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Parade of the Dead: A U.S. Army Physician's Memoir of Imprisonment by the Japanese, 1942-1945
"The grisly procession of dead had grown alarmingly...men who had endured the terrible ordeal of Bataan, who were 10,000 miles from home, and who then died in the most miserable conditions. For me, as a doctor, the most distressing thought was that they could have been saved, almost without exception, by proper diet and medical care." Imprisoned by the Japanese in 1942, Lieutenant John Bumgarner, U.S. Army Medical Corps, attempted to care for the survivors of the Bataan Death March. A lack of medical supplies, coupled with poor diet and unsanitary living conditions, made the task virtually impossible. Dr. Bumgarner was imprisoned until the Japanese surrender in 1945, all the while attending to his fellow prisoners of war who often had little chance of survival. His powerful story is a strong reminder of the brutality of war and captivity.
- GenresWorld War II
222 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 2, 2013
Author John R. Bumgarner, M.D., a North Carolina native who passed away a few years ago, was for many years a cardiologist in my local community, which added to my interest in his WWII memoir.
Following graduation from the Medical College of Virginia in 1939 Bumgarner began his internship and also became an officer in the Army Medical Corps reserve. In summer of 1940 he was directed to active duty believing his service might last a year. He took his long distance mission to the Philippines in stride working at a field hospital handling primarily gonorrhea and other venereal diseases within the military community. Months later on December 7, 1941 his world was rocked with word of the Japanese bombing at Peal Harbor. The Philippines fell to Japanese control and on April 10, 1942 Bumgarner and other medical personnel became prisoners of war. Transported to another field hospital he would soon be treating survivors of the well known Bataan “Death March”. American soldiers, who previously craved sex around Manila, now focused their primary thoughts and primitive instincts to the basic necessity of food. Bumgarner’s cases now consisted of life threatening malaria, beriberi, tuberculosis, dysentery and diphtheria along with basic vitamin deficiency and starvation.
Dr. Bumgarner survived the war and his quick read memoir complete with drawings serves as a true historical document.
Following graduation from the Medical College of Virginia in 1939 Bumgarner began his internship and also became an officer in the Army Medical Corps reserve. In summer of 1940 he was directed to active duty believing his service might last a year. He took his long distance mission to the Philippines in stride working at a field hospital handling primarily gonorrhea and other venereal diseases within the military community. Months later on December 7, 1941 his world was rocked with word of the Japanese bombing at Peal Harbor. The Philippines fell to Japanese control and on April 10, 1942 Bumgarner and other medical personnel became prisoners of war. Transported to another field hospital he would soon be treating survivors of the well known Bataan “Death March”. American soldiers, who previously craved sex around Manila, now focused their primary thoughts and primitive instincts to the basic necessity of food. Bumgarner’s cases now consisted of life threatening malaria, beriberi, tuberculosis, dysentery and diphtheria along with basic vitamin deficiency and starvation.
Dr. Bumgarner survived the war and his quick read memoir complete with drawings serves as a true historical document.
Displaying 1 of 1 review