Left Behind: When America Surrendered The Philippines: Recent Episodes
Anastasia Harman
“Left Behind” tells the stories of the people left behind when the United States surrendered The Philippines in the early days of World War 2.
An exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the origins of Left Behind podcast and some of the people highlighted so far in the podcast’s first 60 episodes.
This episode was originally given as a presentation at the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society and American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society co-conference in April 2024 in Houston, Texas. The presentation has been recorded here since the original wasn’t recorded.
Watch the video of this presentation on YouTube
Listen to the full episodes about the men and women mentioned in this episode:
- Alma Salm–The inspiration for Left Behind
- Harry Whitman – Salm’s marching companion to Cabanatuan POW Camp
- Frank Pyzick – Marine Major who announced WW2
- Alexander Nininger – 1st Medal of Honor recipient in WW2
- Jose Calugas – Only Filipino to receive the Medal of Honor in WW2
- Willibald Bianchi – Third and final man to receive the Medal of Honor on Bataan
- Jim Daly – Was in a field hospital when Bataan surrendered
- Eunice Hatchitt – Escaped from The Philippines, followed Patton’s army through Europe
- Father William Cummings – Performed the Easter morning miracle on Bataan
- Canopus Storekeepers – Hid from Japanese in a civilian internment camp
- The iconic Bataan Death March photo
- Last photo smuggled off Corregidor Island
- Crew of the USS Quail who escaped to Australia
- Irving Strobing – Sent last message off Corregidor
- Ray Hunt – Escaped Bataan Death March to become a wanted guerilla
- Lucy Wilson – Became a flight nurse to find her fiancé
- Marcos Macorro – Served with his father in Coast Artillery
- Dan Figuracion – Part of last cavalry charge in US Army history
- Felipe Fernandez – Led his men in last-minute escape from Bataan
An inside look into the infamous “Zero Ward,” so named because POWs who went there had zero chance of returning.
And one man’s relentless work to bring one of them home.
Learn more about John Eakin’s work to bring Bud Kelder and other unidentified men home:
- Interview with Eakin (Left Behind episode 18)
- BataanMissing.com – A Resource for Families of All US MIA's
You can see images and maps about Bud Kelder’s and Silas Whaley’s stories at:
- Left Behind Website (includes transcript & sources)
- Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
- Left Behind Facebook page
Wanna know more? Check out these Left Behind episodes mentioned in this episode:
- The march to Cabanatuan POW Camps, which Pvt. Silas Whaley endured (episode 53)
- Bataan Field Hospital #2, where Pvt. Bud Kelder was stationed (episode 25)
- More about Bataan Hospital #2 (episode 40)
- How Willibald Bianchi received the Medal of Honor (episode 20)
In this special Memorial Day episode, we’re remembering 5 remarkable men who were Killed in Action, sacrificing their all to defend their country and The Philippine Islands during the early months of World War 2.
Hear the full stories of the men highlighted in this episode:
- Capt. Colin Kelly -- pilot of first B-17 bomber downed in WW2 (episode #4)
- Lt. James Booher -- KIA at Bataan airfield (episode #7)
- Lt. Alexander "Sandy" Nininger -- First WW2 Congressional Medal of Honor recipient (episode #16)
- Lt. Ira Cheaney -- Missing on Bataan for 80 years (episode #17)
- Capt. Noel Castle -- Marine marksman killed during Corregidor invasion (episode 44)
Share memorial tributes to these men by visiting Left Behind on Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
Four young American POWs attempted to escape from the Cabanatuan POW Camp.
After being caught, they endured brutal punishment, forced to dig their graves, and executed by firing squad.
But, by war’s end, their burial location couldn’t be found. Would their remains ever be located, and would their murderer be brought to justice?
I mentioned the following episodes in today’s episode:
53 – Attacks on Manila Bay’s harbor defense forts
55 – March to Cabanatuan
You’ll find images and maps about these men’s story at:
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Left Behind Website (includes transcript with sources)
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook
What if you could visit the Manila American Cemetery without leaving your home? Or walk the rows of in Normandy and discover each man's story?
That's what the Memory Anchor Explorer app allows anyone, anywhere to do.
Join me in an inspiring conversation with the apps co-founders to discover how they’re shaping the future of commemoration through technology.
DOWNLOAD the Memory Anchor App wherever you get apps, including:
- Apple App Store
- Google Play
I’ve worked with Memory Anchor to add these men featured on “Left Behind":
- Lynn Weeman (episode 26)
- James Booher (episode 7)
- Francis Bridget (episode 13)
- Noel Castle (episode 44)
- James Gallagher (episode 27)
- Don Robins (episode 4)
- Norman Thenell (episode 32)
- Walter Wernher (episode 41)
You’ll find images of the Memory Anchor Explorer app online at:
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Left Behind Website (includes transcript)
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook
In late May 1942, American POWs captured on Corregidor endured a hellish train ride and march to Cabanatuan’s infamous POWs camps.
