Tales from the 'Greatest Generation'

Posted at 10:17 AM on November 9, 2008 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)
Filed under: Regional history

I admit. I'm a sucker for stories from the Greatest Generation.

Here's one from the paper up in Detroit Lakes.

Tony Cichy's story: He was drafted into the Army in April of 1941 after working with his father drilling wells in New York Mills. He was stationed in the Philippines when war broke out. He was taken prisoner and was held for 3 1/2 years.

Three and a half years after being a prisoner in camps, the Japanese took 1,800 men and loaded a fighter ship -- the Arisan Maru.

"That's when the hell started."

The men were stuffed in the hold of the ship with no toilets, no light, no water, and were only fed one time. They sat on three-foot shelves.

"I sat in one corner for 14 days."

Walls and beds were made of bamboo, and

It's a gripping account.

Comments (1)

This was one of the most remarkable WWII accounts I've yet read. Suddenly, the idea of what Veterans Day represents has been brought back into clear focus.

Posted by Mac Wilson | November 10, 2008 2:47 PM

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