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Jack H. Heinzel transcript, 1941-2000, Date acquired: 03/27/2000, bulk 1941-1945

 

Summary

Creator:
Heinzel, Jack H.
Extent:
1.00 folders
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Jack H. Heinzel Transcript, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_00_0009.

Background

Scope and content:

Oral history of U.S. Army Air Corps B-17 Co-Pilot Colonel Jack H. Heinzel, an American prisoner of war who survived the Bataan death march and subsequent "Hell Ships" starting in April of 1942. The collection contains one folder with fifteen pages detailing this airman's experience of these atrocities.

Biographical / historical:

Jack H. Heinzel served in the Philippines as a Second Lieutenant B-17 co-pilot in the 93rd Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomb Group. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and simultaneous invasion of the Philippines in December of 1941, Jack and his bombing group flew to bombard the invading Japanese. After initial bombings, his group became grounded due to thunderstorms and were ordered to withdraw to the Bataan peninsula with Japanese forces overwhelming the American garrison. Jack and his unit became POWs on April 9, 1942. Jack's unit would endure the infamous 60 mile "Bataan Death March" where incarcerated people were denied adequate food and water along with horrific mistreatment by Japanese soldiers. Jack's experience is further documented as he became imprisoned on a Japanese "Hell Ship" which housed POWs in dismal conditions. Jack's internment lasted three "Hell Ships", after the first sunk due to American bombing, the second brought them to Takao Harbor in present-day Taiwan, while the third arrived in Moji, Japan on January 30, 1945. Jack became ill multiple times throughout his internment. However, while on his final "Hell Ship", Jack fell ill with dysentery, but Japanese officials deemed him healthy enough to be transferred to Mukden POW Camp in Hoten, Manchuria. Liberation for Jack came following the Russian invasion of Manchuria in mid-August 1945.

Acquisition information:

Jack H. Heinzel

Donated to the Institute

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open to all researchers.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], Jack H. Heinzel Transcript, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_00_0009.

Location of this collection:
116 Honors Way
Tallahassee
FL
32306-2047
USA