December 6, 1999

On July 23, 1999, my request for help was posted on the ADBC Website.

I was trying to find information about my uncle
Sgt. Emil Russ "Billy" May
of the 27th Bomb Group, Ft. McKinley.

My only information, from the U.S. Government was that he was on the death march and survived until January 6, 1943.   Consequently, he probably was at O'Donnell and Cabanatuan.
I found out via YOUR website that my Uncle Billy May died at Cabanatuan.   Please let me fill you in, and you can post this on your success stories:

1.   Thomas Gage wrote that Russ (Billy) died at 2 pm, January 6, 1943 and was buried in the Cabanatuan cemetery, but was probably transferred after the war to the American cemetery at Manila.

2.   Horace Comeaux wrote that he and Russ were "room mates" for about two months in the Cabanatuan "Zero" ward.   He described the terrible conditions and the fatal health problems all of them faced.   He told me that, one day (that would have been January 6, 1943), a detail of men from across the camp came to help clean-up Uncle "Billy".   Billy could talk, but not walk.   The men took him outside the ward on a day when the temperature was 105 degrees; sat him on a 3 gallon bucket and poured water on him and left him to dry.   About a half hour later, Billy died -- sitting on the bucket.   He was buried the next day.

I can't believe that I have learned all of this in only about six months of searching.
And, it could NOT have happened without your website!!

Thank you,
Mary C. May,
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
Email Address: mmay@mailer.fsu.edu