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In late 1945, a just-liberated POW named Jack Aldrich discovered something: his brother Bobby – who Jack thought was dead – had also survived imprisonment.
5 years earlier, Jack and Bobby joined the US army – together; Bobby lying about his age to get in. They trained together at Ft. Bliss, Texas, and fought together on Bataan.
They then – together – marched the Bataan Death March and experienced the atrocities of Japan’s POW camps in The Philippines.
Only then, they were separated – and their true struggles for survival began.
This is their survivors’ story.
Episode transcript and sources available here.
Photos
Jack Aldrich exhibit at the Bataan Veteran Building, Santa Fe, NM
The exhibit about Jack Aldrich mentioned in the episode is on display through Spring 2024 at the: Bataan Veterans Building in downtown Santa Fe.
The exhibit is created and maintained by the New Mexico Military Museum in Santa Fe. www.newmexicomilitarymuseum.com
My friend from childhood Suzanne Delaware is the daughter of Jack Aldrich and niece of Bobby Aldrich who were honored in this podcast as survivors of the Bataan Death March. Voters should remember that Donald Trump said he only likes veterans who weren’t captured. Don’t vote for Trump.
I’ve seen that comment of the former president. It sickens me. Among other things, it’s an entirely unfair statement, especially for the men in The Philippines like Jack and Bobby Aldrich who were basically abandoned by their country. Their choices were to fight to death or surrender or attempt improbably escape. Sadly, surrendering in this case, for a sickeningly high percentage of the men, was also a death sentence.
I enjoyed so much working with Suzanne on this episode. She is truly a delight.