Sorry not as much humor & excitement. Really hard talking about Bataan. But I still thought it was and important story.

As a Filipino American, Arthur Wermuth and the countless American bravery and selfless acts is the reason why I join the corp when I was old enough.

My great uncle was in the Philippines and survived the Bataan Death March and the POW camp. Unfortunately near the end he was shipped off in a Hell Ship to be taken back to Japan, however the Japanese did not mark their POW vessels as such and it was targeted by a US submarine as a Japanese troop transport and they sunk it with a torpedo attack. My great Uncle died in that attack. Thank you sharing these stories as not everyone has heard of them and those that fought on against impossible odds.

This man absolutely should be honored with the Medal of Honor, he’s absolutely a legend and we need more men like him these days

As a Fil-Am service member, thank you for covering Bataan and the Philippine Scouts. They’re very much the unsung heroes of the opening acts of WWII and it warms my heart to see them get the recognition they deserve

When I was in sixth grade, during our Veteran’s Day program, someone’s grandparents attended. This is when I learned of the Bataan death march. The gentleman was in the march and was unable to tell the story so his wife did. He stood beside her bawling his eyes out the entire time. That is THE QUIETEST I have ever heard hundreds of kids in a gym at any time in my life and that was the day I knew I was going to serve.

My Grandfather was a survivor of the Bataan Death March. I was too young at the time to understand the gravity of the stories my father (a marine himself) would tell me about his dad. To this day, I remember seeing the pride he had of *his* father. I lost my dad a few years back so the memories hit a little harder but I Thank You for bringing this story back to the surface for me. These brave souls should never be forgotten.

Thank you for this story, especially talking about the Philippine Scouts, my grandfather Valentino Juanitas was a Philippine Scout and also a Bataan Death March Survivor. That is how my family became US citizens. My grandmother Alodia was part of the Philippine underground who were spies for the US and Philippine Scouts, she would aid the efforts by smuggling medicine for the troops. Keep doing what you do. Thanks again.

Ya know.... Your dog being named Mushu makes.... It just makes sense

"Wermuth the lion" and "Ghost of Bataan" are sick nicknames, wild that he didnt get the Medal of Honor. He just wouldnt die, and time after time came through for his men.

I have actually had the honor of meeting a Bataan Death March survivor. Clemson University graduate Col. Ben Skardon. He is someone that every single Clemson student knows about to this day. Sadly, he passed away in late 2021 at the age of 104. The story told is too detailed for the comment section, but it’s very much worth looking up. Might also be worth his own video.

So...I've watched this video 3 times trying to find some way to react to it other than being numbed by the weight of the story being told. It's shocking...disturbing...to listen to this account while knowing what happened to the soldiers who were forced into the Bataan Death March. You find these snippets of history that SHOULD be taught and bring them to light. Thank you. Until 2 days ago...I didn't even know the Philippine Scouts were a thing. Finding out how absolutely badass they are...damn.

My father fought with the Americans against the Japanese at 14. He got a municipality after the war for his efforts. My American grandfather is still buried over there. Not enough appreciation is given nowadays to the GIs whom helped my Filipino brothers and sisters.

A close family friend celebrated his 17th birthday on that walk across Bataan. One day, riding the train to work, i happened across a bit of newspaper that had an obit for a survivor of that march. I tore it out, and sent it to him. Writing that i doubted he knew the guy, but that at least >someone< was acknowledging what he'd gone through. That i felt it was disgusting that they never gotten any recognition, at least not publicly, for what happened. He wrote back, thanking me for the obit (he didn't know the guy), and for the acknowledgement of their sacrifice and suffering. He included a little hand drawn map of Bataan, his troops and artillery positions on it, explaining how they spent the day they were to surrender blasting the runway with artillery that they'd let the attacking forces think was disabled (until the hour they had been order to surrender), along with some of his debrief from when he was rescued from the POW camp. He was about 5' 5", and upon his release he weighed 78 pounds. He died as that letter made its way to me. Milton Elmore was a great man. I am very glad to have known him.

This story gives me great pride for being a Filipino. Up to this day, Americans are welcomed with open arms in the Philippines due to the deep connection our people develop during World War 2. My great grandparents on my mother side, were members of those Guerrillas. The Filipino guerrillas also perfected the technique of using Yo-Yos as a weapon beside knives and fight sticks called Arnis. Great storytelling as always. Keep up the great work.

