IN PURSUIT OF TRUTH
24 February 1998
A&E Television Network 235 E.45th Street New York, NY 10017
On 18 November 1997, I wrote you complaining about an incorrect history as it pertained to the U.S. Marines in the Philippines at the outbreak of World War II. You responded by stating how careful your historians were in insuring the accuracy of a story. Further, you requested more details concerning our complaint. I offer them to you now.
The same show, "Fellowship in Valor " aired last evening, General Mundy, retired U.S. Marine Corps Commandant, opening the program produced by Lou Reda. It was the "Battle History of the Marines". It was a wonderful show, but it is still historically incorrect.
Early in the program (02/23/98) the narrator stated the "4th Marines after going to the Philippines at the outbreak of the war, fought on Bataan for four months and then defended Corregidor". This is not true! The 4th Marines came from Shanghai all right, but immediately after the outbreak of hostilities, they were taken to Corregidor where they remained as a regiment until their capture in May 1942. A detachment of Marines did fight on Bataan. The majority of these Marines belonged to two organizations: a guard detachment and men from a Marine Air Warning Unit). The first was composed of 43 enlisted Marines and two officers. The latter also had two officers and 28 communications personnel. (Source: "From Shanghai to Corregidor: Marines in Defense of the Philippines", published by the Marine Corps History and Museum Division, Marine Corps Historical Center, Washington, DC, written by J. Michael Miller, published in 1995 as part of the World War II Commemorative Series).
The above information can be easily verified by contacting the US Marine Corps, Washington DC.
To allow the story to read as A&E has portrayed it is to do a great disservice to the American and Philippine Army who did the fighting on Bataan. The Marine Corps has a grand and glorious history, one that all Americans can take pride in, but defending Bataan is not a part of Marine Corps history.
We look forward to your corrections of this story.
Sincerely,
Richard M. Gordon Major, US Army, Retired Adjutant
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18 November 1997, A&E Television Networks, 235 East 45th Street, New York, NY 10017, Attn: Viewer Relations,
Dear Sir/Madam:
Your viewers generally believe the "history" they see on your networks to be true and accurate. In a number of cases they are not and that does a disservice to the viewer. Good research will lessen such errors in history. Case in point:
Recently a program aired on The History Channel telling about the 4th Marine Regiment going from China to the Philippines in December 1941. It went on to say that the 4th Marines fought on Bataan and when the fighting there ended, the 4th then went to defend Corregidor. That is totally misleading and untrue.
The 4th Marines did come to the Philippines in December 1941 and just before the attack on Bataan by the Japanese, they were placed on Corregidor as Beach Defense. Only a small detachment of Marines fought in Bataan, of whom, only, 43 marines made the infamous "Bataan Death March" and were incarcerated in Prison Camp O'Donnell, Capaz, Philippines. The Marines are a great organization, but the history of the fighting to defend Bataan, in 1941, can not be attributed to them, and your program does a disservice to the Philippine Army and the American Army defending Bataan.
Hopefully, in a future program you may correct this error, and by so doing you will help to erase the myth of the Marines on Bataan, in 1942. Sincerely yours,
Richard Gordon Adjutant/BBB
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18 November 1997, Craig H. Hunt, President, American Franchise Division, P.O. Box 450600, Atlanta, Ga. 32245-0600,
Dear Sir:
I wish to bring a matter to your attention on the assumption you would want to know about it.
During the period 7th, 8th, and 9th of April, 1998, about three thousand or more people will descend upon the Andersonville National Historic Site, Andersonville, Georgia. The gathering will include many notables from the Washington, D.C. area, the State of Georgia, and several thousand former prisoners of war, from all over the United States. The gathering will honor these former prisoners of war with the opening of a new museum, dedicated to America's former prisoners of war, since the Revolutionary War. It will be a memorable occasion. Unfortunately, it will be somewhat marred by some of the attendees being gouged for the cost of their rooms at the Holiday Inn, in Americus, Georgia.
Several months ago, my comrades and I made reservations to stay two, three, or more nights, at the hotel. Our quoted price was in the sixty-dollar range. I, personally, received a call from that motel, on November 16, 1997, telling me, "The prices have changed. It now cost $100.00 per night." On behalf of our members, and the former prisoners of war, I wish to protest what is obviously an attempt to overly profit from an occasion, which will fill the motel. Surely, Holiday Inn does not want to be part of such an act of greed.
In all the years that I, personally, have utilized Holiday Inns, I have never encountered such blatant rent gouging as this. It certainly will not be accepted by our veterans, that day, or in the future.
Yours truly, Richard Gordon Adjutant/BBB
