Francis Joslin papers, 2005.

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Francis Joslin papers, 2005.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/63166721

General description of the collection: The Francis Joslin papers contain a typed memoir of his experiences as a prisoner of war (POW). His first duties were to gather up the dead American, Japanese, and Filipino bodies for burning after the attack on Fort Huges. He recalls foraging for wood so that his Japanese guards could cook rice. He and the other prisoners would catch dogs to eat. He had two teeth knocked out and two broken when a guard hit him in the face with a club. He had regular malaria attacks and suffered from beriberi because of malnutrition. During his confinement, he was tried for sabotage and trying to escape and sent to Osaka for lifetime solitary confinement in a cell in which he could not stand up. He learned some Japanese from his guards so he was able to understand the speech of the Emperor of Japan when he surrendered over the radio. He and his fellow POWs walked out of their cells the next day, 14 August 1945. He remembers that not all the guards were bad people. After he got out the Australians were the first friendly forces he found. He had various operations and surgeries resulting from malnutrition and poor treatment during his inprisonment.

1 folder.

U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7883816

U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center

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Joslin, Francis.

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Francis Joslin was born 3 March 1923. When he was 15 years old he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in Montana. He enlisted into the Regular Army 3 March 1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor he was sent to Corregidor Island and assigned to Company I, 59th Coast Artillery (CA), 31st Infantry Division. After fighting at Linguine Gulf, Luzon and escaping capture at Bataan, Joslin was captured at Fort Huges on 6 May 1942. He was held at Manilla-Bilabid Prison and Cabanatuan. In the spri...