Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Saturday, February 26, 2022
GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) in the PERSONS FAMILY CEMETERY
It's been seven years since we've been to the Persons Family Cemetery, outside of Yatesville, GA on State Rd. 74, east of town.
Seven years of leaves, seven years of holly bushes, honey suckle, thorny smilax, poison ivy and cider trees growing wild.
When we first entered the cemetery, I was afraid someone had taken the head stones we found back in 2012.
Fortunately, they were all there, just covered deep, in layers of leaves, briars and vine roots.
The back corner wall has caved in,
Looking up at the front entrance of the cemetery wall,
standing next to the road.
standing next to the road.
The next day, Len Strozier of Omega Mapping came out with a Robotic GPS system to map the cemetery.
Click on OMEGA MAPPING SERVICES for the web site and information about Len's GPR Services.
In order to accurately do the subsurface imaging, we had to
CLEAN & CLEAR the cemetery, down to the dirt.
 |
We defiantly know of three graves because of the stones, but felt there were more in this 26' x 26' cemetery and according to Jones Persons' Probate papers, his son Lovett, had the rock wall built around his father's grave.
Marked grave stones belong to Lovett & Malinda (Lyons) Persons and their baby son James Persons.
"GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) is an Ultra Wide Band (UWB) pulse-based technology that locates objects buried underground. It is used to locate underground utilities, underground storage tanks, pipes, burials, memorials and more."
from https://omegamapping.com/what-is-gpr/
copied 2/26/2022
copied 2/26/2022
"GPR is a method of viewing buried infrastructure or objects located underground, without digging."
from https://omegamapping.com/what-is-gpr/
copied 2/26/2022
copied 2/26/2022
"The GPR can detect disturbed soil caused by: wooden and /or metal caskets, voids in the earth with little to no surviving skeletal remains, burial objects, vaults, and unmarked graves."
from https://omegamapping.com/cemetery-gpr-mapping/
copied 2/26/2022
Len found five unmarked graves.
He was able to determine if the person was a child, a teenager or female or a male adult. He was also able to tell if the person was buried in a shroud or a wooden coffin and the condition of the coffin.
After walking laps, back and forth, from wall to wall, Len ran the scanner back over the ground and marked the unmarked graves with orange spray paint and an orange flag.
The only thing that the GPR couldn't do was to tell me the names of the people buried in the unmarked graves.
Grave of James Persons.
Son of Lovett and Malinda (Lyon) Persons.
b. 1855 d. 1856
Before heading out to the Persons Cemetery, we met up with Grady, his wife Brenda and Grandson at the Thomaston Archives. Grady volunteers for the Archives and was instrumental in finding the cemetery, then helping to clean it up in 2011, 2012 and 2015.
So many Thanks to you Grady!
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Monday, June 28, 2021
THE LIND FAMILY BIBLE - Pleasantville, Knox County, Indiana
Charles Thomas Lind, born in Virginia on Dec. 15, 1811, grew
to manhood in Ohio and married Nancy Agnes McBride, a native of Ireland on Nov.
20, 1842 in Ohio. He and his wife moved to Ballard Co., Ky where they lived for
several years but about 1850 they moved to Knox Co., Indiana and settled on a
small farm near Sandborn, not far from the Green Co., line. Charles Thomas Lind
was a physician and during the Civil War served as an examining physician for
the Union Army. He was also one of the few doctors in southwestern Indiana and
became quite well-known but overworked. One story relates that he was so
overworked when he himself became ill he accidently took the wrong medicine and
died as a result. Charles and Nancy Lind
were the parents of nine children. Dr. Charles T. Lind and his family were
members of the Pleasantville Methodist Church at Pleasantville, Indiana and he
is buried in the cemetery there.
Copied from hand written bio. by Myrtle F. (Harbin)
Lind
Author is Daniel Bly
These are the children of Dr. Charles Thomas and Nancy M.
