Recently added an amazing grouping to my diary collection. It is from a U.S. soldier who was wounded at Bataan at the start of WWII and then was captured and held prisoner by the Japanese until liberted in 1945. He managed to survive dispite being starved, having many diseases, and having his leg amputated while imprisoned. The diaries have over 250,000 words of content. They cover escapes, shooting of prisoners, deaths, war rumors, hell ships, rats climbing on them, cooking up dogs and cats, air raids as the Americans closed in, and finally liberation. The interesting thing is that POW's were not supposed to keep diaries. This guy wrote on what he had available which often was the back of cigarette packages (opened up and flattened out). I found an incredible photo of him online which shows the creative way that he hid his diaries (see below).
Rob M.
Photo at liberation.jpg
Item 4.jpg