Among them was Navy Ensign Whitman, who, weakened by malaria and lack of food and water, struggled to keep pace with the relentless march. Despite comrades' aid, Whitman's condition worsened.
And as his strength waned, he collapsed, left by the roadside as his fellow prisoners pressed on.
Check out these other “Left Behind” episodes mentioned in Whitman’s story:
1 – Frank Pyzick – one of 3 POWs who inspired the “Left Behind” journey
13 – The Naval Battalion’s unlikely efforts to hold off a Japanese invasion
50 – Details of what Whitman endured at the 92nd Garage POW camp
41 – Highlights Walter Wernher, a Cabanatuan Camp #2 POW
32 – Inside the brutal Death March ending – Camp O’Donnell
You’ll find images and maps about Whitman’s story at:
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Left Behind Website (includes sources and transcript)
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook
WW2 reenactor Victor Verano brings history to life through immersive experiences.
In this fun and informative interview, he'll share his experiences at large WW2 reenactments, encounters with WWII veterans, and exploration of battlefields.
You'll really enjoy Victor's passion for living history, which enriches our understanding of the past.
Here’s the link to Victor’s first Left Behind interview about his reenactment work with the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society.
You’ll find images of Victor Verano’s reenactment and other living history experiences online at:
- Left Behind Website (includes transcript)
- Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
- Left Behind Facebook
The fates of two servicemen – a career Army officer and a young medical doctor – intertwined during the harrowing siege at Fort Frank, a small island defense in Manila Bay.
From the front lines to captivity at Cabanatuan POW Camp, they each battled disease, constant threats, and despair with unwavering resolve.
Here are links to the other episodes mentioned in this episode:
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40. Nurse Rosemary Hogan who worked at Sternberg Hospital with Maj. Goad
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34. Lt Chet Britt served under Col. Boudreau’s command at Ft. Wint
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44. Invasion of Corregidor
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48. Capt. Morrill’s unlikely escape to Australia
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50. The POW experience at the 92nd Garage on Corregidor
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24. Gen. Kings surrender of Battan and POW camp experiences
You’ll find images and maps about Col. Boudreau’s and Maj. Goad’s stories at:
- Left Behind Website (includes transcript with sources):
- Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
- Left Behind Facebook page
82 years ago – April 9, 1942 – some 75,000 American and Filipino servicemen became POWs when Bataan peninsula fell to Japanese forces.
With in days the overwhelming majority of them were forced onto the Bataan Death March.
These are their stories.
I mention the following men in this episode:
- Jim Gallagher – Sportswriter from Philly who died on the first day of the march (Episode 27)
- Ray Hunt – The young air corpsman who escaped the march and became a guerilla leader (Episode 28)
- Jack and Bobby Aldrich – Brothers who served in the same Artillery unit and marched together (Episode 29)
- Gen Ed King – The man who surrendered Bataan (Episode 24)
- Lester Tenney – A tank man in the army reserves who was injured on but survived the Death March (Episode 2)
- Pantingan River Massacre – When the Japanese killed some 300 surrendered Filipino soldiers (episode 31)
- A young POW’s search for water at Camp O’Donnell (episode 32)
Sometimes I encounter not-so-great things while researching family trees.
I’ll let you in on the 7 ways I handle bad blood and family secrets -- with sensitivity and empathy -- in the stories I research for Left Behind.
Here’s the link to Alma Salm’s episode (#50), which I mentioned in this episode.
Two days after Corregidor fell, more than 11,000 American and Filipino POWs were marched to a beachy cove known as the Army 92nd Garage.
Here they stayed, cramped, hungry, and thirty for nearly 3 weeks – baking in the tortuous Philippine sun because there was no protection from elements.
Among these men was my great-grandfather Alma Salm, who would endure 33 months of torturous POW life – experiences that would follow him home and color the remainer of his life.
Here are links to other episodes I mentioned in this episode:
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40 – Describes the relentless week of bombings on Corregidor, leading up to the Japanese invasion.
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44 – Details the Marines’ final fight to defend Corregidor
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39 – The experiences of Alma Salm’s wife and daughter in Honolulu while Pearl Harbor was being attacked
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32 – Life at Camp O’Donnell, where the Bataan Death March survivors were imprisoned after the march
You’ll find images and maps about the 92nd Garage and Alma Salm’s story at:
- Left Behind Website (includes sources)
- Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
- Left Behind Facebook page
The 26th Cavalry were among the first to engage the Japanese invasion army in December 1942. Their critical role on the road to Bataan enabled the Allies’ successful withdrawal. Then they enacted the last horse-mounted cavalry charge in US history.