Lind-
Adeline (Lind) Willis 1847-1922
Charles C. Lind 1849-1924
Robert Emmett Lind 1852-1910
Adrian James Lind 1855-1929
William Wilbur Lind 1857-1875
Margaret Adelade (Lind) Padgett 1861-1942
Clara Belle Lind 1864-1952
Walter S. Lind 1867-1867
Edward Bruce Lind 1868-1943
page 1
page 2
page 3
page 4
page 5
page 7
page 9
page 10
page11
page 12
JEREMIAH CHAMBERLAIN's LAND GRANT for GREEN COUNTY, TENNESSEE - November 1, 1786
Jeremiah Chamberlain - 1740-1829 - came to America from Ireland with his parents and siblings at the age of 16 (c1756). Jeremiah married Margaret Carmichael in 1787 and was the father of nine children.
Jeremiah was an accomplished surveyor and fought in the Revolutionary War as a soldier for North Carolina, reportedly serving as a private at the Battle of Kings Mountain and afterwards accompanying Col. John Sevier on expeditions against the Chickamauga Tories.
click on photo to make larger
THE CHAMBERLAIN FAMILY BIBLE - Corryton, Tennessee, 1800s
The following are pages out of the Chamberlain Family Bible. My cousin - Lucy Alice (Little) Dunsmore gave me copies of the family bible. I do not know who has it or even if it still exists. Since Lucy passed in 1987, so many important family papers were lost or thrown away.
page 2
page 3
Monday, January 25, 2021
JETT TRAILS REVISITED -- A GENEALOGICAL STUDY OF THE JETT FAMILY OF VIRGINIA
JETT TRAILS REVISITED
A GENEALOGICAL STUDY OF THE
JETT FAMILY OF VIRGINIA
An attempt to trace the descendants of Peter Jett and Mary Triplett Jett who settled in Virginia in 1663 as they migrated westward in the United States
By Lois M. Jett & Ernest C. Jett
Authors of Jett Trails West
1999
This 344 pg. book is available free on FamilySearch - title #986921
CLICK HERE FOR JETT TRAILS REVISITED
Thursday, February 20, 2020
TAPP/TAPTICO, the JETTs and the BOURNEs
For further information about the Tapps, Jetts, Triplett, Bourns and Corbins, order these two amazing books, researched and written by JENNIFER LEE KINDLE GRANT. Copyright 2018 and 2015, with the latest family history and information found on Amazon.com.
Jennifer Grant does amazing research using Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and GenForum at Genealogy.com. She used George Self of Sierra, Arizona, who maintains the Wicocomico Indian Nation Website and with her interest in this tribe's connection to the Tapp family line, she found research of Alvin Byrd that is posted on his site.
Her footnotes & sources are thorough and extensive.
Her footnotes & sources are thorough and extensive.
For more details on the Taptico/Tapp, Jett and Corbins, look for the surname above this post, and click on the tab found under the title family photo.
Friday, June 28, 2019
AMERICA'S HISTORIC NEWSPAPERS & OHIO GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES-
Newspapers Can Be Sources of Marriage Information
Obits and Marriage announcements in newspapers became more popular around the time of the Civil War. Here's where you have an advantage if your ancestor lived in a small town. The smaller the town, the larger the announcement in the newspaper. If your ancestors were from New York, Chicago, or San Francisco, their wedding announcement (if they had one) is likely just a line or two. Small town newspapers, on the other hand, often had lengthy articles and sometimes included photos of the bride and groom.
Ohio’s Digitized Newspapers
The Ohio History Connection has digitized over 415,000 pages of Ohio newspapers through its participation in the National Digital Newspaper Program. This content is freely-available at Chronicling America. Partnerships between the Ohio History Connection and local institutions have made additional titles freely-available on Ohio Memory. These Ohio Memory titles comprise over 400,000 pages of content.
