Your grandfather was with the USFIP or United States
Forces In the Philippines.  I don;t believe he was a Scout, at least when the war started, but I could be wrong.  He was an engineering officer.

I believe, but don't know for sure, that he as captured on Corregidor, and not on Bataan, so he was not a Death March Survivor.

I do know that around May 23, 1942, he was interned in Cadre Barracks, along with the other officers above field grade.  In August, 1942, he along with those other officers, above field grade, were sent to Formosa (Taiwan).  He stayed in the various camps there, until April, 1945.

From Formosa, he was sent to Camp Hoten, in Mukden, Manchuria, where in the middle of August, 1945, he was liberated by the Russian Army.  

Two separate OSS teams also parachuted into Mukden, in this time frame, and the OSS made the arrangements to get them back home.

If you need more detail or if I may answer any other questions, feel free to contact me.

Take Care,

Fred



Quote:

My name is Ching-ching, from Taiwan. I accidentally found your inquiry of your Granddad, COL Roscoe Bonham.

I think I have some information to share.

Your Granddad was in Karenko and Shirakawa Prison Camps in Taiwan. For this information, you can check Taiwan POW Site.

Karenko Camp opened in August 1942 and Shirakawa Camp opened in July 1943.

Some of higher ranked officers were transferred to Mukden in September 1944.

I believed he was one of them.


Also, in Brig. Gen. Lewis Beebe's "Prisoner of the Rising Sun", it mentions your Granddad twice:

On page 193,
"A bamboo pipeline has been built by Bonham..."

On page 209,
" One officer (Bonham) did not raise his hand on either question."

I am doing this research for my granddad, who was actually a former guard in both camps. He is 88 years old now. Recently I’ve acquired his friendships with some POWs and I wish to do my best for him. After reading enormous historical documents and diaries, I’ve learned brutal behaviors of Japanese in the POW camps. I know my request may bring back some bad memories to the person of a kin of his. However, after so many years my granddad mentions his friendships with them, I believe they must be something valuable.

My granddad was a junior guard in Karenko Camp and was responsible for deliver duties in Shirakawa Camps. He therefore had more chances to talk to POWs, who were also lower-ranks officers. There were 3 Americans to be his friends and they were all together from Karenko to Shirakawa. I think there is a chance they knew each other. In this case, could I ask a photo of his so that I can show my granddad?

Kind Regards,