Zf192. Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival, by David L. Britt, this is the front cover.
A new book about Army Lt. Britt serving in Fort Wint, (Grande Island in Subic Bay) and in the Battle of Bataan during WWII. He also survived three Hell Ships and being a POW in the merciless hands of the Japanese Imperial Army.
Zf194. 1941 Olongapo, Chet Britt Sr. at the Olongapo Fleet Boat Landing and Waiting Shed. It looks like the Army Coastal Defense Force of Fort Wint on Grande Island in Subic Bay used the same boat landing area as the US Fleet in the Olongapo US Naval Station. This image was provided by John Duresky.
The printed book is now available Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival by David L Britt, with John Duresky and Vickie Graham ISBN 978-1-09838-539-2 It’s online for pre-sale print-on-demand, and you need to pre-order to get a copy printed and shipped to you. It won’t be until the box vendors see a good sales volume that they will order paper copies for display and sale in stores.
Bookbaby has the best write-up, click here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098RDP3DZ
Barnes and Noble, click here.
It is also available at Amazon.com, click here:
For the Amazon picture page, you can directly click here:
Zf193. Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival, by David L. Britt, this is the back cover.
The Army Lt. Chester K. Britt Research Team had contacted Corregidor Forum members for information about Fort Wint, Grande Island, Olongapo, Bataan and Corregidor. We helped them and they shared some of their research finds with us which some of it is already posted in the Corregidor Forum.
The people of the Army Lt. Chester K. Britt Research Team are:
First are Dave Britt, LTC USAF (Ret), son of Chester K Britt, Vickie Graham CMSGT USAF (Ret), and John Duresky. They all graduated from Logan High School in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1967, and are doing it as a team. Chester Britt graduated from Logan in 1933 and his mother Grace in 1934. Dave wrote most of the manuscript, John editing what he wrote and doing most of the research, and Vickie is the final editor with about 20 years of professional writing in her resume, largely with Airman Magazine.
They have finished the book about Army Lt. Chester K. Britt now!
In the forum, previously, we have uploaded their intention to write this book at this page, POW/MIA, Army Lt. Chester K. Britt, Hell Ship Oryoku Maru, click here:
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I have received and started reading the book.
(Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival, by David L. Britt)
I think the book has a great introduction telling us how the Second World War has affected so many people everywhere in the world.
I just finished chapter 6: Surviving Hell Among the Dead. (Dec. 13 1944 to 30th Jan. 1945). They done a very good job in describing Lt. Chet Britt’s journey in hell for 48 days. He and others were on three (3) Hell Ships. I was particular interested in this chapter because some of the events happened right here in Olongapo where I live.
Chapter 6 is 45 pages long from page 95 to page 140. I chose 4 pages to photo copy and present them here as sample of the vivid, brutish story of hell.
Zf254, page 105 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This page describes the conditions on the Oryoku Maru under aerial attack in Subic Bay.
Zf255, page 119 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This page describes the stay on Poro Point Peninsular in San Fernando, La Union Province as they are to get on board two other Hell Ships.
Zf256, page 127 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This page describes the Hell Ship Enoura Maru under attack in Takao, Formosa.
Zf257, page 137 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This page describes the statistics of over half of the POWs perishing on the Brazil Maru and the very tragic statistics of the Japanese Hell Ships in the Far East.
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I have read 2 more chapters of the book.
(Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival, by David L. Britt)
Chapter 7: Surviving Japan and Manchuria (Jan. 30 to Aug. 1945) page 141 to 160.
Chapter 8: War Ends, Free Again (Aug.-Sep.1945) page 161 to 198. This chapter has about 14 pages of photo copies from Chet’s diaries or the first letters home; some are hard to read in this book format.