Copied from -https://ohiomemory.ohiohistory.org/newspapers
Copied on June 28, 2019
OHIO GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
The Premier Ohio Family Heritage Resource
Friday, March 8, 2019
THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH - APRIL 9, 1942
"April 9, 1942, the infamous "Death March" 6 to 10 days, 60-69 miles, began at the Mariveles terminating at Camp O'Donnell and later moved to Camp Cabanatuan.
According to Japanese Plans these P.O.W's were to be moved by foot, carrying their own rations to the border of Bataan and Pampango.
The main stage of the Death March was set at Mariveles, at the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula.
Troops started to march in a long column on a dusty road without food and water.
For many of the bloody, frail men, this was the last march.
One man fell from exhaustion and was then flatten by a tank, as all the other troops witnessed this horrible action, other soldiers were hit by Japanese trucks passing by.
The POW's were forced to stand next to a fresh stream but weren't allowed to drink from it, even though they were exhausted and dehydrated , after a while one soldier could not take it any more, he ran to the stream and fell in, face first, to drink. Immediately one of the Japanese guards ran over, pulled his sword out and cut his head off.
A great many men reached the end of their endurance. The dropouts became numerous. They fell on the roadside, some making no effort to rise. Groaning and weeping, some succeeded while others fell back helplessly.
As the march continued, the diseased, starving men staggered up the dusty road, prodded by the Japanese guards to keep moving. As one soldier was dying, he cried for water. He died on the dusty road. The heat of the day was so intense that they were half crazy from thirst. They arrived at a small stream that was contaminated with filthy water, a bloated corpse filled with maggots, this filthy stream the POW's were allowed to drink from , as the Japanese guards laughed at them.
The Death March ended after 6 days, where the POW's boarded a train to different camps."
copied from: http://www.ghostofbataan.com/bataan/page3.html
Dr. Joseph D. VandeVelde (1909-1975)
photo taken 1948
Dr. Joseph VandeVelde graduated from Ohio State University in 1934 from Medical School. In 1941, he joined the Army, the Medical Corp. and was in Manila by Sept. 1941 after being transported on the ship USAT President Cleveland.
The front of the post card
Dr. VandeVelde sent home.
The back of the post card shown above with Dr. VandeVelde's message to his
Uncle William John VandeVelde (1871-1946),
who paid his way through Medical School.
Dr. VandeVelde was on the same ship as Dr. Calvin G. Jackson who kept a diary from 1941 to 1945.
The following are exerts from the book, DIARY of Col. Calvin G. Jackson, MD. Kept during WWII, 1941-45
*Thur. Aug. 28, 1941: Awakened about 5:30 am at the entrance to Manila Harbor. Had anchored at 2am. At 6am, a navy yacht came. The harbor is mined. It lead us through north channel. Docked about 9:30am Got our orders. We got our orders and go to Ft. Wm. McKinley. We then went to Army and Navy Club for a Bien Vien (welcome and liquor) party. pg.17
*Sun. Oct. 26: Swell day. Feel some better, though I am going to stay in and rest. Read "Dr. Dogbody's Leg" and slept all day. In the eveing, Lt. VandeVelde, M.C. (from Cleveland, Oh) came down and we had a bridge foursome. [M.C. - Medical Corp] pg. 22
*Wed. Nov. 19: Swell day. My majority [earned his Major leaves] caused quite a stir at Co. E. All kinds of congratulations. In afternoon Ashton, Smelya, and I sailed. We finally learned how to tack the banca. Played bridge all evening. Burr and I went to Chamberlains and VandeVelde's quarters. pg. 24
*DIARY of Col Calvin G. Jackson, MD. Kept during WWII - 1941-1945. Copyright 1992 by Ohio Northern University. Published by the Ohio Northern University Press.
"April 9, 1942, the infamous "Death March" 6 to 10 days, 60-69 miles, began at the Mariveles terminating at Camp O'Donnell and later moved to Camp Cabanatuan.
According to Japanese Plans these P.O.W's were to be moved by foot, carrying their own rations to the border of Bataan and Pampango.
According to Japanese Plans these P.O.W's were to be moved by foot, carrying their own rations to the border of Bataan and Pampango.
