Lester.I.Tenney's World War 2 memoir "My Hitch in Hell: The Bataan death march" is a grim tale of survival through the horrible days of the most devastating war of human history. Known to his comrades as 'Ten-Spot', Mr. Tenney participated in the defense of Bataan in Philippines against the massive onslaught of the Japanese army. He belonged to the B company, 192 Tank battalion. In his memoir he has given acute blood-chilling description of the infamous Bataan death march which he had fortunately survived. While reading it i was appalled by the barbarity of the Japanese guards who accompanied the tired,disease-infested,thirst-maddened American and Filipino soldiers on a 80-mile painstaking journey to the notorious POW camp O'Donnell. According to the author's own words 'stop walking, and you would be killed instantly.' The conquering Japanese did never show slightest mercy to the defeated soldiers who were forced to surrender due to lack of food, medical supplies and fighting weapons. As per statistics, around 12000 American soldiers were subjected to this barbaric treatment by the Japanese during the march. Only 1500 of them could come back alive to their home after the end of the war.
Mr. Tenney also narrates his daring escape from camp O'Donnell and joining a guerrilla force hiding in the jungle and sabotaging the Japanese military supplies under cover. He was eventually caught by the Japs and again was sent to the previous camp. Thereafter he brings into his book the remembrance of his life in another infamous camp Cabanatuan amidst the shadow of death looming largely everywhere. In last few chapters of his book he narrates his transportation along with other American prisoners from Cabanatuan to Omuta, a place in Japan where he was again forced to work as slave labour in a dangerous coal mine for almost three years. The memoir ends on a happy note describing Mr. Tenney's return to his homeland after the end of the war to the warm embrace of his relatives. Besides that one would be moved to tears to learn about his separation from his girlfriend Laura, who despite being informed that Tenney was missing in action, waited for him three and half years in vain and at last was forced to marry somebody else just few months before his coming home. What a tragedy !!!
Tenney's memoir has taught me a lot about life. I cannot help admiring this man for his positive attitude even amidst those horrible turbulent days of his life as prisoner of war. He never lost hope or courage and always used his intelligence to find the best possible way how to avoid torture and beatings by the Japanese guards. On learning about the cruel inhuman treatment of the prisoners at the hands of their Japanese captors I repeatedly wondered how a human being can endure so much for such long period of time as Mr. Tenney did. According to him he made it because he always intended to do the right thing at the right moment. Frankly speaking if i were there in place of the author, i would have given up much earlier.
Finally it must be said that Mr. Tenney's contribution to the American war effort in its struggle against fascism is no less than those millions of men who served their country on land, in sea or in the air in hour of urgent need. It is wrong to assume that in order to win a war valour in the battlefield is the only vital component. Rather the fighting spirit of a warring nation is also inherent in the power of endurance, resilience and the ability to remain mentally calm and goal-oriented even amidst most adverse situations.
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