Photo By Capt. Fernando Ochoa | Col. Richard Lamb, 311th ESC rear detachment commander, coins Harry Corre, Bataan...... read more read more
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LOS ANGELES - Harry Corre, a Bataan Death March survivor, visited the 311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command at the West Los Angeles U.S. Army Reserve Center Aug. 21 to recount his experiences, and assist and advise veterans.
Corre, 90, was a former prisoner of war who was captured by the Japanese during the Battle of Bataan in 1942 when he was a 19-year-old Army corporal serving in the 59th Coast Artillery Regiment.
He was sent to a Japanese labor camp where he spent the next three years of his life working in a coal mine under horrendous conditions.
He was only 97 pounds when he was freed at the end of the war, the result of years of malnutrition and hard labor.
Corre currently works at the local VA hospital as a patient advocate four days a week and has no plans of retiring any time soon.
He informed the audience of soldiers of their benefits and encouraged them to be proactive.
“If you have a physical issue and it isn’t in your record, it doesn’t exist,” said Corre. “Make sure you take care of it … nobody else will but yourself.”
The drill hall was filled with an enthusiastic audience. After his presentation, Corre took questions from the soldiers. He was asked what it was like being held captive to what was the worst food he had to eat. He enjoyed the visit and happy to share his experiences and knowledge.
After being released from the Army, Corre returned to his hometown of Boston.
He now lives in West Los Angeles with his second wife of 25 years.
“I’ve already retired twice, and the best thing for me to is to keep working. It keeps my mind active and gives me something to do, and I’m helping veterans. I find helping veterans very fulfilling,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2013 16:10 |
| Story ID: | 112524 |
| Location: | LOS ANGELES, CA, US |
| Hometown: | BOSTON, MA, US |
| Web Views: | 113 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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