The main stage of the Death March was set at Mariveles, at the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula.
Troops started to march in a long column on a dusty road without food and water.
For many of the bloody, frail men, this was the last march.
One man fell from exhaustion and was then flatten by a tank, as all the other troops witnessed this horrible action, other soldiers were hit by Japanese trucks passing by.
The POW's were forced to stand next to a fresh stream but weren't allowed to drink from it, even though they were exhausted and dehydrated , after a while one soldier could not take it any more, he ran to the stream and fell in, face first, to drink. Immediately one of the Japanese guards ran over, pulled his sword out and cut his head off.
A great many men reached the end of their endurance. The dropouts became numerous. They fell on the roadside, some making no effort to rise. Groaning and weeping, some succeeded while others fell back helplessly.
As the march continued, the diseased, starving men staggered up the dusty road, prodded by the Japanese guards to keep moving. As one soldier was dying, he cried for water. He died on the dusty road. The heat of the day was so intense that they were half crazy from thirst. They arrived at a small stream that was contaminated with filthy water, a bloated corpse filled with maggots, this filthy stream the POW's were allowed to drink from , as the Japanese guards laughed at them.
The Death March ended after 6 days, where the POW's boarded a train to different camps."
copied from: http://www.ghostofbataan.com/bataan/page3.html
 |
| Dr. Joseph D. VandeVelde (1909-1975) photo taken 1948 |
Dr. Joseph VandeVelde graduated from Ohio State University in 1934 from Medical School. In 1941, he joined the Army, the Medical Corp. and was in Manila by Sept. 1941 after being transported on the ship USAT President Cleveland.
 |
| The front of the post card Dr. VandeVelde sent home. |
 |
| The back of the post card shown above with Dr. VandeVelde's message to his Uncle William John VandeVelde (1871-1946), who paid his way through Medical School. |
The following are exerts from the book, DIARY of Col. Calvin G. Jackson, MD. Kept during WWII, 1941-45
*Thur. Aug. 28, 1941: Awakened about 5:30 am at the entrance to Manila Harbor. Had anchored at 2am. At 6am, a navy yacht came. The harbor is mined. It lead us through north channel. Docked about 9:30am Got our orders. We got our orders and go to Ft. Wm. McKinley. We then went to Army and Navy Club for a Bien Vien (welcome and liquor) party. pg.17
*Sun. Oct. 26: Swell day. Feel some better, though I am going to stay in and rest. Read "Dr. Dogbody's Leg" and slept all day. In the eveing, Lt. VandeVelde, M.C. (from Cleveland, Oh) came down and we had a bridge foursome. [M.C. - Medical Corp] pg. 22
*Wed. Nov. 19: Swell day. My majority [earned his Major leaves] caused quite a stir at Co. E. All kinds of congratulations. In afternoon Ashton, Smelya, and I sailed. We finally learned how to tack the banca. Played bridge all evening. Burr and I went to Chamberlains and VandeVelde's quarters. pg. 24
*DIARY of Col Calvin G. Jackson, MD. Kept during WWII - 1941-1945. Copyright 1992 by Ohio Northern University. Published by the Ohio Northern University Press. *Sun. Oct. 26: Swell day. Feel some better, though I am going to stay in and rest. Read "Dr. Dogbody's Leg" and slept all day. In the eveing, Lt. VandeVelde, M.C. (from Cleveland, Oh) came down and we had a bridge foursome. [M.C. - Medical Corp] pg. 22
*Wed. Nov. 19: Swell day. My majority [earned his Major leaves] caused quite a stir at Co. E. All kinds of congratulations. In afternoon Ashton, Smelya, and I sailed. We finally learned how to tack the banca. Played bridge all evening. Burr and I went to Chamberlains and VandeVelde's quarters. pg. 24
Dr. VandeVelde is also mentioned in the following book-
POW in the Pacific
Memoirs of an American Doctor in WWII
by William N. Donovan, MD
copy right 1998
Scholarly Resources Inc. Wilmington, DE 19805
page 68 - I (Dr. Donovan) volunteered to go out -- to Camp #8 in the port area. Breslin said, "What the hell do you want to go out for? We've got it perfect in here" (Bilibid prison). I told him, "Hell, I'm sick of this goddamned place." So I went down to the port area in late February 1943. Captain VandeVelde, another doctor, was already there. We took care of these 150 or so prisoners, and it was much better there.