Victor Verano – a historical reenactor and leader in The Philippine Scout Heritage Society – has spent 15 years working with 26th Cavalry veterans to preserve the history of their remarkable feats during WW2.
Today he’s sharing:
- The movie he made in honor of the 26th Cavalry.
- Stories of the veterans’ he’s been honored to work with.
- The unmatched impact of that cavalry regiment and the other Philippine Scout regiments.
Wanna know why the Philippine Scouts were called “The Backbone of Bataan”? Check out their remarkable stories in these “Left Behind” episodes:
- Dan Figuracion (episode 6) – 26th Cavalry PS – May have been the first to fire a Garand rifle during WW2.
- Ed Ramsey (episode 11) – 26th Cavalry PS – Ordered the last cavalry charge.
- Felipe Fernandez (episode 26) – 26th Cavalry PS – Led a last-minute escape from Bataan.
- Alexander Nininger (episode 16) – 57th Infantry PS – the first person to receive the Medal of Honor during WW2.
- Ira Cheney (episode 17) – 57th Infantry PS – Declassified documents revealed a cover up regarding what actually happened to him on Bataan.
- Jose Calugas (episode 19) -- 88th Field Artillery PS – the only Filipino to win the Congressional Medal in WW2.
- Wilibald Bianchi (episode 20) -- 45th Infantry PS – the third and final man on Bataan to receive the Medal of Honor
- Jim Daly (episode 38) – 45th Infantry PS – Bianchi’s best friend, who was severely injured in the Field Hospital at Bataan surrender.
- Chet Britt (episode 34) – 92nd Coast Artillery PS – A Bataan Death March and Oryoku Maru survivor whose wartime past could never leave him alone.
- Vicente and Marcos Mocorro (episode 35) – 91st Coast Artillery PS – A father and son who served side by side on the heavy artillery defending Corregidor Island.
You’ll find images and maps about Victory Verano and his work with the Philippine Scouts at:
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Left Behind Website (includes sources)
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook page
While The Philippine Islands fell to enemy forces on May 6, 1942, a small, open boat with 18 passengers quietly sailed out of Manila Bay under cover of darkness.
It was a last, desperate attempt to escape capture and make their way 2,100 miles to Australia.
And guess what? They made it.
This is an adventure story you don’t want to miss!
Here are links to the Battle of the Points episodes I mention in this episode:
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13 – Frank Bridget’s Rag-Tag Infantry
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14 – Henry Goodall’s Audacious War-Time Plans
You’ll find images and maps about this incredible escape story at:
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Left Behind Website (includes sources)
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook
A behind-the-scenes look at the best, go-to resources used to the find the details of the POW war-time experiences I highlight on Left Behind.
And, if you have a POW you’d like to know more about, download the “Finding Prisoners of Japan” guide that I made just for you.
In the early morning hours of May 6, 1942, a 22-year-old Signal Corps man telegraphed a frantic, play-by-play of the fighting and bombardment on Corregidor Island as Japanese forces moved ever closer to Malinta Tunnel.
Then the white flag was raised, and the US flag burned.
And the young man transmitted it to the world, as a nation wept.
I mentioned these POWs in the episode, here are links to their stories:
- Henry Goodall's audacious war-time strategies (Episode #14)
- Nurse Clara Bickford - abandoned on Bataan (Episode #25)
- Final transfers of Hall, Hutchison, & McManus (Episode #12)
- Felipe Fernandez: A daring Bataan escape (Episode #26)
- Frank Pyzick's first days (Episode #1)
- Louis Sontag & Brooks Miller's attempted escapes (Episode #5)
- Alan Manning at Cabanatuan (Episode #10)
- Father and son Vicente & Marcos Mocorro (Episode #35)
- Curtis Beecher defends Corregidor (Episode #36)
- The last photo of Kuykendall, Pressman, Wernher, Hough, & Wing (Episode #41)
- George Hamilton & Edwin Franklin meet the invading Japanese (Episode #44)
You’ll find images and maps about this young Signal Corps man and the final surrender at:
- Left Behind Website (includes sources):
- Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
- Left Behind Facebook
Throughout the past year, it’s been my privilege to research and tell the stories of several men of the 4th Marines. This week I’m revisiting the riveting accounts of 5 Marines and their pivotal role in the Philippines during World War II.
From the initial defense of the islands to the harrowing Battle of Corregidor, this episode showcases the unwavering courage and indomitable spirit of the Marines as they faced overwhelming odds in the Pacific Theater.
