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Post by Bob Hudson on Aug 12, 2012 16:06:15 GMT 8
A photo of Sgt Hubert Carroll, Wainwrights orderly. If you can read the print on the side of the photo, it states: 9/10 - Sharing in the Hero's welcome accorded General Wainwright was T/Sgt. Hubert Carroll of Paris, Texas. Carroll served many years under Wainwright as his orderly and was also made a prisoner of the Japs on Bataan. He arrived in Washington aboard the plane carrying Wainwright and rode in the motorcade. Attachments:
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Post by okla on Aug 13, 2012 0:07:37 GMT 8
Hey Bob....If memory serves, Sergeant Carroll remained with General Wainwright during both men's captivity. Maybe General Percival, Singapore's Commander, was afforded the same treatment and allowed to keep his "batman" at his side behind the wire. I could be in error, but if so, Sergeant Carroll suffered much less than did thousands of other enlisted POWs, not that Field Grade Officers, including General Officers, didn't undergo some harsh times. The fact remains that enlisted personnel underwent more extreme suffering. Just curious.
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Post by Bob Hudson on Aug 13, 2012 3:55:11 GMT 8
Okla,
Hubert Carroll was at Wainwrights side for years prior to Bataan, throughout the war, imprisonment and followed him home after liberation. Although he didn't spend any time at Cabanatuan, the treatment he received was hardly civil. He suffered deprivations and worked with other pow's in Manchuria on various details. His internment may not have been as severe as other enlisted men but how does one measure suffering? The loss of freedom was suffered equally by all and I cannot myself, think of anything worse than that.
Carroll was as close and loyal to Wainwright as any man can be and not be Gay. They remained close until death. I can only imagine what kind of friendship that was forged between them in the furnace of Bataan and Corregidor.
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Post by okla on Aug 13, 2012 7:10:59 GMT 8
Hey Bob....You are so right. Treatment ranged from "bad to badder", so to speak. As I have stated in many earlier posts, on this forum, I knew a handful of ex-POWs while in the USAF 1951-55. The description of their internment years was, as I said, "bad to badder". literally slave labor in mines,etc to normal, but forced, labor in maintenance of battle damaged Clark AFB. Personal treatment by guards ranging from rigid, but normal by Japanese standards, to sadistic, murderous conduct. Whatever the location or situation, the best conditions were brutal by Western standards and the despicable truth should never be forgotten nor swept under the rug. It happened and as long as no real, meaningful apologies or reparations are forthcoming it should be broadcast to the world till He11 freezes over. Only my humble.
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Post by JohnEakin on Aug 13, 2012 7:21:10 GMT 8
I'm with you, Okla.
Everyone involves wishes that it hadn't happened and would prefer not to discuss it. But forgetting history insures that it will be repeated.
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Post by Bob Hudson on Aug 13, 2012 8:58:16 GMT 8
To all,
I hope I am not giving the impression that I believed any one group suffered more than another group. I have no thoughts or feelings along that line. I am only saying that statistically, one group experienced far greater losses than another, almost 10 to one until the Hellship transfers began. Then the Corregidor men suffered a far greater loss than Bataan men because of the number differential. One cannot argue that there were more Corregidor POW's on Hellships than Bataan POW's. I am merely speaking of losses not suffering.
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Post by JohnEakin on Aug 13, 2012 9:39:38 GMT 8
Not at all, Bob. I don't think it is possible to quantify that kind of suffering.
I'm just sad that there was squabling after the war.
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