Back in 1983, I had the pleasure of meeting a survivor of that death March, the stories he told me. He was liberated from a Japanese controlled coal mine in 1946. Think the fact I was a Air Force brat who had lived on Clark AFB in the mid 50's caused him to take a liking to me...plus I was a recently discharged Vietnam Era Marine. He was a hellava man to call friend. As usual, a great video by the Fat Electrician.

Dude you have rapidly gone in as one of my favourite historians. Came across your work when you collaberated with Brandon Herrera on the Operation Chromedome story where the US nearly commited an atomic self delete. Huge appreciation for your amazing ability to deliver history in a unique and fun yet professional way. Huge respect from the UK.

I would love a video on Simo Häyhä “The White Death”. A Finnish sniper with over 500 confirmed kills with a sniper with only iron sights. He even outlived the Soviet Union. Not American but I would love to learn more about this Legend!

This story is not only a great rendition of Arthur Wermuth, combined with a realistic recount of life as a Japanese POW which our Anzac's certainly know, but a solemn reminder of how ferocious the Phillipino soldiers are and why they fight so hard.

My grandfather fought in Bataan and was POW for the entire war. The few stories he told were unreal. He weighed 96 pounds when the war was over. He worked in a steel mill for Mitsubishi Ship Works, I believe.

My grandfather so survived the Bataan Death March. He only told his story once, when I was in the 3rd grade. He mentioned sabotaging the efforts and being stuck in a ship for long time being fed only rice. He lost his vision when a Japanese soldier hit him on the back of the head with a pipe after he stumbled. He never ate rice again once he was freed. To this day, we regret not recording him talking to my class.

My great grandfather was at the Battle of the Pockets at Bataan and Corregidor as a Philippine Scout who fought in 1941. He was released in 1943 as a POW and watched his friends die. In 1944 he became a guerilla and helped the Airborne troops clear Tagaytay Ridge with Hunters ROTC. On Veterans Day, I'm picking up his Congressional Gold Medal.

The turning from Rambo to Bugs Bunny got me laughing way too hard. Cant believe something like that actually worked

I had a wonderful friend and mentor growing up named Andy Vidra. He was a POW that fought onBataan, and survived the march and the war being moved multiple times. He described many battles and hand to hand combat including repelling Banzai charges. As a 15 year old growing up in the 1970s, he was one of the people who taught me what it meant to be a man, and an American. I am grateful to have had him in my life, as well as other WWll vets. Thanks for telling some of the untold story of Bataan. Our men didn’t just get starved out and surrender, it was fierce and heroic.

I was blessed with the opportunity to meet a Canadian survivor of a Japanese POW camp. He didn't talk much about what he went through, but i remember the look in his eyes when a Japanese gentleman walked up to us. He lifted himself from the table and turned his back to walk away. Before leaving, he apologized to the Japanese man but told him the memories of what his people did to his comrades forced him to leave. I have visited the edges of hell, but that man had lived there

Homies arise, the round electricity guy uploaded

I want to take a moment and thank you, Nic. My grandfather served in the Air Force and deployed to the Philippines during WW2. I loved his stories he would share with me as a youth, and I think it is critically important for today's youth to hear these stories. You are truly a gifted storyteller, and I love your unique way of making forgotten stories of the past come to life. Keep up the important work you are doing, and thanks for the top-notch entertainment.

My uncle's dad was a marine in the Philippines and was captured on corregadore. Hope that was spelled correctly. It really unsettled him for his entire life. And was imprisoned in Manchuria. He died of esophageal cancer in 1989. He was 17 or 18 when captured. After the war he did odd jobs and drove trucks. I kinda remember him when I was a child. Seemed to me be a nice man. He also worked for my dad .

You sir are filling the gaps that public school left in my knowledge. I never liked or was very interested in history class my entire schooling career, but you have lit a fire in me. I am hungry for knowledge about the history of this country and others, wars, and general badassery from the US and others. Guns and planes and tanks and ships, youve fueled the red blooded american in me and make me more knowledgeable with each of your videos. Plus I fucking love your sense of humor Keep doing the damn thing man, love you and your content. Quack bang out

Thank you for recognizing the incredible valor of Arthur Wermuth and the Philippine Scouts. My father was an NCO in the Scouts, one of those who had to move from Ft. McKinley to Bataan. When the surrender went down, Dad and 3 of his privates decided to escape cross-country just hours before the Death March. Joining the flood of civilian refugees, they survived a brutal week of detention at a checkpoint without being exposed. Two weeks later, Dad reunited with his family, and after recovering from malaria, joined the Resistance. After two years of undercover intel gathering, in Sept. 1944 he was field-promoted to captain and trained a company of guerrillas in small arms, espionage & sabotage. When MacArthur's liberation forces arrived, thousands of guerrillas (soldiers & civilians) opened the jumbo cans of whoop-ass they had saved up for the occasion. That was a bad time to be a Japanese soldier.