We lived in what had been a Ford garage in the port area. It was close to the ocean, although we couldn't see the water. there was a big fence around the garage. They put the officers in a separate area -- there were about six of us --- and we slept on cots. A bomb had hit the thing and in the middle there was a big opening, but we were covered. It was a large building. There was a big pile of debris, though, in the center where the bomb had gone off.
page 69 - Eventually we were able to bribe the guards for some supplies. I was bunked next to Captain VandeVelde.
page 70 - The beds for the six officers were lined up next to each other. We could lie down there at noon after lunch. You could take about half an hour for lunch. We'd finish eating, and then there would be about 10 minutes when we could lie down, but the minute they went back to work, you had to sit up. VandeVelde and I would have liked to have gotten a good snooze in the afternoon, but we had to sit up. They put a guard around us.
page 73 - As doctors we had a certain status with the Japs. We never had to work at manual labor. After I moved to Camp #8, Captain VandeVelde and I had to hold sick call twice a day. First thing in the morning we'd holler, "Sick call!" There would be one or two new patients every day. We had a few drugs, some of the Red Cross stuff and some that the Japs had given us, and anybody that wanted to come on sick call, we would check them. We had thermometers, and if they had a fever and couldn't work we'd have to go to the Jap official and tell him the man was too sick to work. They'd usually let him stay in. But if you tried to get release time for somebody that the Japs had just beaten up, that's when you got in trouble.
page 82 - NOTES- Julien M. Goodman, MD mentions encountering Captain Donovan on one further occasion, at the end of August 1944, at which time he and VandeVelde "stressed the belief that the Allied return to the Philippines was imminent."
page 84 - Capt. Donovan kept a list of the patients, their diagnoses, and treatment in Camp #8. On May 17, 1945 Donovan gave two depositions which were later submitted for the war crimes trials after the war. A Corporal Erwin had been beaten by a Japanese guard. Erwin did not fight back, this made the guard furious. the guard struck Erwin with a piece of iron and missed and from then on use his fists. Just before they dismissed us for the night, the Japs lined us up and the same guard beat Corporal Erwin again. His jaw was broken in three placed and he was badly bruised as a result of the beating given him.
Q. Was Corporal Erwin given any medical treatment?
A. The Japs did not give him any treatment for his injury unless he agreed to sign a statement that he fell down the steps. Erwin refused to sign such a statement.
Q. Did any medical officer see Corporal Erwin?
A. Yes sir, Capt. W. Donovand and Capt. J. VandeVelde saw Corporal Erwin and I believe Capt. Donovan set his jaw for him.
Q. Did either of the two captains sign any statement showing Corporal Erwin had fallen down the steps?
A. No sir, they were asked to sign such a statement and refused to do so. (Item #40-187, Record Group 153, National Archives, College Park, MD.)
We lived in what had been a Ford garage in the port area. It was close to the ocean, although we couldn't see the water. there was a big fence around the garage. They put the officers in a separate area -- there were about six of us --- and we slept on cots. A bomb had hit the thing and in the middle there was a big opening, but we were covered. It was a large building. There was a big pile of debris, though, in the center where the bomb had gone off.
page 69 - Eventually we were able to bribe the guards for some supplies. I was bunked next to Captain VandeVelde.
page 70 - The beds for the six officers were lined up next to each other. We could lie down there at noon after lunch. You could take about half an hour for lunch. We'd finish eating, and then there would be about 10 minutes when we could lie down, but the minute they went back to work, you had to sit up. VandeVelde and I would have liked to have gotten a good snooze in the afternoon, but we had to sit up. They put a guard around us.