Both chapters are relative short and every paragraph is a new vivid fact the men had to endure. In Chapter 8 we also read about Gen. Wainwright, the other Senior Officer, the OSS Parachute Teams to get to the POWs, send supplies and get Gen Wainwright and his British counterpart, Gen Percival to the Surrender Ceremony and we read about the Russian Invasion
Zf258, page 144 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This page describes the POW’s arrival in Japan. They were treated better that ever before. Many were sent to a POW hospital, US doctors and enlisted medical personal took care of them. They also received blankets, it was winter. But the Japanese doctors in charge did not provide medicines to POWs they thought were dying, but the food, better and more than before, was not enough to sustain life and many more POWs died there.
Zf259, page 153 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This page describes that the POWs learn that they will go to Manchuria. And here are more statistics of more who died and how many survived.
Zf260, page 171 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This page brings the OSS Team, the Russians, FREEDOM and airplanes which some will be able to use to get back the Philippine via China. And the Russians march off the now Japanese POWs and who knows what happened to them.
Zf261, page 180 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This page describes the journey back to the Philippines by air via unoccupied National China.
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I finished the book.
One could finish the book in 1 day, I done it in three sittings. I do many other things in life.
These are the last 4 chapters:
Ch. 9. Recovery and Repatriation, Sep. 1945 to July 1946.
Ch. 10. Return to Active Duty, Aug. 1946 to Dec. 1949.
Ch. 11. The Rest of the Story, 1950-1954.
Ch. 12. Comrades & Unknown Heroes.
I could not put the book down and I had to finish the book in this sitting. The chapters are relative short, the 4 chapters are in about 98 pages but every paragraph is a vivid description of this soldier’s life and his service to the country during and after WWII. His unfortunate experience in the brutal hands of the Imperial Japanese Army cut his life, his continued service and a happy family life short. With great sadness did I learn how his life as a POW affected this American family.
Chapter 12 is very interesting because the authors dedicated that chapter to his West Point Classmates who were assigned to the Philippines and experienced WWII. About half of them died!
One more factor made the book very interesting to me, Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. It has a German connection. Chet Britt was assigned there and also worked at the White Sand Missile Range in New Mexico which is nearby. The following 2 pictures and one reading page will demonstrate that.
Zf266, page 216 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This image tells us that Major Chet Britt was assigned to the Headquarter Battery, 384th AAA Battalion (Anti Aircraft Artillery). If I read it right the former members of the Philippine Department were able to wear their prewar Sea Lion Shoulder Patch to indicate their honorable service in that Army Department during the WWII.
Zf267, page 217 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This page tells us that Major Chet Britt worked on the early U.S. Missile program.
Zf268, page 218 of the book; Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival. This image also tells us that Major Chet Britt worked on the early U.S. Missile program.
Note from Karl, there are two more German angles to the Fort Bliss connection. As early as 1959 German Air Force Soldiers (West Germany) were trained here in Anti Aircraft Defense. And then, they wore U.S. Uniforms, I know that because my friend was one of those soldiers in 1959 and he showed me his pictures and told me about it.
In 1971-72 I went thru 1 year of training for my 3rd tour in Viet Nam, I was in Fort Bliss for 35 weeks of full time Viet Namese Language Training. I met the German Air Force Soldiers in training in Fort Bliss then, at this time they did wear their German Uniforms. I made friends and we enjoyed some beer in Juarez across the border.
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An event notice from the authors November 11th, at 2PM 2021
From the authors of:
RELENTLESS HOPE – A True Story of War and Survival, by Dave Britt with John Duresky and Vickie Graham ISBN 978-1-09838-539-2.
Zf319. Venue:
American Legion Post 52 at 711 6th St S, La Crosse, WI. on November 11th, at 2PM.
Dear Friends and Family, we have been very pleased with the reception our book has gotten and the good reviews. RELENTLESS HOPE – A True Story of War and Survival, by Dave Britt with John Duresky and Vickie Graham ISBN 978-1-09838-539-2 Paper and e-book are for sale at https://store.bookbaby.com/book/relentless-hope You may also purchase a copy from www.Amazon.com
From the reviews, the book has accomplished what we hoped to accomplish, it honors my parents and tells the REAL history of World War 2, in its rawest brutal and savage form. It provides readers with insight into the sacrifices of Americans and our allies and strives to keep alive the memories of those men.
