Sunday, December 03, 2006

Roy and Berry Lee Hobbs United States Army

I've spent some time trying to piece together the facts of Roy Hobbs. I'm afraid it's going to take longer than the five days remaining, but I will continue to pursue it. This man certainly deserves to be recognized.

The information I have gathered so far is this: Roy Hobbs was in the United States Army Band. He was also on the Bataan Death March and was a POW in the Philippines for three years. He and other American POW's were on a Japanese ship that the U.S.bombed. The Hobbs family learned of Roy's death, I think, about a month later.

Of course, all prisoners and enemies were buried at sea. Bombs and oceans are great equalizers.

It saddens me to know that I've had many opportunities for this very personal story from Roy's brother, Berry Lee Hobbs, who passed in July 2005. I've sat in Berry Lee's back office, at his kitchen table, held the (yellow?) POW "report cards" of Roy Hobbs' in my hands, witnessed the pain of the brother, still etched in the sibling's face, fifty, then sixty years later.

Berry Lee served in the United States Army as well. A clerk, he never left the states. I've wondered since, did this bother Berry Lee? I bet it was a relief to their mother.

But I've had the chance for this story and put it off until it was too late. Oh, I'll still get the story, but not from my friend.

Rest In Peace, Roy and Berry Lee Hobbs. Thank you for your service. Your sacrifice. Your family. And Berry Lee, your friendship.

Click here for Bataan Memorial Death March info at White Sands Missile Range.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow what an expierence that must of been listening to those stories...

I'm sure you'll be fine. You do a great job in bringing things to life. These stories will be no different.

26 mile death march? I'd have to take the scaled down version today...

De'on Miller said...

Just a few days left to sign up! ;)

Anonymous said...

Yeah Okay De'on I'm there. LMBO! I'm sure they need water boys or something to hand out cool beverages and certain check points maybe...

I wonder if I'd get a t shirt for doing that?

De'on Miller said...

I'd give you a shirt and bring you water! And I'd make Greg take pics. After we're done, I'd take you to Carlsbad Caverns and at night, let you see the flight of the bats!

You're funny Gunz!

De'on Miller said...

Oh, sure, for about 20 bucks more! ;)