Bataan: A Survivor's Story

by David L. Burch and Gene Boyt

Book Overview

Like many other young American men during the depression-era 1930s, Gene Boyt entered Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps. Later, after receiving an ROTC commission in the Army Engineers and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Missouri School of Mines, Boyt joined the Allied forces in the Pacific Theater.

While building runways and infrastructure in the Philippines in 1941, Boyt enjoyed the regal life of...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0806135824
• ISBN13: 9780806135823
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
• Length: 237 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

My Grandpa

This is the story of my Grandpa. I hope you all enjoy this book! Now that my Pops is in a better place I can read this book and feel closer to him than ever. Through reading this book my family and I have learned so much that we never knew about our Pops. It shows the best and worst of the people of the Death March and the angels that helped my pops to survive so that I may be here today. I hope you enjoy this as much as we have! Thank you for reading it. Shoni Boyt

A Beautifully Written Account of the Atrocities of WWII

The Bataan Death March left very few survivors, but the ones it did leave, like this author, were strong, brave heroes! The author shares the heartaches of war along with the joys of returning home to family and friends whose prayers were answered. I'm so glad I have this book, it is a genuine treasure trove of inspiration! God bless the memory of every man, woman, and child who suffered the horrors of World War II. We are indebted to them for their wisdom and their courage.

Great Story!

The book was well written and kept my attention - it was hard to put down! Everyone in my family read the book and it generated many conversations about family members who served in World War II, human nature, and Mr. Boyt's incredible will to live. My son used this book for a class assignment and all of the kids enjoyed the story - it gave an indepth look at just one of many heros who served in World War II. I highly recommend this book.

I'll Buy Two

I plan to own two copies - one for each of my children to inherit. We owe it to those who served and suffered in sacrifice to our country to know their stories, so that our gratitude may be complete. We owe it to ourselves to understand what happened and why, not merely to hone our knowledge of history, but because it will help us to better deal with the conflicts of our time. Personal accounts of historical events are invaluable aids in coming to a more complete understanding of the event. The reader can "see" the events as they were and draw his own conclusions rather than rely on historians' biases in the retelling.What I loved most about the book was Lt. Boyt's telling of how he survived and his attitude about the ordeal. He describes some of the most horrific episodes in human history in a calm, matter-of-fact, and sometimes even humorous way. Lt. Boyt's greatest legacy is the inspiration he is as a human being. To have suffered so much, and yet to have placed the evil he experienced in perspective with love and hope makes the book truly `a survivor's story' - not just survival of the body, but survival of the human spirit.

Bataan: A Survivor's Story

Boyt States that he wrote this book for 2 reasons: "First, I hope to contribute to a more complete history of both the Bataan Death March and the broader POW experience. Second, I feel compelled to bring my story to later generations of Americans." The author succeeds on both counts. This is an easily read, true, and impactful story that I found hard to put down. It puts into context the suffering endured by those who survived, and the many who died, during the Death March and being held as POW's by the Japanese in WWII. The discriptions are vivid including the heroric actions of the Philippeno people prior to and during the struggle. They also suffered greatly. I'm glad I added this book to my library.