World War II Honoree

Bertram Freedman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New York, New York

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1941. SERVED IN THE SIGNAL CORPS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER. STATIONED IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AT THE TIME OF THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. SURVIVED THE JAPANESE INVASION OF LUZON AND THE 3-MONTH BATTLE OF BATAAN UNTIL APRIL 9, 1942 WHEN HE AND SOME 12,000 AMERICAN AND 64,000 FILIPINO TROOPS WERE SURRENDERED TO JAPANESE FORCES. HIS ORDEAL BEGAN ON APRIL 10, 1942 IN WHAT WOULD BECOME KNOWN AS THE ‘BATAAN DEATH MARCH.’ THAT MORNING, THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS OF WAR (POW) WERE ASSEMBLED, SEARCHED AND STRIPPED OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS. ATROCITIES BEGAN THAT DAY AND WERE TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT HIS IMPRISONMENT. THE PRISONERS WERE MARCHED SOME 60 MILES THROUGH SCORCHING HEAT ON JUNGLE TRAILS WITH LIMITED FOOD AND WATER OR REST. THOSE WHO FELL BEHIND WERE BEATEN OR KILLED AND THE STRONGER WERE NOT PERMITTED TO HELP THEIR FELLOW PRISONERS; THEY DID SO AT GREAT PERSONAL RISK. ON APRIL 12, 1942, DURING THE MARCH, PRISONERS WERE FORCED TO SIT IN THE BLAZING SUN FOR HOURS WITHOUT WATER. MANY BECAME DELIRIOUS AND SOME DIED FROM THE CONDITIONS AND SOME AT THE HANDS OF THEIR CAPTORS. HE WAS FORTUNATE TO SURVIVE THE HEAT, DISEASE AND BRUTALITY OF THE ‘DEATH MARCH’ AND REACH THE PRISON CAMP. SOME 5,200 FELLOW AMERICANS AND 20,000 OTHER PRISONERS DIED ON THE 'MARCH.' ARRIVAL AT THE CAMP BEGAN A NEW PHASE OF HIS 3 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT. THE BARBARIC TREATMENT OF PRISONERS CONTINUED AND HE WAS ROUTINELY FORCED TO LIVE AND WORK IN INHUMANE CONDITIONS, AND DEPRIVED OF FOOD AND WATER AND MEDICAL TREATMENT. IN ADDITION, HE WAS BEATEN ROUTINELY AND BAYONETED DURING HIS CAPTIVITY. THE DEATH RATE AT THE CAMPS WAS AS HIGH AS 550 MEN PER DAY WITH SOME 22,000 DYING IN THE FIRST 2 MONTHS. HE REMAINED IN THE PHILIPPINE CAMP FOR PART OF HIS IMPRISONMENT, WAS SHUTTLED BETWEEN CAMPS AND IN THE LATER STAGES WAS MOVED IN BOX CARS, ON FOOT AND ON ‘HELL SHIPS.’ LIBERATED IN SEPTEMBER, 1945 AFTER THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER AND THE OCCUPATION OF JAPAN BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 1945. REPATRIATED AND RETURNED TO THE STATES FOR TREATMENT OF MALARIA, OTHER DISEASES AND MALNUTRITION. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL WITH ‘FOREIGN SERVICE’ CLASP, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE DEFENSE MEDAL WITH BRONZE SERVICE STAR FOR SERVICE IN DEFENSE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND BATAAN.