Discover the full story of these Marines contributions in The Philippines:
- Frank Pyzick: “The Marine Who Announced WW2” (#1)
- Alan Manning and finance Francis Long: “Stranded in Manila” (#10)
- Brooks Miller & Louis Sontag: “Heartbreaking Escapes” (#5)
- Curtis Beecher: “Defending the Rock” (#36)
- Battle of Corregidor: “Last Line of Defense” (#44)
You’ll find images about the 4th Marines in The Philippines at:
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Left Behind Website (includes transcript and sources)
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook:
On the night of May 5-6, 1942, Japanese forces landed an invasion on Corregidor Island, the last remaining US fortress in The Philippines.
Waiting on the island’s beaches were the US Marines.
And they weren’t about to let the island go without the fiercest battle of their lives.
I mentioned these “Left Behind” episodes in this episode. Here are the links to check them out.
- Episode 36: Defending the Rock (Curtis Beecher)
- Episode 42: Last escape submarine from Corregidor
- Episode 40: Nurses evacuated by plane
- Episode 16: WW2’s First Medal of Honor: Alexander Nininger
- Episode 13: Naval Battalion Saves Bataan
- Episode 1: Frank Pyzick: The Marine Who Announced WW2
For more information on the Corregidor Marines, check out these free sources:
- J. Michael Miller, "From Shanghai to Corregidor: Marines in the Defense of The Philippines”
- Louis Morton, “The War in the Pacific: The Fall of the Philippines”
You’ll find images and maps about the Marine’s defense of Corregidor at:
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Left Behind Website (includes transcript & sources)
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook
The night of January 30-31, 2024, is the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the Cabanatuan POW Camp in 1945. It's also marks the first anniversary of the “Left Behind” podcast.
In This Left Behind the Scenes episode, we'll take a look at what we’ve accomplished in the past year (it's pretty remarkable) and get a glimpse at what’s coming in the second year!
And I truly, humbly, thank you for your support of this important project.
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Left Behind Website
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook
“Where’s Dan?”
A 24-year-old WW2 flight nurse asked this question every time she touched down on a new Pacific Island.
A veteran of the Bataan campaign, she had escaped Corregidor Island 2 days before it fell.
Once home, she joined flight nurse training and soon was hopping from one island’s front lines to another’s, sometimes under enemy fire.
What kept her going? She was looking for someone.
You’ll find images and maps about this flight nurse’s story at:
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Left Behind Website (includes sources)
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook
Here are links to the previous Left Behind episodes I mentioned in this episode:
- Episode 29: Bound by Blood, Forged by War – Bobby and Jack Aldrich
- Episode 25: Abandoned on Bataan – Clara Bickford
- Episode 40: Escape into Enemy Hands – Rosemary Hogan
- Episode 15: The Unique WW2 Journey of Nurse Eunice Hatchitt
In the days leading up to the surrender of Corregidor Island, Army Major Paul Wing snapped a picture of 16 exhausted Army men in the Malinta Tunnel.
That photo would be one of the last photos smuggled off the island just before the Fall of The Philippines.
But that wasn’t the end of the story…
All 16 men would soon become prisoners of war and endure hell ships, forced labor, and worse.
This is their story.
You’ll find images and maps about the men in the last Finance Department photograph at:
- Left Behind Website (includes sources)
- Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast
- Left Behind Facebook Page
Flown out of Corregidor Island in a daring, last-minute escape in April 1942, Army nurse Rosemary Hogan found herself heading for the safety of Australia.
The war on Bataan was a distant memory now.
But disaster struck when the plane was forced down on a southern Philippines island – and the Japanese army was fast approaching.
You’ll find images and maps about Rosemary Hogan’s story at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/Hogan
Imagine you’re a ten-year-old living in Honolulu, Hawaii, just a few blocks from Waikiki.
Now imagine you wake up on a beautiful December morning to the sounds of planes overhead and explosions not so very far away.
You’re too young to understand: Why these planes are attacking. Why your mother and grandmother are so frightened. Why you won’t see your father again for more than 3 years.
And you definitely don’t understand that you’ve just witnessed America's entry into the Second World War.
Learn more about the people trying to keep Pacific POWs’ memories alive.
- Philippine Scout Heritage Society -- https://www.philippinescouts.org/
- American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society -- https://www.adbcmemorialsociety.org/
You’ll find images and maps about my family’s Pearl Harbor experience:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/PearlHarbor
Seriously wounded on the front lines two days earlier, Lt. Jim Daly was bed-bound and immobile in a full-body cast when Bataan fell.
And then Japanese forces took control of the field hospital.
You’ll find images and maps about Lt Jim Daly’s story at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/Daly
A behind the scenes look at the process I use to identify POWs to highlight in “Left Behind,” and once chosen, how I find their amazing stories.
