Girocho : a GI's story of Bataan and beyond / John Henry Poncio and Marlin Young

Girocho : a GI's story of Bataan and beyond / John Henry Poncio and Marlin Young

Bataan, Battle of, Philippines, 1942.

Poncio, John Henry, 1918-.

Prisoners of war--Philippines--Biography.

World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Philippines.

World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.

World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, Japanese.

Personal account of a US Air Corps ground crew member with the 91st Bombardment Squadron. The men of this squadron arrived in Manila before the outbreak of war, but their planes were still at sea and were diverted to Australia. Poncio and his buddies had to fight the war as infantry, and this book describes his experiences in Corregidor, Bataan, the Death March and prison camp (O’Donnell; Cabanatuan; to Japan in 1943, before most of the hell ships), including forced labor for a Japanese company. Describes how he endured all the suffering and kept hope alive.

The title is the name of a Japanese Robin Hood type samurai, which became Poncio’s nickname in camp. This book is based on tape recorded memoirs Poncio made for his wife; his niece, Marlin Young, arranged the transcriptions in chronological order and added background material. The book was published five years after Poncio passed away.

Poncio, John Henry, 1918-

Baton Rouge : Louisiana State University Press, 2003

2003

24 x 16 cm.

Hardbound

807128511

D 811 .P6185 A3 2003

14160

xviii, 327 p.

ill.