I, K, L and M), being fresher, stood in to cover the remainder of the Regiment as it slid Southeast from the Hacienda area. The Abucay Line did stretch from Manila Bay to the slopes of Mt Natib, but the 31st had responsibility for the Abucay Hacienda area and the 3rd Battalion, including Company L was in that immediate vicinity. There is probably no way to learn the actual location of the latter Company's movements . Maybe, someone who has been on the exact ground (Vee Vee, aka Vic Varano, Karl, ?) could fill you in more than I have been able to do. The book, Fall of the Philippines, by Louis Morton (Official US Army Report) has a good description of the action on the Abucay Line and the turning of II Corp's left flank. Maybe these little tidbits will help you piece together answers to your questions. Sorry about the mistaken identity on the original author. Forgiveness is requested, lol. Cheers .
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Post by victor on Jan 21, 2013 23:40:14 GMT 8
Post back in 2009 I've been doing some research/internet recon on the Abucay Hacienda area. I'm planning a trip there in a couple of weeks. Last night I was cross checking hand drawn maps, existing photos, satellite images, and descriptions of the battle that took place there. I've been raring to go back since my trip to Mabatang in Dec. 2007. I was also checking out the recent pictures Karl had sent me from his recent hiking/scouting report of the area. As I thumbed through the 45th Infantry PS casualty list, I came across the Scout who had the same first and last name as mine. I saw it before and knew he was KIA in Abucay Hacienda, but this time I noticed the date that he was reported KIA. It was January 21st, 1942. Then I looked up at the calendar and realized it was January 21st. ooooh... I looked him up at the American Cemetery at Fort Bonifacio in Dec. 2007 but he didn't have a marker. He was KIA and body was never found so he only had his name etched on the wall. He's probably still out there in Abucay somewhere. Okla it's Jan 21st! 71 years ago the battle at the Abucay line was raging. The 31st infantry and the 45th Infantry PS, were counter-attacking to recapture the west end of the line around Abucay Hacienda.
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Post by okla on Jan 22, 2013 1:37:05 GMT 8
Hey Vic...Right you are. I'm glad you reminded me. I, of course, knew it was in the latter part of January 1942, but the actual date had slipped my mind. Very few folks are aware of the Abucay line fight, other than us Bataan "Geeks", but it's pertinent since it was, along with the attack on the East Coast Hiway, the first, real offensive action taken by American/Filipino troops against the Emperor's hordes. We finally got a time at bat. Although the eventual outcome resulted in failure, our guys at least demonstrated to the enemy that the going from that point on wasn't going to be another "cake walk" as was the case during the withdrawal from Lingayen. Thanks for reminding me of the, now obscure, Abucay fight.
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Post by victor on Jan 22, 2013 2:37:11 GMT 8
Yes and my Scout namesake was KIA on Jan 21st.
Remember I told you back in 2009, I was in bed late at night when I remembered a Bataan book that I had not reviewed prior to visiting Abucay Hacienda. I got out of bed, pulled out that book and started thumbing through it.
Then I came across that Scout who was my namesake who was KIA in Abucay. I noticed his KIA date in the book was Jan 21st. When I looked at the calendar it was Jan 21st with 10 minutes to spare before midnight. That made me go back to bed real quick haha! (and a little bit more burrowed under the sheet than usual)
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Post by okla on Jan 22, 2013 5:11:57 GMT 8
Hey Vic....That sounds kinda like something you might view on that old TV series, "The Twilight Zone". Postscript....If I were you I would just go ahead an assume that the Scout with your name is a blood relative. If memory serves, you said Varano isn't a very common name in the Philippines, not like Smith, Jones or Brown is in the US. Just embrace this Scout Hero as your own blood and go with it. Cheers.
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Post by cbuehler on Jan 22, 2013 10:42:12 GMT 8
Yes! The pics posted by ChadHill represent essentially what the area of the Pockets looks like today. Last time I was there was 6 years ago. The marker is indeed restored since. The pathway described as trail 7 ( dont know if it is or isnt ) follows the stream path down to where the stream breaks off into 2 different flows. Beyond (third and last pic) is the open hilly land where the Pockets fighting roughly occurred. As can be seen, it has been cleared for many years now. I have always wanted to take a metal detector into the general area and scour the land for evidence. It may be the only way to pinpoint the locations, but may take quite some time to cover the area. Unless there has been so much land alteration and clearing that all traces of the battles have been removed, some empty cases or other remains must be there. Same would go for the Capot Hill area as covered by Karl. CB
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