Pacific pandemonium : the true story of the battle and fall of Corregidor and its men of destiny

paClrlC paNDEMONIUM (The true story 01 the battle and lall 01 Corregidor and its men 01 destiny)

MEL SHEYA Author '

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Copyright 1950 by Melvin Sheya

PRINTED BY WESTERN HOTEl,. REGISTEII CO. 740 SOUTH MAIN STREET, SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH

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3fobn 19aulin IOWA, U. S. A.

When into

b~ttle

* we were sent,

To him it was time "well spent."

When death was stalking---danger near, Forgotten, his definition-Fear.

To live, to laugh, to fight and die, His only code, "Keep Glory High."

M.D.W.

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* The author

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to take this oppor-

tunity to thank those who encouraged him in the writing and final publication of this book.

Many thanks to Edith Strom and Margaret Wooldridge for their great help and advice.

MELVIN SHEY A.

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By MARGARET WOOLDRIDGE The Fourth Marines. better known as the "Old China Hands" of prewar years. were greatly responsible for the defense kept up for the safety of Corregidor and Bataan. The story of the Fourth has never been fully told. and perhaps may never be completely unfolded. However by direct experi,e nces gathered from members of the Fourth Regiment who were fortunate enough to survive the merciless tortures of the Japanese. we were able to gain some of the direct knowledge of that group of men who. with painful pride--pain in the worst form of defeat ever inflicted upon any American armed forces. and pride in the courage of the men who fought and died for the defense of our country in the Philippines.

The material in this book has been the actual experiences of a Fourth Marine. who relates the unvarnished truth of his life. and the life of his comrades. most of who were among the "Old China Hands" before the war.

He begins his story on the 28th day of November. 1941. when the Fourth Regiment marched with its music and Old Glory waving high. down Bubbling Well road to the docks. there they bid farewell to a China already being dominated by unseen forces of Japan. He takes you through heartrending experiences endured by our own boys through the battle and fall of Corregidor.

From the defeat of that island. he takes you through their "living Hell." in captivity forty-two months under the Japanese.

Corporal Melvin Sheya. of Salt Lake City. Utah. the author and marine whose "blow for blow" description of the bloodiest battle in the Pacific. writes this book in his own original manner. withholding no true facts. and expressing the uppermost thoughts of that small but mighty band. the "Fighting Fourth Marines."

Pacific pandemonium : D 767.4 S45 1950 RHC

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