Special Section: Books related to Guam POWS

External Links: Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Assocation- Numerous books

ADBC website- References Containing Information about Prisoners of War of the Japanese in World War II

A Gordon Highlander if ever I saw one by William Ross Young and John Duff - True account of a young Gordon Highlander's experiences as a Japanese POW in Singapore, the Burma Siam Railway and Mainland Japan.

Tjideng Reunion by Boudewyn van Oort - Memoir of Java. In particular, story of South African Volunteers [Not read or reviewed]- See Essay by author

Tears in The Darkness by Michael & Elizabethy M. Norman. Not particularly highly rated by ex POWs. All too many errors.

"George McNab" by Brian Coutts. British POW rescued at Fukuoka #25. [Not read or reviewed]

"My Father's Captivity" by Al Young. We will post a review later but this book is destined to become the classic POW story. If you want one of the five best books ever written about the POWS, this has to top your list. Beautifully written emotional, factual and the author clearly places you into the mind of a prisoner. If you want to buy just one book to understand the story of the POWs, buy this one book. [August 2009]

Jim's Journey - A Wake Island Civilian POW's Story by Leilani A. Mahnino; Hellgate Press (2001) Central Point, OR. A detailed and well illustrated story of the civilian cintractors captured on Wake Island, Almost half of these men perished in captivity and close to 200 endured the horrors of the Sasebo POW Camp. This is the single best book about the civilians captured on Wake Island... in fact, highly recommended even for the story of the Marine who almost stopped the Japanese invasion.

Beyond The Call by D.Burke Penny. The full and detailed story of the 33 Canadian Corps of Signals captured in Hong Kong. Detailed story but with a unique perspective on how the families at home endured during the war. Published by the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Assoc.
[August 2009]

..when men must live by Kenneth B. and James T. Murphy, I West Publications, 6789 Quail Hill Parkway #715, Irvine CA 92603, published 2009. Memoir of Army Air Corps Tech Sgt James T. Murphy captured on Bataan and eventually rescued at Sendai #6, Hanawa. Extensive description of initial attacks on Nichols Field, Bataan battles and experiences in various POW camps. Exceptionally good detail of the hell ship, Noto Maru. The values instilled in him as a youth allowed him to survive [June 2009].

Ambushed under the Southern Cross
This is a fabluously detailed story of Merchant Marine Capt (Ret). George Duffy, captured when his ship, American Leader, was sunk by a German commerce raider. He was transferred to Japanese control and spent time in Java, Singapore and Sumatra. One of the rare books that tells of the experiences on the "Sumatra" Death Railway. Beatuifully written story of his youth, his years of education to become a merchant Marine officer and the years of experience before the war. This book is an absolute "must have" for historians of the Merchant Marine in the early war years


Operation Plum
The Ill-fated 27th Bombardment Group and the fight for the Western Pacific
By Adrian R Martin and Larry W. Stephenson [Review]

The Burma Railroad - The Drawings of Jack Chalker: The sample pages give you an idea of the depth of anguish suffered by the men who slaved for Japan on the infamous railroad. While not reviewed, we have seen numerous example of Jack Chalker's drawings and believe this should be part of any serious POW book collection. (Cover Image)

Deadly December, The Battle of Hong Kong by Ronald C. Parker. A thorough review of the battle for Hong Kong from a Canadian perspective. Parker's father, Major Maurice A. Parker, was Commanding office of D Coy, Royal Rifles of Canada. The Canadian forces in Hong Kong were the Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers. (Not reviewed)

Remembered: The History of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission by Julie Summers. Thorough review by British historian Jonathan Moffatt.

If I Get Out Alive, World War II Letters and Diaries of William H. McDougall Jr., by William H. McDougall, Jr, edited by Gary Topping (ISBN 978-0-87480-891-9). University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, 2007; 336 pp., 6 x 9, 20 black & white photos. Review Pending

'C' Force Decorations, Medals, Awards and Honours by Vincent Lopata
The book documents the decorations, medals, awards and honours including citations given to soldiers of the Canadian Army that fought at the Battle of Hong Kong, December 1941. Following the battle they became Prisoners of War of the Japanese from January 1942 until August 1945.

The Defining Years of the Dutch East Indies, 1942-1949. [Author Link] edited by Jan A. Krancher. Survivors' Accounts of Japanese Invasion and Enslavement of Europeans and the Revolution That Created Free Indonesia by Jan A. Krancher. Published by McFarland. 24 of 60+ interviews selected to present a picture of their internment and story of their efforts to survive, during and after the war. Krancher has done an excellent job, not just describing the horrors of Japanese internment but has researched in depth the long ignored period called "The Bersiap", the time when the Indonesian fought a war of terror against the Dutch. Here again, the terrorist of the Islamic world attacked and slaughtered innocent men, women and children to drive the Dutch from their midst. The parallels to day cannot be ignored. It is not history that repeats itself but human nature. Well done. Credit card orders: Call McFarland's toll free - 800-253-2187 or order through publisher's web site.

Angel of the East Indies [Author Link] by Dino Fanara. Angel of the East Indies is a revelation of events during World War II that have missed the world's conscience-until now. Angel of the East Indies is an epic story of faith, romance and a Dutch families struggle to survive their P.O.W. internment during World War II. It is the story of Hendrika and Adolf Van Dooremolen. Comment by Center: Well done. She was interned in Java while he endured the Death Railway and eventual rescue at Fukuoka #21 Nakama POW Camp.

