Kilmer17 Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 One of the most fascinating stories ever. It was about the Marines and civilians who defended the island at the start of WWII. They were bombed the same day as Pearl Harbor. Lots of great individual stories but the highlight. A Marine was sent to China after the Japanese captured the island and forced into slave camp (along with a thousand others) and he escaped by jumping off a prison train with a buddy who broke his leg and was recaptured. The marine (name escapes me) travelled across China hiding in fields and barns and finally hooked up with Communist China forces who fed him and helped sneak him to Northern China where the US had forces staged. For months this guy fought alongside the Reds and was so revered by the Chinese that as he was boarding a US plane to come home, Chairman Mao Zedung presented him with memorablia and thanked him for his efforts. The man wept as he was telling the story and then pulled out a picture of him and Mao together, Amazing story. If you ever see it coming up on History, plop yourself down for 2 hours and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted June 3, 2003 Share Posted June 3, 2003 I saw it. The part that really struck me was the one guy who, knowing that relief was not coming and they would not have been able to hold the island for much longer, said "we should have never surrendered." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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