National Guard to honor Death March survivors at Camp Ripley

I knew a man in the Marines who had been a death march survivor.

Willie Lang joined the Marines in 1939. After boot camp Willie was stationed in the Phillipines where he participated in Bataan. He survived the death march, a ship to Japan and spent the war in a Japanese prison camp.

I met him in 1948 at the Marine Barracks, Hawthorne, Nev.

Then we went to Korea where I was wounded twice. The second time on my return I was checking into the hospital at Mare Island and met Willie. He was checking out of the hospital and had orders back to Korea.

Willie had 11 years in the Marines and 8 of it had been in foriegn lands.

He retired in 1960 and worked as a jailor in Reno until his death in the 70s.

To all POW's, thank you for your service and sacrifice. To the Bataan Death March survivors, I salute your bravery, welcome home!