On November 11th, at 2PM, Dave and I have been invited to the American Legion Post 52 at 711 6th St S, La Crosse, WI, as part of their Veterans Day event. This event will serve as a Remembrance Day for the 80th anniversary of the start of World War 2 for America. Most have heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor. What is little known is that the Japanese engaged our ground forces in combat in the Philippines within hours of the Pearl Harbor attack. We will speak about the book and its coverage of this forgotten war and answer questions.
Zf320. The authors also included this picture and comment:
With Christmas around the corner, we hope you might consider giving a copy as a gift to people on your list, especially young adults. This book tells Dave parent’s love story interrupted by the horror of war. It teaches the history of World War 2 in a time when our children and grandchildren are no longer taught about that war. It also covers the horror this war caused to so many other men and women that Chester Britt knew, and their families are still dealing with that loss today. So much of that war we see only in photos and movies in black and white. The other day when I went out for a walk there was this glorious sunrise I’ve attached here. It reminded me of how I read about the POWs in the Philippines even in the midst of their imprisonment marveling at the beauty of the Philippine forests and sunrises and sunsets over the mountains, just as our cover photo (Dave’s idea from concept to finish) shows the beauty of the Philippine jungle just beyond reach outside a prison window.
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US Army, Philippine Scouts, on Parade in Olongapo 1941
These Philippine Scouts were US Army Soldiers, recruited in the Philippines, and were stationed in Fort Wint on Grande Island. Fort Wint was part of the Manila and Subic Bay Coast Defense Command (CAC). These Philippine Scout soldiers were mostly led by American Officers and they paraded here on the 30th of May 1941 on Memorial Day.
John Duresky, researcher of an author team send these pictures and asked where they marched, see the next paragraph? The Army Lt. Chester K. Britt Research Team finished their book, it is titled:
Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival, by David L. Britt
Karl,
These 4 photos show Chester Britt, the tall, thin man leading the Filipino troops, during a Memorial Day parade May 30, 1941, in Olongapo. Does anything in the photo or the mountains in the background give you any idea of where the photos were taken within Olongapo?
Thanks,
John
These 4 photos are really unique, the only ones I ever saw with the US Army on parade in Olongapo before the war. I added 2 Google Earth images and marked them to explain where most likely the Philippine Scouts from Fort Wint marched in Olongapo in 1941.
Zg035. This is an image of Fort Wint Philippine Scouts of the US Army CAC parading thru Olongapo on Memorial Day, the 30th of May 1941. This picture was provided by John Duresky, researcher of an author team that finished their book, it is titled:
Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival, by David L. Britt.
Zg036. This is an image of Fort Wint Philippine Scouts of the US Army CAC parading thru Olongapo on Memorial Day, the 30th of May 1941. This picture was provided by John Duresky, researcher of an author team that finished their book, it is titled:
Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival, by David L. Britt.
Zg037. This is an image of Fort Wint Philippine Scouts of the US Army CAC parading thru Olongapo on Memorial Day, the 30th of May 1941. This picture was provided by John Duresky, researcher of an author team that finished their book, it is titled:
Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival, by David L. Britt
Zg038. This is an image of Fort Wint Philippine Scouts of the US Army CAC parading thru Olongapo on Memorial Day, the 30th of May 1941. This picture was provided by John Duresky, researcher of an author team that finished their book, it is titled:
Relentless Hope: A True Story of War and Survival, by David L. Britt
Zg039. This is a Google Earth image of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ), the Naval Station part of the former Subic Bay Naval Base. I used it before in other venues but it is good enough to show where I believe the parading soldiers marched.
Zg040. This is another unique picture of the former Naval Station Olongapo and the Olongapo Town, shot in 1909, and apparently the Tappan Park was not created yet. I never saw such a complete image of Olongapo before the war.
A great brief writeup on Relentless Hope !! Really very interesting and detailed in the events that transpired ( reminescent of what my dad had told me) in the hell ships and the POW camps. >>
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