Lt. Col. Curtis Beecher’s 1st Battalion was the first line of defense against Japanese landing parties on Corregidor Island.
A distinguished WW1 hero and career Marine, Beecher rallied his men to create beach defenses. But when Japanese forces conquered the island anyway, Beecher began 3.5 years as a POW – including surviving the Oryoku Maru disaster.
You’ll find images and maps about Curtis Beecher’s story at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/Beecher
In the early days of World War II, Vicente and Marcos Mocorro -- father and son – together defended Corregidor Island from Japanese attacks, while enduring the enemy’s debilitating bombing runs on an island under siege.
But, when the inevitable happened and they were captured by enemy forces, they were separated. One became a guerilla fighter, continuing the fighting against his country’s invaders.
Years after the war, they were again reunited in the most unlikely of places.
You’ll find images and maps about the Mocorro's story at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/Mocorro
Chet and Grace Britt were still newlyweds when the US Army evacuated her from The Philippines Islands in spring 1941.
While she joined the home front war efforts, she had no idea the horrendous things Chet experienced once Bataan fell.
For Chet, however, Grace's love and his faith pulled him through some of the darkest moments the American POWs faced while prisoners of the Japanese.
You’ll find images and maps about Grace and Chet Britt’s story at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/Britt
David Britt’s biography “Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival” is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Hope-True-Story-Survival/dp/109838539X/
I’ve been working toward creating the Left Behind podcast for nearly 20 years.
Seems strange, but it’s true. And it’s part of my answer to the question ALL the time: “How did you get into researching POWs in The Philippines?” Well, it literally started when I was 24 and bored one night…
Every hero needs an origin story – and here’s the one for Left Behind
You’ll find images and maps about Left Behind’s origins on the Left Behind website: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/origin
2 young American prisoners of war – Norm Thenell and Dick Watt – lived through the Bataan Death March, only to enter a literal hell on earth – Camp O’Donnell.
Daily life at O’Donnell was marked by disease, malnutrition, and uncertainty and became yet another of Japan’s WW2 atrocities.
Watt and Thenell were lucky, though – they formed an unbreakable group, which was, perhaps, the only reason they endured the horrors of this Japanese internment camp in the Philippines.
But could they survive the rest of the war?
You’ll find images and maps about Dick Watt and Norm Thenell’s story at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/watt
On April 12, 1942, Japanese forces dishonored themselves – by massacring more than 350 unarmed, bound Filipino officers and non-coms, who had surrendered the day before.
It became known as the Pantingan River Massacre.
Relying on survivor testimony and later interviews with Japanese soldiers who participated in the “dishonorable deed,” this episode uncovers the details of this largely unknown war crime, which occurred during the Bataan Death March.
You’ll find images and maps (not graphic or including massacre images) about the Pantingan River Massacre at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/massacre
Check out this mini episode about a little-known family secret.
"Left Behind the Scenes" is an bonus feature of the "Left Behind" podcast -- with answers to frequent questions, research secrets, and riffs on topics related to the podcast.
Learn more about the "Left Behind" podcast at www.leftbehindpodcast.com
In late 1945, a just-liberated POW named Jack Aldrich discovered something: his brother Bobby – who Jack thought was dead – had also survived imprisonment.
5 years earlier, Jack and Bobby joined the US army – together; Bobby lying about his age to get in. They trained together at Ft. Bliss, Texas, and fought together on Bataan.
They then – together – marched the Bataan Death March and experienced the atrocities of Japan’s POW camps in The Philippines.
Only then, they were separated – and their true struggles for survival began.
This is their survivors’ story.
You’ll find images and maps about the Aldrich brother’s story at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/Aldrich
22-year-old Raymond Hunt was captured by Japanese forces on southern Bataan in April 1942.
The next day, he began the grueling forced march that would become infamously known as the Battan Death March. But Hunt wasn’t going to let his enemies determine his fate. At great risk to himself, he escaped the march and joined the largest Guerilla organization in The Philippines and continued fighting.
By World War 2’s end, Hunt was commanding 3,400 men and women and gathering vital intelligence to aid the American re-invasion of The Philippines.
This is his story.
You’ll find images and maps about Ray Hunt at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/Hunt
On April 9, 1942, three American prisoners of war, their hands bound behind their backs, were photographed by a Japanese soldier.
That photo has become the most iconic of Bataan Death March photographs.
In this episode, discover the lives and fates – and the story behind the photograph – of these three American men.
View the photograph:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/photo
In the final hours before Bataan surrendered to an unthinkable fate, two men undertook harrowing escape attempts from Bataan.
One with permission. One without.
