FORGOTTEN MEN
by Leonard L. Robinson
1. THE STORY OF FORGOTTEN MEN,
Niigata, Japan was next up for the Atomic Bomb. This was in a note
dropped by a Navy Pilot a few days after the Emperor made his speech but what
did he mean? We had left the Philippines two years previously on a "hell ship"
- the Taga Maru to do slave labor. We had been forgotten since the bombing of
Clark Field eight hours after Pearl Harbor. We were not only forgotten but
expendable after the surrender of Bataan. I was in the first group captured at
Cabcaben and started the march out of Bataan, headed toward O'Donnell, later
compared to Andersonville of Civil War history. We were still forgotten, when
six weeks later we were to join our comrades of Corregidor at Cabanatuan.
The next sixteen months I was forgotten as I was in the so-called hospital
without medicine, not enough food and death on every side. My weight had
dropped to half what it was before the war.
We had heard nothing about what was happening at home and many dreaded
going to Japan. We were forgotten by the world in the hold of the ship on
the sea to Japan. The culture we would see with strange writing
and numbers would increase our thoughts of forgotten. Two years were
spent, as a forgotten slave on the docks of Niigata. The cold winters with
poor clothing, only two light covers, and most of the information we received
was from maps in the newspapers thrown away by Japanese travelers. All of
these events give the name of "Forgotten Men" for
the book.
2. WHY DID I WRITE FORGOTTEN MEN
There are several reasons Forgotten Men was
written. Too many military, especially P.O.W.s , do not tell the events of
their experiences for fear they cannot be understood. There are some
events that leaders try to sweep under the carpet, so that the people will not
know what actually happened. It is a necessary desire to tell what
happened so our nation does not repeat the same mistakes. One example was,
we had World War I ammunition and less that a quarter of the three-inch shells
exploded. Our nation should never be that unprepared again.
Most of the prisoners of war under the Japanese died because of the brutality of
their captors. The importance of our stand in the Philippines needs to be
told because if it had not been for our stand, the Japanese would have landed in
Australia.
3. WHAT IMPORTANT LESSONS
Many anxious questions face those taken prisoners of war. What
sort of treatment will be faced. What physical stresses in regards to the
sadistic guards or others in their treatment. Medical needs is case of
illness and diseases. How can I stand the emotional stress while under the
control of my captors. Will I try to face my captivity by denial or anger
at others or even against God? Can I cope with my imprisonment? I
learned the importance to tell your experiences and don't hold grudges.
Faith is very important for every survivor. We need to have faith
in something because of the great stressful pressures I took the attitude that
there is usually a survivor to everything and by the grace of God I will be a
survivor, but I will not lower my standards. You will come to the
realization about what is important in life. Life has a meaning that is
more important now, when you freedoms are gone. Your learn to help one
another, every one that returned had friends that helped them to survive.
4. WHY IS THIS BOOK DIFFERENT
I have tried to stress how faith was very important to me during the
entire time of my confinement. The experience of every prisoner of war is
different. The treatment at surrender, the camps where interned,
confinement experiences, the details assigned for slave labor and the liberation
at the return under the stars and stripes. I trust the reader will place a
greater value on life and the freedoms enjoyed in our country. We should be
thankful for every breath, or cup of water we drink, or every bit of food we
eat. Long lines took several hours at O'Donnell to be able to receive a
cup or canteen of water. We don't understand the simple things of life
until they are gone. We are given only one life: appreciate or abuse.
I hope Forgotten Men brings out that we should appreciate life and be thankful
for the blessings of life. The book also tries to point out that we are
not self sufficient but that we need to rely upon others.
5. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT ME; BEFORE, MILITARY, AND AFTER THE WAR.
I was born in Englewood, Colorado. We moved to Denver in 1926 and
I graduated from East High School. My father was a carpenter and building
contractor. My mother was a housewife and became a seamstress after the
death of my father in 1943. I wonder how my parents were able to get us
through the depression. I started as a caddy at eleven but an outstanding
golf pro put me in charge of his pro shop at twelve. It appeared at one
time that I would turn to professional golf. I had two years of college
when drafted in March 1941. I figured I would do my year and return to
college. I went from Denver to Fort Bliss, then sent to Battery E of the
200th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti-Aircraft). We were shipped to the
Philippines in September 1941. The military experiences impressed upon me
how wonderfully these bodies are made to be able to repair themselves. I
had about a dozen different diseases and my body weight became about half of
pre-war. Chaplains were not allowed to go to Japan, so I was appointed to
be the acting Chaplain of the detail sent to Niigata.
Forgotten Men tells the rest of my military
adventure.
I finished at Colorado University; on the G.I. bill earning a B.S.
(Architectural Engineering), then to Northwestern Seminary, where I earned my
BTh. Later I earned my MTh and ThD. I married Erma Paul (she
passed away in May 2005, after 53 years of marriage). We were blessed with
three children; Paula Chelewski and her husband, our son Len Robinson, and our
daughter Pamela Robinson. Paula and Ray are the parents of Dale and Julie.
I have served churches in seven states. I have spoken at Boys State every
year since 1990. I speak at churches and Veteran groups on my P.O.W.
experiences. I served as a Chaplain to Law Enforcement for a dozen years
and have been the Chaplain of Natrona county United Veteran Council for a number
of years. Wyoming's State Veterans Cemetery is here and I help in the
Military part of funeral services of Veterans. I am a life member of ADBC,
DAV, Purple Heart, VFW, and Legion.
6. PRICE
"FORGOTTEN MEN" -- ISBN 155395078-X -- Trafford
Publishing
Can be purchased at any book store for $16.00
I will autograph a copy for $18.00, the extra two dollars for postage.
Leonard L. Robinson
1849 Fremont Ave
Casper, WY 82604-3025
e-mail dr.llrobinson@juno.com