Henry Robert Patton, 2004

File — Box: 19, Folder: 8

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Patton (b. 1919) describes his youth in Nebraska and recalls joining the Army Air Corps in 1941. He was sent to the Philippines where he was captured by the Japanese following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He and a companion escaped from the infamous Bataan Death March and joined a Filipino resistance group. After being recaptured by the Japanese he spent time in Bilibid and Cabanatuan prisons prior to being sent to Fukuoka, Japan, to work in a steel mill. He was there at the time of the Japanese surrender and describes events at the war's end. Patton, along with other former prisoners, toured Hiroshima shortly after the atomic bomb was dropped. Other topics covered include going AWOL to visit Filipino comrades, post-war medical treatment, problems adjusting to civilian life, and his views on the current political situation. 47 pages.

Dates

2004

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.