Walter Kwiecinski, my father, who died at the age of 73 in May, 1988, was a sergeant in the Army.   He was on the last 12-inch mortar firing on Corregidor, in Battery Way.

He spent 2 1/2 years in the Philippines before going by Hell Ship to Japan.   An hour of his 31st birthday, Aug. 9, 1945, was spent at what was supposed to be ground zero for Fat Boy, but because he couldn't see the plane he heard circling overhead, it couldn't see him either, and went on to Nagasaki instead.

I am interested in meeting soldiers who were on Bataan and/or Corregidor.   There were many at his funeral (in Minneapolis), including 6 from the Death March, but since moving to Michigan I have not been able to find any.   I would certainly like to talk to them before it's too late.

Eight months before my father died, he made a two-hour videotape of his experiences.   His memory for detail was unbelievable.   Two months later he had a stroke which took a lot of his memories away, so we were certainly fortunate to tape him when we did.   If anyone would like a copy of the tape for whatever reason, I could make it available.