Richard Francies of Cleveland Heights was in the U.S. Army Signal Corps stationed on the Bataan peninsula in the Philippines in 1942, when he and thousands of others were captured by Japanese troops and marched to prison.
Dick Francies: There were 62,000 Filipinos on the Death March and 12,000 Americans.
The prisoners were being moved to a camp, 65 miles away. But, the Japanese Army didn't have the vehicles needed to transport so many people, so over 70,000 men walked across a hot and unforgiving landscape. There was little food or medicine for those who fell sick. Many perished along the way.
89-year-old Dick Francies is one of less than 200 remaining survivors of the Bataan Death March. He and other former prisoners of war who will be honored at a luncheon at Tri-C West. Francies has plenty stories to share, but one question continues to haunt him and many soldiers who return home after seeing their colleagues fall on the battle field.
Dick Francies: Why am I still alive?
David C. Barnett, 90.3.