Archive for March, 2014

Aside

Oh, what my father Jacob, a prisoner of war (POW)
would have given for the bowl of cereal that I ate this morning;
Yet, I complained that we were out of sugar.

How refreshing a hot shower or bath would have been for him;
Yet I complained that the water pressure was too low.

Clean, warm, fresh smelling clothing
would have made him leap for joy and give thanks
to the most high, God.
Yet I complained that the washer was too loud.

Nothing to eat?
Leftovers again?
Jacob and his fellow Prisoners of war (POW’s);
Could have fed at least twenty with the food in my refrigerator.

Still, I wandered around the kitchen;
Wondering if I should dine out.

Dorothy Johler
March 2007

Written

on March 12, 2014

Aside

I know that some of the diary posts showed up twice. For now I am going to leave them as is until I can figure out how to delete the duplicate entries. I am new at this blogging but I do not want to wait much longer to tell this story. There are unheard voices that need to come to life on these pages as some of the men never made it home. Be looking in the future for the complete diary after I can research the best way to get it out to all of you possibly by a link.

Written

on March 12, 2014

Today is March 12, 2014. My husband reminded me that on March 11, 1942, General Douglas MacArthur and his family were evacuated from Corregidor Island in the Philippines to Australia. His command was turned over to General Jonathan Wainwright. Soon after the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, the Philippines were also attacked. My father, Jacob Johler had arrived in Fort Mills, Corregidor early in 1941. On December 2, 1941 he became part of a searchlight battery that traveled back and forth between Bataan and Corregidor. He was on the Bataan Peninsula when it fell to the Japanese on April 9, 1942; at which time he was sent back to Corregidor. On May 6 when Corregidor was surrendered to the Japanese, U.S. Army T/Sgt. Jacob Johler was on Battery Way. It was here that his actions earned him the Silver Star. I include his affidavit that was written after his liberation from prison camp as well as diary entries that confirm his presence on Bataan and his return to Corregidor on April 9, 1942

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Jacob and Marie Johler, 3 Lorna Lane. Loudonville, New York

Jacob and Marie Johler, 3 Lorna Lane. Loudonville, New York

Jacob Johler worked for the New York Central Railroad in the Freight Claims department. He was transferred to Albany, New York in the early sixties and remained there for approximately five years before returning to Buffalo, New York.

Written

on March 11, 2014

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Jacob J. Johler with mother Rose

Jacob J Johler with mother Rose

Buffalo, New York

Written

on March 11, 2014

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United States Army T/Sgt. Jacob J. Johler’s parents; Rose and Jacob Johler

United States Army T/Sgt. Jacob J. Johler's parents; Rose and Jacob Johler

Written

on March 11, 2014