But escape from Bataan is just the beginning of the story – which starts in a quite Philippine village – and ends in the same, war-ravaged town as a young Filipino man tries to save not only himself, but his entire family from utter destruction.
Pictures and maps online at:
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Instagram: @leftbehindpodcast -- https://www.instagram.com/leftbehindpodcast
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Left Behind Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website (includes sources): https://leftbehindpodcast.com/fernandez/
Just hours before Bataan fell to the enemy, Clara Bickford and her fellow Army nurses were ordered off Bataan and to the relative safety of Corregidor Island.
But their evacuation was marred by clogged roads, earth-rending explosions, and an enemy airplane dogging their every move.
When they finally made it to the dock – their boat had already left.
Hungry and defenseless, Clara and her friends were deserted on Bataan.
With no idea of what fait awaited as American leaders surrendered Bataan
On April 9, 1942, faced with sick, starving, battle-fatigued men and the onslaught of Japanese advances, Gen. Edward King made a momentous decision: He surrendered Bataan Peninsula to Japanese forces.
It was his attempt to save the 78,000 servicemen under his command.
But he couldn’t have foreseen the consequences of that action – both for himself and for the men he surrendered.
You can find pictures and sources on the
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Left Behind Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind Website: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/king/
Stories behind the Stars is a volunteer organization seeking to find and tell the stories of all 421,000 servicemen and women killed during WW2.
That's right -- a story for each of the 421,000 WW2 fallen.
Join me as I chat with the project's founder, Don Milne.
We talk about how the project started, what volunteers do, and how anyone can involved.
This 4th of July, discover the project about men and women who truly define what it means that "freedom isn't free."
Visit https://www.storiesbehindthestars.org/ for more information or head to the Left Behind website: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/stars/
While enemy forces bombed a hospital on Easter Morning, Father William Cummings stood resolute, defying the destruction around him with prayer and faith.
Thus, the tale of Bataan’s Easter morning miracle.
And…he also coined the phrase “There are no atheists in foxholes.”
This is the story of a small, ailing Catholic priest determined to join the soldiers on Bataan – and defied the odds to become a guiding light during the final dark days on Bataan.
For pictures and sources, please visit:
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Left Behind Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
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Left Behind website: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/cummings/
Do you know of a serviceman or woman who served in The Philippines during WW2?
If so, I want to hear from you.
Check out the episode to find out what stories I'm looking for right now, then visit https://leftbehindpodcast.com/submit-a-story to submit your story today.
Already shot 4 times in the hand and chest, Lt. Willibald Bianchi commandeered an American tank, manned its anti-aircraft gun, and fired on an enemy machinegun nest.
But a 5th bullet threw him to the ground.
And this time, he didn’t get up.
This is the story of Bataan’s final Medal of Honor winner Willibald Bianchi.
Find pics, maps, and more on
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Left-Behind-Podcast/100092698653154/
Left Behind website: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/bianchi
In early January 1942, a battlefield mess sergeant realized a vital artillery gun had been silenced.
Risking his life, he ran more than half a mile across an active battlefield, manned the large gun, and spent the next 2 hours firing it, alone, on the enemy.
His actions that day would earn him the Medal of Honor.
But his legacy far outreaches his heroism of that day.
This is the story of Jose Calugas, the only Filipino in WW2 to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Find pictures, maps, and sources on
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092698653154
Left Behind website: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/calugas/
Catch my full interview with John Eakin of BataanMissing.com as we discuss the details of the Alexander Nininger and Ira Cheaney identification drama.
I highly recommend listening to episode 17: "The True Story of WW2’s FIRST Medal of Honor: Alexander Nininger" before listening to this interview. You'll understand our discussion so much more!
Find pics and other online at: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/bataanmissing
In January 1942, two young American officers – Alexander Nininger and Ira Cheaney – died in battle on the Bataan Peninsula.
In life, they’d been in The Philippines just 9 weeks.
But, in death, they’ve been left behind there for more than 80 years.
Because … of a rush to judgement, a potential Army coverup, and an inconvenient secret.
This Memorial Day, discover the search for the WW2 servicemen still missing on Bataan.
Get pictures and more online at: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/bataanmissing
In mid-January 1942, two heroes proved themselves on Bataan’s battlefields.
One was a young man, fighting for duty and honor. The other was middle aged, fighting for his homeland and family.
Both would face awful circumstances. Both would make self-sacrificing choices.
And both would become national heroes … during those early, dark days of the war.
This is the story of Narciso Ortilano and Alexander Nininger, the first Medal of Honor recipient in WW2.
Find pictures and maps of their stories online at: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/Nininger
Army nurse Lt. Eunice Hatchitt started WW2 caring for wounded men in a primitive battlefield hospital on Bataan. Escaping The Philippines at the last moment, she returned home a national hero.