The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru- Britain's Forgotten Wartime Tragedy [Publisher Link] by Tony Banham. Noted author and historian, Banham has again proven his literary talents. The horrors of the hell ship are seen through the eyes of the survivors. The Japanese hostility towards Europeans motivates their action to murder the prisoners- locking down the hatches and denying them a chance for rescue. A magnificent study of human nature at its best and worse.

Captives of the Empire- [Publisher Link] [Cover Picture] The Japanese Internment of Allied Civilians in China 1941-1945. Every so often, a book is produced that simply "wraps up" the whole story. Japan interned and mistreated thousands of Allied civilians in the conquered areas of China. With years of research, editing and careful documentation, Dr. Greg P. Leck has produced the finest book ever written about civilian internees in China. Extensively illustrated, Leck has woven a masterpiece of history. Stories of joy, sadness, murder and horror from numerous former inmates creates a silken tapestry of the times. One senses the ordeals and thrumphs in exquisite detail. Includes a complete nominal roll of all internees. If you want one book about the China internee experience, this is an absolute "must have". Expensive but truly worth every penny.

1220 Days- [publisher link] The story of US Marine Edmond Babler and his experiences in Japanese Prisoner of War Camps during World War II. self published, Authorhouse, Bloomington IN, 2004. Fairly good narrative of Babler's experiences from capture on Carregidor to labor details at Palawam, McKinley Field, Nielsen Field, Zeblon Field, voyage on the Noto Maru and slave labor at Fukuoka Branch #5 Omine. Major error in description (not witnessed) of the massacre on Palawan. [www.robertcdaniels.com]

The Colonel of Tamarkan - [Author's Link] Philip Toosey and the Bridge on the River Kwai by Julie Summers. Simon & Shuster; See review by noted historian, Jonathan Moffatt.

Angel On My Shoulder by Monument, Geoffrey - British soldier captured in Mayaya details his experiences including camps in Taiwan, Tokyo and Sendai #2 (Furukawa - Iwaki Coal Mine)- A simple book and a good read. [contact author] -

I AM ALIVE by Jackson, Charles R. (Edited by B.H. Norton) - Marine captured on Corregidor and rescued at Kamioka.

Triumphs And Tragedies- Corregidor and its aftermath by  Baker, Arthur B. (As told to J. Carlile Baker) - Surprisingly well told story of POW taken to AOMI Mine on northern Honshu. Well written story with great detail regarding the Aomi Camp --which is rarely discussed.

Books Reviewed and highly recommended:

Captives of the Empire- [Publisher Link] The Japanese Internment of Allied Civilians in China 1941-1945. Every so often, a book is produced that simply "wraps up" the whole story. Japan interned and mistreated thousands of Allied civilians in the conquered areas of China. With years of research, editing and careful documentation, Dr. Greg P. Leck has produced the finest book ever written about civilian internees in China. Extensively illustrated, Leck has woven a masterpiece of history. Stories of joy, sadness, murder and horror from numerous former inmates creates a silken tapestry of the times. One senses the ordeals and thrumphs in exquisite detail. Includes a complete nominal roll of all internees. If you want one book about the China internee experience, this is an absolute "must have". Expensive but truly worth every penny.

Conduct Under Fire - Four American Doctors and their Fight for Life as Prisoners of the Japanese 1941-1945. Awarded the 2007 Colby Medal for historical writing.
John Glusman, son of a Navy doctor captured on Corregidor, recounts the devotion and friendships of his father's ordeal and those of his three fellow Navy physicians.

From 6-S-7 Jack Leaming's amazing memoir- shot down on the Marcus Island Raid in early March 1942. Sent to Ofuna, Zentsuji and finally rescued at Toyama

Girochio, A GI's story of Bataan and Beyond [Publisher link] One of the very best POW books ever written. A Must have for any student of the POW experience; definitely one of the five best. The story of John Poncios' experiences from Bataan to Hirohata. [Our FULL Review] Extremely well written Amazon Link

Proof Through the Night, A B-29 Pilot Captive in Japan (As told by Ernest Pickett) [Publisher's Link] Story of B-29 airman shot down on first air raid over Japan when Yawata was bombed by B-29s out of China [Our Review]
Long Night's Journey Into Day [Publisher's Link]
Roland, Charles: ISBN: 0-88920-362-8, Paper, 450 pp. Wilfrid Laurier University Press, Waterloo, Ontario, 2001: Excellent recap of the defense of Hong Kong and the experiences of the POWS, a great deal centered upon their health. Outstanding discussion of the various Jap hospitals, Sendai #2 and Nagasaki camps. Massacres in Hong Kong well described along with civilian experiences. [cover]
Excellent descriptions but even better discussions relating the Japanese treatment of POWs and their concepts of Bushido vis a vis prisoners. Best possible book to understand the fanatic devotion to Japan and the Emperor. Scary parallels to today's Moslem terrorists.

Like the "Unsung Heroes of the RAF", Banham's book is the single best summation of this almost forgotten battle. A linked web site give the disposition of every single soldier and almost every civilian iincluding the internee camps. If ever an author deserves an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II, Banham merits two. Highly priced but still worthwhile.