douglas Posted October 10, 2017 Share #1 Posted October 10, 2017 Hi, I moved into a condo for a short time and to my great surprise I learned that Bernard "Bernie" Pothier was my neighbor!!! A wonderful man. Bernie survived all the Japanese could give him for over 40 months, the prisons, the hell ship and the coal mine in Japan. He was in the same camp as my friend Clarence Graham. I remember a story that Bernie told me: when he was being marched from the prison camp towards Manila harbor to board the hell ship, he and everyone in the group knew they had had it, their moral had hit bottom. Suddenly, from behind the crowd of people watching, someone put on a record and began playing "God Bless America", by Kate Smith. Bernie said that he heard that song and he stood up as straight as he could and knew he could make it. That song made all the difference in the world at that moment in time. Here is a photo that I took of Bernie in my room in 2010. I used this photo in a display at the Fort Devens Museum, and on the museum flickr site. And, a recent newspaper article October 5, 2017, The Reading Post where Bernie gets promoted to Sgt. at age 99. A very nice large ceremony for him and his family. The photos are great!!! There is a video at the end of the article. You can do a google search and find the article as it is current: "99 year old army corporal receives his sergeant stripes". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted October 10, 2017 Share #2 Posted October 10, 2017 Thanks for posting! I am glad he got his well deserved promotion! Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted October 10, 2017 Share #3 Posted October 10, 2017 Outstanding! Congratulations, Sgt Pothier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglas Posted May 15, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted May 15, 2018 It is with a sad heart to report that Bernie Pothier has passed away at age 100. He was a wonderful man who lived life to the fullest. Rest in peace my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZPhil Posted May 15, 2018 Share #5 Posted May 15, 2018 Sorry for the loss of your Friend. RIP Bernie Pothier. Semper Fi Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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