But WW2 wasn’t over for her.
In 1944, she found herself following Gen. Patton’s army onto European battlefields.
Oh, and she also made a small detour to Hollywood in between assignments. And….she’s the heroine of her very own global, war-time romance.
Nurse Hatchitt’s WW2 story is like none other.
Get pics, maps, and sources here: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/eunice-hatchitt/
From hiding a Navy ship in plain sight to forming a make-shift navy from scavenged boats and machine guns – Lt. Commander Henry Goodall’s war tactics took military creativity to new heights.
His methods were scrappy, but he bought time and saved American and Filipino lives in Bataan Peninsula during the early days of WW2.
You can find pictures and maps here: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/henry-goodall/
You’ve never heard a WW2 story like this.
In early 1942, a rag-tag group of Navy sailors and aviators, combined with some Marines, formed themselves into the Naval Battalion – an on-land fighting force in the jungles of Bataan.
The battalion was the brainchild of Navy Commander Frank Bridget – who predicted enemy landings on Bataan well behind the American front lines and within miles of Gen. MacArthur’s headquarters.
With 3 days of training, the Naval Battalion men were called on to defend against a highly trained force of invading Japanese.
Armed with scavenged weapons, bright yellow uniforms, and unconventional – and sometimes hilarious -- tactics, these untrained men faced down the enemy.
And held the line.
This story is fantastic. But, until now, few people know about it.
It’s definitely one you DO NOT want to miss.
You can find pictures and maps here:
Sailors Alton Hall, Adolphus Hutchison, and Father Francis McManus each survived a vicious ship bombing and 2.5 years in a Japanese POW camp.
But their enemies suddenly had new plans for them – transfers to different POW camps in The Philippines and in Japan.
Wounded, weak, and starving, these men bravely faced their new fate.
But...would they be able to survive their last transfers?
Find pictures and maps about these 3 sailors at https://leftbehindpodcast.com/canopus-men/
The last US Army Cavalry charge happened during WW2 – on January 16, 1942, to be exact.
The 26th Cavalry was on patrol in the northern Bataan Peninsula, when they encountered the advance guard of a large Japanese landing force.
With moments to spare, a young Lieutenant raised his hand, ordering his troops into position, and yelled CHARGE!
Some two dozen horses leapt forward, galloping full speed at the approaching Japanese, who fled into the jungle.
This episode takes you inside the ensuing battle, with eyewitness accounts and detailed imagery.
You’ll hear what the soldiers said, practically see what they saw, and perhaps feel what they felt, as, for a moment, you’re transported 1942 Bataan Peninsula.
For pictures and maps, visit https://leftbehindpodcast.com/johnny-wheeler/
21-year-old Frances Long was just passing through Manila when WW2 broke out – stranding her there.
She’d arrived just days previous with her fiancée, US Marine Alan Manning. On Sunday, December 7, they said goodbye to each other as he headed for his new military station.
It would be the last time they ever saw each other.
Because the next day, the world changed.
The Japanese attacks deserted Frances in Manila – no ships could leave, she couldn’t contact her family, and she had no access to her money.
And then, US forces left Manila for Bataan Peninsula.
Leaving Frances alone, in a foreign city, awaiting the Japanese occupation army.
Within days Japanese forces moved Frances and other “enemy alien” civilians to a Manila Concentration Camp.
That was January 1942.
Frances’s pass-through trip had suddenly become a permanent residence…seemingly for the duration of the war.
For pictures, maps, and sources of Frances's story, visit: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/frances-long
John Burk languished for 3 months in 1943 in Manila’s medieval-era dungeon. Then the sentence came: Execution.
The date was set. The prison guards forced him to dig his own grave.
When suddenly…
Burk’s past came back to save him, and possibly the lives of three fellow sailors.
At the same time, one of those sailors, William Patton, was involved in a cross-ocean love triangle – that he knew nothing about.
Discover the bizarre-but-true stories of these two Navy men.
This is the second of 2 episodes about how 4 Navy men hid from the Japanese – and the consequences of doing so.
Pictures, maps, sources, and more available online at: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/burk-patton/
As the US military hurriedly withdrew from Manila on Christmas 1941, 4 US sailors were ordered to remain behind on a sabotage mission.
Their mission accomplished; it was too late to join the American troops on Bataan. And Japanese forces had already occupied Manila.
So sailors Arthur Lazcano and Gordon Fontaine pretended to be civilians and were imprisoned at a civilian internment camp.
But, after about a year, the Japanese heard there were American military hiding in the camp . . .
And they were not pleased.
This is the first of 2 episodes about how 4 Navy men hid from the Japanese – and the consequences of doing so.
