Greg Robinson Posted November 4, 2006 Share #1 Posted November 4, 2006 When I was growing up I kept hearing this book would one day be written. A friend's dad, a Marine officer, had been a "North China Marine" on embassy duty on 7 Dec 1941 and been captured. He along with three other Marine officers including two from Wake Island, jumped off a POW train on it's way to the Chinese coast where the Japanese intended to transport them to Japan early in 1945. He made his way to the coast and was eventually picked up by a US submarine. But I lost touch with my friend and his dad for a few years so didn't know about the book written in 1995 until it was long out of print and very rare. But today I found a copy thru Amazon. com. Just a couple days ago I learned Brig Gen James D McBrayer USMC (ret) had passed away so this book comes at a good time. He was my hero when I was a boy and I always hoped to one day read his story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Robinson Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share #2 Posted November 9, 2006 Book arrived today safe and sound and in wonderful condition. Formerly a library copy in Portland Oregon and apparently was seldom, if ever, checked out. They didn't appreciate it....I will Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmcraidergirl Posted November 19, 2006 Share #3 Posted November 19, 2006 Glad it arrived safely! I've never seen a copy for sale. If you don't mind me asking, how much did this one set you back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Robinson Posted November 19, 2006 Author Share #4 Posted November 19, 2006 Glad it arrived safely! I've never seen a copy for sale. If you don't mind me asking, how much did this one set you back? Well....in 2002 after I got reconnected with the McBrayer family living in Alabama and learned John's dad had finally written the book I checked with some military booksellers. They told me it was seldom seen since it was out of print and not many copies had been printed. So when I saw it on amazon.com for $135 I told myself I'd best jump on this one. But....... it never fails with me, soon as I buy something I see it later for less money and this time was no exception. Another internet bookseller had a copy listed last week for $60 and it _sounded_ to be in similar condition, another former library book. Hey, "stuff" happens. and since I'd waited for this book for over 40 years I'm not going to cry over spending a little extra money for it. The copy I got is clean with just a couple scuffs on the front cover but overall a nice copy of what is typically an impossible book to find. And when I found out that "Colonel McBrayer" (what I called him when I knew him as a boy) had died I decided I HAD TO HAVE his book. I also have an old copy of Leatherneck magazine that has an article on Wake Island and it discussed how two of the Marine POW officers had escaped from China with a Lt James McBrayer early in 1945. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmcraidergirl Posted November 22, 2006 Share #5 Posted November 22, 2006 $135 doesn't sound bad for a rare book like that. I definitely think you got a good deal (personal connection aside). It looks like a neat book and I'll probably try an interlibrary loan for it to read it. Right now, I'm backed up on reading other books. But, I have hope I will get caught up (sometime)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Robinson Posted November 22, 2006 Author Share #6 Posted November 22, 2006 I heard from a lady by the name of Julie Huizenga whose grandfather was one of the Marine officers who escaped that night off the POW train. She, also, had spent a long time looking for a copy of the book. Lt's McBrayer, Huizenga, and two officers who had been captured on Wake Island participated in the escape. It's quite a story and an absolute miracle they pulled it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted January 2, 2007 Share #7 Posted January 2, 2007 I have a copy of that book that I bought on Ebay 1-2 years ago. I collect POW memorabilia and love these semi-self published POW accounts. The publisher of the book seems to be a clearing house of sorts for POW's wanting to publish books about their experiences. I have a number of different ones that they printed. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted January 3, 2007 Share #8 Posted January 3, 2007 My little item related to the escape story....Capt Jack White, a Tientsin Marine, was on the train...this is his book inscribed and a signed letter.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted January 3, 2007 Share #9 Posted January 3, 2007 The letter.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 3, 2007 Share #10 Posted January 3, 2007 Book arrived today safe and sound and in wonderful condition. Formerly a library copy in Portland Oregon and apparently was seldom, if ever, checked out. They didn't appreciate it....I will Greg That is my home turf, I checked the local university libraries and they do not have any copies there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now