Jump to content

A Corregidor Naval POW Survivors Group


irish
 Share

Recommended Posts

This is a group that I have had for a number of years but had not shown to many people. I thought today we be a good day to share it with the forum members. It is a poignant, sad story but in the end a story of survival. It is the story of Jack L. Bishop. Jack hailed from a small town in Kentucky. He had only been out of Navy basic for about 2 years or so before going to the Philippines where he became a crew member on the Minesweeper USS Quail AM-15. He and some of his mates would later become fighting infantry on Corregidor while another 18 crew members managed an almost unbelievable escape to Australia in an open motor launch. The Quail was used to sweep a channel south of Corregidor during the fighting and was later scuttled in early May of 1942 to avoid capture by the Japanese. Here is a bit of his story, There is much paperwork and articles in the group but these should tell the story. The first photo really drives home how young most of the soldiers and sailors were. I will try to keep the photos in a sort of chronology. enjoy.

 

 

 

post-758-0-30660600-1405781255.jpg

post-758-0-41641800-1405781295.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This small map of Corregidor shows in Jack bishops handwriting where he was captured and on the reverse it notes where two other Naval personel were killed. I have not confirmed but assume these two men were Quail shipmates of Jack Bishop

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His hand carried medical record from Bilibad prison. In other documents in this group it describes Jack's treatment while in captivity and they are horrific. I have decided to not include them in this thread as they are painful to read.

 

Interesting is that it was written on the back of a Philippine customs type document. they were using what paper that was available.

 

post-758-0-73688500-1405782164.jpg

post-758-0-84007600-1405782251.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An official correspondence stating that a letter was found during the recapture of Corregidor written and left behind by Jack explaining what had happened to him. He wanted to make sure his family knew in the event he was never found or survived. amazingly the handwritten letter survived and was sent home to his family.

 

post-758-0-71823600-1405782819.jpg

post-758-0-99330800-1405782908.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jack was moved via ship from the Philippines to Japan and imprisoned in the Osaka POW camp from where he would eventually be liberated. This trip is described in some of the other documents and it is not for the faint of heart.

 

 

 

post-758-0-12939500-1405783683.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In this photo Jack is in the front row on the right. The war must be close to over here and It is getting close to going home. The POW's are looking a bit healthier. The Japanese are looking a bit more agreeable. The other photo is Jack with his mother on return home

 

 

 

post-758-0-75622800-1405784036.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the positive comments fellas. It is a piece of all of us and our history. I hope in this small way Jack Bishops sacrifice is remembered and honored.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amazing group! It is hard to believe what prisoners of the Japanese had to endure. Thanks for sharing this amazing story with us.

Dick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Owensboro is about 40 miles up the road from me, Hardinsburg not much further. We also had a survivor of the Houston, and several Pearl Harbor survivors from here locally. Sadly, one went down on Arizona.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for posting this very interesting group to a Corregidor Navy POW. I especially like the formula postcard he mailed from Corregidor in January 1942. Stanley A. Leahigh censored a lot of the mail sent from Corregidor at this time. I have one identical one mailed at the same time. The Japanese POW postcards are from Camp 3, which was Bilibid.

 

Kurt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...