page 73 - As doctors we had a certain status with the Japs. We never had to work at manual labor. After I moved to Camp #8, Captain VandeVelde and I had to hold sick call twice a day. First thing in the morning we'd holler, "Sick call!" There would be one or two new patients every day. We had a few drugs, some of the Red Cross stuff and some that the Japs had given us, and anybody that wanted to come on sick call, we would check them. We had thermometers, and if they had a fever and couldn't work we'd have to go to the Jap official and tell him the man was too sick to work. They'd usually let him stay in. But if you tried to get release time for somebody that the Japs had just beaten up, that's when you got in trouble.
page 82 - NOTES- Julien M. Goodman, MD mentions encountering Captain Donovan on one further occasion, at the end of August 1944, at which time he and VandeVelde "stressed the belief that the Allied return to the Philippines was imminent."
page 84 - Capt. Donovan kept a list of the patients, their diagnoses, and treatment in Camp #8. On May 17, 1945 Donovan gave two depositions which were later submitted for the war crimes trials after the war. A Corporal Erwin had been beaten by a Japanese guard. Erwin did not fight back, this made the guard furious. the guard struck Erwin with a piece of iron and missed and from then on use his fists. Just before they dismissed us for the night, the Japs lined us up and the same guard beat Corporal Erwin again. His jaw was broken in three placed and he was badly bruised as a result of the beating given him.
Q. Was Corporal Erwin given any medical treatment?
A. The Japs did not give him any treatment for his injury unless he agreed to sign a statement that he fell down the steps. Erwin refused to sign such a statement.
Q. Did any medical officer see Corporal Erwin?
A. Yes sir, Capt. W. Donovand and Capt. J. VandeVelde saw Corporal Erwin and I believe Capt. Donovan set his jaw for him.
Q. Did either of the two captains sign any statement showing Corporal Erwin had fallen down the steps?
A. No sir, they were asked to sign such a statement and refused to do so. (Item #40-187, Record Group 153, National Archives, College Park, MD.)
Timeline of Dr. Joseph D. VandeVelde
Date of Entry ------------------------------- 5/01/1941
Transport to Philippines from San Francisco-8/9/1941
Arrive in Manila ----------------------------8/28/1941
First Japanese Attack in Philippines ------12/8/1941
Promoted to Captain ----------------------12/24/1941
Promoted to Captain ----------------------12/24/1941
Surrender & Bataan Death March -------- 4/9/1942
Survivors Arrive at Camp O'Donnell ----- 4/15/1942
Surrender of Corregidor Island -----------5/6/1942
Dr. Joe confirmed in Manila - Camp #8---June 1942
POWs leave O'Donnell, arrive Cabanatuan- July 1942
Dr. Joe confirmed in Manila, Bachrach Garage Camp #8 - Feb. 1943
Dr. Joe is reported as POW to family ----- 5/31/1943
Dr. Joe is reported as POW to family ----- 5/31/1943
Dr. Joe on Hellship Hokusen Maru (aka Haro Maru)-
leaves Manila - 10/1/1944
Hellship Hokusen Maru in Hong Kong -----10/11/1944
Hellship Hokusen Maru in Takao Formosa-10/24/1944
Disembark Hellship Hokusen Maru --------11/8/1944
Hellship Melbourne Maru leaves Formosa - 1/14/1945
Hellship Melbourne Maru arrives Kyushu Japan,
Fukuoka Camp #1 ---------------1/23/1945
Arrive Hoten Camp Mukden Manchuria -- Unknown
Arrive Hoten Camp Mukden Manchuria -- Unknown
Liberation, 4-Man OSS Team Parachutes -8/16/1945
Last POWs depart Hoten ------------------ 9/10/1945
Return to USA on the USS Marine Shark -10/10/1945
Arrived in San Francisco ----------------- 11/1/1945
Arrived at Fletcher General Hospital, Ohio- 2/1/1946
Moved to the Separation Center in Atterbury, Indiana
5/27/1946
Honorable Discharged as a Major --------- 9/25/1946
Last POWs depart Hoten ------------------ 9/10/1945
Return to USA on the USS Marine Shark -10/10/1945
Arrived in San Francisco ----------------- 11/1/1945
Arrived at Fletcher General Hospital, Ohio- 2/1/1946
Moved to the Separation Center in Atterbury, Indiana
5/27/1946
Honorable Discharged as a Major --------- 9/25/1946
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DRAFT ROSTERS OF POWS FROM BILIBID PRISON TO OTHER CAMPS IN 1944
Click above on Draft Rosters to find Rosters from the National Archives in College Park, Maryland.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE BATAAN MEMORIAL DEATH MARCH (click for link),
is a challenging march through the high desert terrain of the White Sands Missile Range. The memorial march is conducted yearly in honor of the heroic service members who defended the Philippine Islands during World War II, sacrificing their freedom, health, and, in many cases, their very lives.
