11 SEP 2012
About 14-15 years ago, I was re-immersed in something I had heard about briefly as a kid; The Bataan Death March. Just the title fascinated me. As you might guess, it became the subject of much Music years later. My first interactions with this History were casual. Later, my home office would become a virtual museum containing over 40 hours of rare video, photos, and copious mementi from many of the Vets who had become more than friends.
For an epic work entitled, Kakehashi: THAT WE MIGHT LIVE, I found myself talking with a Death March Survivor. Soon it was ten ex-POWs. I was amazed to find anyone still alive from such a dark, torment-filled time. But later, I would come to either meet or be in contact with 333 Survivors, all of whom received the DVD version of Kakehashi: THAT WE MIGHT LIVE as a gift. (It's over 350 now...)
When this DVD was sent to the United States Congress in 2007, several of the ex-POWs were finally awarded Bronze Stars & Purple Hearts.
For the past 7 years, I attended a monthly breakfast, held for our local Survivors. We became quite close. I was honored to be their adopted grandson.
Now, there is much much much to this story, perhaps later disclosed in other articles, and of course within the Music and the World-Historic recording of the Music, but let me start this discussion by describing what these incredible Souls endured.
They suffered the unimaginable and were reduced to the most base form of “animal.” Horribly, there was enough Humanity left within themselves to recognize this most lowered form of self. Some hated themselves and claimed that it was the “good” who died. After 3 years, 8 months, and 25 days of imprisonment, where 31,095 Souls were sacrificed to brutal conditions and inhumane hardship, the day of surrender did not mark an end to their agonizing imprisonment, ordeals on the “Hell Ships” and then continued slave labor in Japan. For them, the war would last much longer. In fact, it has taken almost 40 years before these valiant ex-POW’s began to speak of the events we now sum in the phrase, “Bataan Death March.” Of course, some… took the War to their graves.
Why “WhyWeGather?”
Because it's easy to forget. I have made it a point to rub elbows with the Greatest Souls I have ever known... and you should to, and on a regular basis. Time is short.
Shaking hands. rubbing elbows, and joking with Men and Women like these over the past important years, provides for volumes to share. What keeps a Human being alive under conditions like that? What are the things they believe in? In addition to the physical characteristics, which I find fascinating and worthy of study, there is an obvious role in the psychological aspects.
Later I will share some of the many things I have learned from these incredible Men and their Wives. Health secrets, perspectives, and stories that will inspire.
Godspeed! S (You can order the Award-Winning THAT WE MIGHT LIVE here.)
© Stephen Melillo 2012