#24. An Impossible Choice

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On April 9, 1942, faced with sick, starving, battle-fatigued men and the onslaught of Japanese advances, Gen. Edward King made a momentous decision: He surrendered Bataan Peninsula to Japanese forces.

It was an effort to save the 78,000 servicemen under his command.

But he couldn’t have foreseen the consequences of that action – both for himself and for the men he surrendered.

Images

Sources

• Edward P King Junior entry, “U.S., World War II Prisoners of the Japanese, 1941-1945,” database online: Ancestry.com, Provo, Utah, 2010, original data:  National Archives and Records Administration, World War II Prisoners of the Japanese File, 2007 Update, 1941-1945. ARC ID: 212383, World War II Prisoners of the Japanese Data Files, 4/2005 – 10/2007, ARC ID: 731002, Records of the Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, Collection ADBC, ARC: 718969, National Archives at College Park. College Park, Maryland, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward P King Jr entry, “U.S., World War II American and Allied Prisoners of War, 1941-1946,” database online: Ancestry.com, Provo, UT, 2005, original data: World War II Prisoners of War Data File [Archival Database], Records of World War II Prisoners of War, 1942-1947, Records of the Office of the Provost Marshal General, Record Group 389, National Archives at College Park, College Park, Md., accessed 20 June 2023
• Edward Fostell King Jr [sic], 7 Dec 1950, Sons of the American Revolution Membership – Ancestry.com, database online: Ancestry.com, Provo, Utah, 2011, original data: Original data: Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 roll, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward Postell King Jr. (1884-1958) – Find a Grave Memorial, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward P King  family, Atlanta, Georgia, “1900 Census | 1900 US Federal Census Records,” database online: Ancestry.com, Provo, Utah, 2004, original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census, Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900, T623, 1854 rolls, accessed 20 June 2023.
• “Surrendered at Bataan, General Dies,” The Windsor Star, Ontario, Canada, 02 Sep 1958, page 6, online at Newspapers.com, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward P King Jr entry, 1916, “U.S., Select Military Registers, 1862-1985,”database online: Ancestry.com, Provo, UT, 2013, original data: United States Military Registers, 1902–1985, Salem, Oregon: Oregon State Library, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward P King entry, Geary, Kansas, “1910 Census | 1910 US Federal Census Records,” Database online: Ancestry.com, Lehi, UT, 2006, Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls), Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., accessed 20 June 2023.
• “M’Laws—King,” The Atlanta Constitution, 10 Nov 1912, Page 2, online at Newspapers.com, accessed 23 June 2023.
• Edward Postell King Jr, 1913, New York, U.S., Military Service Cards, 1816-1979, Database online: Ancestry.com, Provo Utah, 2012, Original data: NYNG Officer Service Cards prior to 1/1/1930. Saratoga Springs, New York: New York State Military Museum, and NYNG Officer Service Cards prior to 1/1/1930. New York State Military Museum, Saratoga Springs, New York, and NYNG Officer Service Cards since 1/1//1943. New York State Military Museum, Saratoga Springs, New York, and Register of Officers Whose Services Terminated Prior to Jan. 1, 1858. New York State Military Museum, Saratoga Springs, New York, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward P. King Jr, 29 July 1919, Brest, France, U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910-1939, database online: Ancestry.com, Lehi, Utah, 2016, original data: Lists of Incoming Passengers, 1917-1938. Textual records, 360 Boxes. NAID: 6234465. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985, Record Group 92. The National Archives at College Park, Maryland, and Lists of Outgoing Passengers, 1917-1938. Textual records. 255 Boxes. NAID: 6234477. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985, Record Group 92. The National Archives at College Park, Maryland, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward P King Jr family, Washington, DC, “1920 Census | 1920 US Federal Census Records,” Database online: Ancestry.com, Lehi, UT, 2010, original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920 (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls), Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C, accessed [date].
• Edward P King Jr, ancestry.com/search/collections/3129/, database online: Ancestry.com, Provo, Utah, 2013, original data: Georgia Adjutant General’s Office, World War I Statements of Service Cards, Georgia State Archives, Morrow, Georgia, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward P King Jr family, Washington, DC, “1940 United States Federal Census,” database online: Ancestry.com, Provo, Utah, 2012, Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940, T627, 4,643 roll, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward P King family, Washington, DC, “1930 US Federal Census Records,” database online: Ancestry.com, Provo, UT, 2002, original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census, Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930, T626, 2,667 rolls, accessed 20 June 2023.
• United States Army War College – Wikipedia, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Douglas MacArthur’s escape from the Philippines – Wikipedia
• “Atlanta General Forced to Surrender Personally to Japs,” The Atlanta Constitution, 17 Jun 1942, page 6, online at Newspapers.com, accessed 23 June 2023.
• “Extermination the Just Fate of Japs, General King Says,” The Kansas City Times, Kansas City, Missouri, 26 Sep 1945, page 5, online at Newspapers.com.
• “Bataan Attack Order ‘Late,’ Josh Explains,” The Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, Utah, 31 Dec 1948, page 2, online at Newspapers.com, accessed 20 June 2023.
• “Endless Hatred of Nips Voiced by Bataan Hero,” The Boston Globe, 21 Sep 1945, pages 1 & 16, online at Newspapers.com, accessed 23 June 2023.
• Cablegram/telegram from Edward Postell King Junior to Mrs Elizabeth MC King, online at DigiTool – Results – Full (lva.lib.va.us), digital collections, Library of Virginia, Records pertaining to the World War II experiences of Edward “Ned” Postell King, Jr., accessed 20 June 2023.
• “Defenders of Bataan to Parade in Boston,” The Lewiston Daily Sun, Lewiston, Maine, 09 Apr 1946, page 5, online at Newspapers.com, accessed 20 June 2023.
• “Maj. Gen. Edward King Gives Humorous Account of How He Found Army Changed after Imprisonment,” The Independent-Record, Helena, Montana, 27 Jun 1946, page 5, online at Newspapers.com, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward Postell King Jr entry, 1946, “U.S., Select Military Registers, 1862-1985,”database online: Ancestry.com, Provo, UT, 2013, original data: United States Military Registers, 1902–1985, Salem, Oregon: Oregon State Library, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward King family, Sea Islands, Georgia, ”1950 United States Federal Census,” database online, Ancestry.com, Lehi, Utah, 2022, original data: Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 – 1950, Washington, DC: National Archives, Washington, DC., Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 – 2007, Record Group 29, accessed 20 June 2023.
• “General’s Wife Dies in Saluda, The Miami Herald, Maimi Florida, 30 Sept 1954, page 54, online at Elizabeth Violet King – Hints (ancestry.com), accessed 20 June 2023
• Elizabeth Violet McLaws King (1870-1954) – Find a Grave Memorial, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Edward P King, certificate #20527, “Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919-1998,” database online: Provo, Utah, 2001, original data: State of Georgia, Indexes of Vital Records for Georgia: Deaths, 1919-1998, Georgia, USA: Georgia Health Department, Office of Vital Records, 1998, Indexes of Vital Records for Georgia: Deaths, 1919-1998, Georgia Health Department, Office of Vital Records, State of Georgia, Georgia, USA, 1998, accessed 20 June 2023.
• Louis Morton, chapters 25-27, War in the Pacific: The Fall of the Philippines-Contents (army.mil) (Washington, DC: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1953), page 325-346, online.