 |
| The Bataan Memorial March in White Sands, New Mexico. |
26.2 MILES OF HIGH DESERT,
26.2 MILES OF PURE PERSEVERANCE
The son of Dr. Joseph D. VandeVelde
walked the
HONORARY MARCH - 14.2 Miles
in Memory of his Father who passed in 1975.
THE BATAAN MEMORIAL DEATH MARCH - 2019
During registration, we met and listened to two Survivors of the Bataan Death March speak about their personal experiences on the March, in the POW camps and on the Hell Ships.
Sitting with Dan is Col. Ben Sharden, 101 yrs. old and James Bollich, 97 yrs. old.
There are only seven POWs known to be alive.
Three of them attended this Memorial March.
Buck Sergeant Valdemar DeHerrera, 99 yrs. old is wrapped up to keep warm in the 38 degree White Sands Missile Range morning.
The opening ceremony was an emotional start to the 2019 Bataan Memorial Death March as these three Heroes sounded off during a symbolic roll call, followed by a moment of silence after calling the name of 12 fellow survivors who have died since the last memorial march in 2018.
There were 8,600 participants.
Wounded Warriors were released first.
Followed by: Runners, Military Light, Civilian Light, Military Heavy (w/ 35 lb. back pack), Civilian Heavy (w/ 35 lb. back pack), and finally Honorary.
From the opening ceremony --
"As you walk through the desert terrain here, and you find yourself struggling today to get to the next water point or to overcome the pain in your body, remember what these great American and Philippine allies endured, knowing that when they reached the end of that march there would be more pain, suffering and possibly death."
copied from: https://www.army.mil/article/218690/bataan_memorial_death_march_opens_with_emotional_ceremony
The Sand Pit,
The most difficult part of the walk, stretched between the 8-10 mile marker.
The Finish Line !!!!!!
In the Honorary Division - there were 1,655 participants.
1,425 completed the March.
We must never forget those who died and
survived the Bataan Death March and all POWs.
THE BATAAN MEMORIAL DEATH MARCH - 2019
Sitting with Dan is Col. Ben Sharden, 101 yrs. old and James Bollich, 97 yrs. old.
There are only seven POWs known to be alive.
Three of them attended this Memorial March.
Wounded Warriors were released first.
Followed by: Runners, Military Light, Civilian Light, Military Heavy (w/ 35 lb. back pack), Civilian Heavy (w/ 35 lb. back pack), and finally Honorary.
"As you walk through the desert terrain here, and you find yourself struggling today to get to the next water point or to overcome the pain in your body, remember what these great American and Philippine allies endured, knowing that when they reached the end of that march there would be more pain, suffering and possibly death."
copied from: https://www.army.mil/article/218690/bataan_memorial_death_march_opens_with_emotional_ceremony
The most difficult part of the walk, stretched between the 8-10 mile marker.
In the Honorary Division - there were 1,655 participants.
1,425 completed the March.
survived the Bataan Death March and all POWs.
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