Pictures, maps, and sources available here: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/lazcano-fontaine/
75% of servicemen in Company C, 803rd Engineers, Army Corps of Engineers, died in captivity during WW2.
Company C had 166 servicemen on its roster when WW2 began.
Only 38 returned home.
The rest died in battle, on the Bataan Death March, or in POW camps.
This episode follows 4 men from Company C . . . From the company's beginning in Hawaii. Through their work hard, play harder days in Manila. Into the starvation of Bataan. And then to captivity, until only one member remained in The Philippines.
This is the story of Company C, 803rd Engineers.
Pictures, maps, and sources available online at: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/companyc/
More than 50,000 native Filipino servicemen were captured when the US surrendered The Philippines in 1942.
Filipino servicemen outnumbered Americans at least 6 to 1 during WW2 in The Philippines. Yet we hear so little about them.
And more than half never made it home.
Among those 50K Filipino POWs was 21-year-old Private Dominador Figuracion.
He rode in one of the US Army’s last horse-mounted cavalry units – and was among the first soldiers to confront the Japanese ground invasion army in The Philippines. Then he participated in the last horse-mounted cavalry charge in US history.
What would be Dominator Figuracion's fate: death in captivity? Or was he among those who actually survived WW2?
For photos and sources, visit: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/dominador-figuracion/
Marines Brooks Miller and Louis Sontag escaped Japanese forces 3 times during WW2.
The first was when they helped rescue sailors and civilians trapped on a burning navy yard pier after a devastating Japanese air raid.
Months later the two Marines defended Manila’s island-fortress against invading Japanese ground forces.
Then they became POWs.
Back home, the women in their lives waited patiently for news of their fate. And prayed for their safe return.
But what the women didn’t know is that each man would brazenly defy their captors. And for that defiance, both men were sentenced to unimaginable punishments, including death.
Could either escape the cruel punishments – and return home to the women who loved them?
For photos and sources, visit: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/sontag-miller/
It was the morning of December 10, 1941. Captain Colin Kelly and Lt. Don Robins piloted their B-17 “Flying Fortress” Bomber on to the bombed-out runway at Clark Field in The Philippines.
They refueled, loaded bombs, and took off again -- headed toward a Japanese aircraft carrier . . . and the stuff of legends.
That day Capt. Colin Kelly would become the first widely celebrated hero of World War 2.
But . . . his co-pilot Lt. Don Robins’ story on that December morning is nothing short of miraculous.
And this was just day 3 of the war.
For photos and sources, visit: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/don-robins/
While everyone else ran for cover, Chaplain Ralph Brown drove straight into the bombs, machine gunning, and destruction of Japan’s first air attack on The Philippines.
Brown collected wounded men in his old Pontiac and drove them to the nearby hospital. And then he headed back into the bombing and staffing at least 5 more times, getting wounded men to safety.
For those actions, he became the first chaplain in WW2 to receive the Distinguished Service Cross – the military’s second highest honor.
And that was on Day 1 of the war.
He spent the next 4 months driving the roads and trails of Bataan, serving the American troops attempting to hold back the Japanese advance.
He then survived the Bataan Death March, almost 3 years at Japan’s largest WW2 POW camp, and two friendly-fire ship bombings.
This is the incredible, self-sacrificing story of Chaplain Ralph Brown – a man on a mission from God.
For images, maps, and a full list of sources, please visit: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/ralph-brown
Being released from a POW camp was just the beginning of Lester Tenney's quest...
In 1940, Lester Tenney joined a tank unit in the US Army Reserves, hoping to serve 1 year and then move on with his life.
But the world had different plans.
Captured by Japanese forces on Bataan Peninsula in The Philippines in the early days of World War 2, Tenney endured the Bataan Death March and spent 3 years and 6 months in POW camps in The Philippines and Japan.
He then spent more than 70 years on a quest for forgiveness and redemption.
For pictures of and sources for Lester Tenney and his story, visit: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/lester-tenny/
Major Frank Pyzick, US Marine Corps, rode thru a navy yard announcing the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the start of World War 2 to the Marines in The Philippines.
5 months later he was captured by Japanese forces and spent the next 40 months at POW camps in The Philippines, Japan, and Korea.
And in the middle of it all, he destroyed a US Navy base and survived 2 shipwrecks.
For images, maps, and a full list of sources, please visit: https://leftbehindpodcast.com/frank-pyzick/
20,000 American and 70,000 Filipino service men and women were captured when the United States surrendered The Philippines to Japan in April 1942. Probably half of them never made it home.
Coming January 30, 2023 -- Left Behind tells the stories of the servicemen and women, civilians, families, and others left behind when the United States surrendered The Philippines mere months into World War 2.