Historic Audio

• FDR Fireside Chat: Transcript of talk, FDR’s Fireside Chat on the Progress of the War | DocsTeach, Audio file online at: National Archives NextGen Catalog, source citation: Sound Recording 200.211; President Franklin Roosevelt’s Fireside Chat on the Progress of the War; 2/23/1942; Sound Recordings of Franklin D. Roosevelt Speeches, 1935 – 1945; Collection IBM: International Business Machines Corporation Collection; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.
• 1940s music: “They Started Something,” Audio, File: 1941-12-16-Kate-Smith-They-Started-Something, Source: 1941 Radio News : WA4CZD : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive; “Goodbye Mama, I’m off to Yokohama,” Audio, File: 1941-12-16-Teddy-Powell–his-Orchestra-Good-Bye-Mama-Im-Off-To-Yokohama, Source: 1941 Radio News : WA4CZD : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive; “We’re Gonna Have to Slap the Dirty Little Jap,” Audio, File: 1941-12-xxCarsonRobison-WereGonnaHaveToSlapTheDirtyLittleJap, source: 1941 Radio News : WA4CZD : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive.

Image Sources

• Surrender photo: King discusses surrender – Battle of Bataan – Wikipedia
• King at Nichols Field: Chapter 4: Relief of Prisoners of War and Internees (army.mil)
• King disembarking at San Francisco: King Arriving in San Fracisco, PDF, online at DigiTool – Results – Full (lva.lib.va.us), digital collections, Library of Virginia, Records pertaining to the World War II experiences of Edward “Ned” Postell King, Jr., accessed 20 June 2023.
• King winding clock: “Freed Generals King, Brougher Alight Here,” The Atlanta Constitution, 09 Sep 1945, page 10, online at Newspapers.com, accessed 23 June 2023.