My Autographed Card from Bataan Death March Survivor James J Bollich

James Bollich was attached to the 27th Bombardment Group,16th Squadron Army Air Corp deployed in the Philippines. Several hours after the attacks on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, Bollich, along with another 1,000 American soldiers, were soon to be forced into what is known now as the 'Bataan Death March.'

"We were told that the Japanese landed about 35 miles from where we were, and if we couldn't get out in a hurry we would soon be captured and even killed. So we headed toward the city of Manila," said Bollich.

After several days of holding off for reinforcements, Philippine and American soldiers were surrounded. The Japanese had taken control of the waters and land around the Bataan Peninsula.

"We made our way down to the beach in Bataan and began making a defense line. The Japanese had flown in an extra thousand troops; we were surrounded and told to surrender."

This was the beginning that led to more than a 100 mile, five day march through the Bataan peninsula and up to Camp O'Donnell. Along the way, many soldiers would be beaten with the stocks of weapons, shot, beheaded and stabbed if they attempted to reach for water, fell, or stepped out of line. The Japanese soldiers did not give mercy to their prisoners, marching them night and day constantly beating them.

The first night, we stopped; we were surrounded by guards, but they didn't give us water or food, basically just getting rest," said Bollich. "In the crack of dawn they kept us moving until we reached the camp, basically they were trying to kill us."

Once they have reached San Fernando, Philippines some of the prisoners were loaded into box cars and were sent 35 miles to the final destination. The Japanese then let the POW's out to walk another 12 miles to the first camp. A large number of prisoners died due to suffocation, dysentery and wounds from being transported in these conditions. Bollich spoke to the airmen of the 336th Training group about lying awake in the camp at night hearing screams, crying and prayers throughout the darkness. This would be his 'home' for the next three and half years. Bollich said the only freedom these prisoners had was during their sleep, dreaming of their families and loved ones. Day in and day out these POW's would be tortured and beaten and given little to no food at times.

Three and a half years later, Bollich and the remaining men in his unit finally heard that they were going home. They all left the camps and made their way to ships off the coast of China that would bring the soldiers back to the California coast for in processing. Bollich believed he was safe and sound, until a major accident occurred.

Bound for Okinawa and sailing in a typhoon, the ship carrying Bollich hit a mine. All sailors in the engine room and a few POWs were killed.

Later, B-24 bombers carried POWs to Manila. The bomb bay doors opened on one aircraft, sending 20 POWs to their death in the South China Sea.

Bollich would make it safe back to the U.S. He is one of the fewer than 40 Death March survivors still alive.