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EDITORIAL: World War II veterans have lessons to share
The Advocate - 8/22/2022
Aug. 22—Jim Bollich did more than survive the Bataan Death March and 40 months of captivity as a Japanese prisoner of war.
The Lafayette resident, a farm boy from the Acadia Parish community of Mowata, flourished after World War II, completing his university education, in part with the aid of the GI Bill. He worked a productive career as a geologist in oil and gas, and, with his wife of 67 years, reared a beloved family.
His recent 101st birthday on Aug. 15 found him at one of his part-time passions — painting with oils — but he's had other hobbies and avocations, including writing several books. One, "Bataan Death March: A Soldier's Story," revealed the daily horror of living in the captivity of a depraved enemy that flouted every convention of war and imposed beheadings and other tortures on their captive POWS. Among Bollich's duties was burying the prison camp dead.
If the best revenge is living well — and Bollich still lives a happy life 76 years after he was freed — the Roman stoic Marcus Aurelius offers another insight worth heeding: "The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury."
Despite lingering post-war effects of his ill treatment at the hands of the Japanese, Bollich turned his misfortunes to his advantage. Newly returned to the U.S., he'd wake up in the middle of the night, reliving his captive life and unable to sleep. Instead, he said, he'd use the additional waking hours to study harder, and his good grades reflected the effort.
These days, few Americans experience war or even military service. WWII veterans are in their 90s, and soon their stories will fade from our notice.
Times change; the Japanese are now an ally. But ours can remains a rough world. Our military must be well funded, maintained, respected and ready to protect the U.S.
WWII veterans still have lots to share. Let's listen and heed them while we can.
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