You really deserve to be one of the biggest channels especially because you tell the lost stories of amazing warriors that no one else is telling. We need patriots not people who hate our great country!

I remember "Army of One," being a slogan. Probably this incredible man's legacy in a roundabout way. Great job, as always.

Thank you for covering this. My grandfather survived the death march. He was barely 18 from a small town in Idaho. Its something that is not covered much. He survived POW camp and lived to be 98. to be 98.

Terrible circumstances. Inspiring man. I salute you, sir. Everyone else sees one man doing something insane at all times. He saw the chances to do one crazy action and inflict injury and fear, then run away and repeat that fear later. Everyone else saw they were going to be surrounded. He saw a target rich environment.

My uncle’s grandfather was in the Philippine Scouts and survived the March. Not sure about specifics but I saw the video and shared it with him and he told me some of what happened. The Japanese went looking for his pregnant wife (grandma pregnant with his dad) and the family hid her in the oven because they didn’t know what would happen. Both survived the war and moved to the US.

My father was in the Philippines after the start of WW2, with the US Army Air Corp. with Philippine scouts. He never talked about this time in his life. He only spoke of time in service after the end of the war. Serving in Japan, England, Morocco, and State side with Air Force. 22 year of services Master Sargent at time of retirement. Everyone just called him Sarg.

Can you imagine the conversation at the gates of hell? "how did they know we were there? Karu weren't you last man?" " No, there was a guy behind me" "but you were the last man" "Oh, that explains the grenade" "God dammit Karu"

Dude I just found your content two days ago and you’re quickly becoming my favorite KZfaqr. I’ve burned through your entire library like twice already 😂

We moved from the U.S. to Pampanga (Angeles City) in 2015 and have visited a few sites commemorating the death march since, but this is the first time hearing about Arthur Wermuth. Wonderfully told story - thank you.

My Great Grandfather was a Filipino volunteer and sadly died in the death march after the battle for bataan. Thanks for covering this, not many people know about this battle and the people who fought it.

there are only like 4 people in the military. The leaders: Jake, Arthur, Joe/Jay, Lewis, Dan etc. The followers: the soldiers who aren't expected to, but follow the leaders nonetheless, even on suicide missions. "official" leaders: the ones who give orders away from the front lines. occasionally making things worse. The unknown: the ones who may not stand out in a crowd but were there the entire time. The lost but certainly not forgotten. Their stories may not be known to all, but they will never be forgotten by friends and family.

There is gangster….then there is gangster handing a frag to an enemy you’ve been following less than 10 feet away for miles

You Sir, are a one man army! Bringing these stories to the world is an honorable deed. Your humor and presentation is only surpassed by your obvious research. Good on you Sir! I really appreciate your respect to these men and women of which you speak! Thank you.

A masterpiece as always, thank you for teaching me something new. I enjoy Simon Whistler videos to hear stories but I know they are produced quickly and with errors. YOUR videos however are incredibly detailed, highly engaging, and I get genuinely excited when you post them. The time you spend on them is apparent and they are wonderfully told. Your passion is clear as day and your curiosity is infectious. Congrats on all of your success and thank you for reassuring us in the pinned comment you are still you and this success hasn’t gone to your head. Humor and excitement are tools to convey a particular type of story. This story called for being immersive, emotional, and paying respect. It really feels like your goal is to honor the hero’s of our past in every video you make. Never stop being genuine, never stop being a teacher, never stop being you.

Many of the greatest stories in the Army come from following the hardest order to follow, from the Charge of the Minnesota to the Battle of Bataan: "Soldiers, I need more time." You should absolutely do a video on the 1st Minnesota by the way

Don’t care if it was humorous or not. It was still fascinating hearing Wermuth’s story and what he was able to do in the Bataan peninsula.

From what I recall, my maternal grandfather was a Filipino guerrilla, but was unrecognised for some reason. It's such a shame we lost him in 2002, when I was still around 9 years old, and never get to know his whole story and whether or not he was in Bataan. Either way, thanks for doing this, QB.

The way you tell these stories is nothing short of beautiful, teared up a few times during this vid

Dude, you somehow portray laughably absurd situations with so much humanity it almost draws tears. Born storyteller.

I had an uncle that was left behind in the Philippines when MacArthur left. He was hidden by a Filipino family until MacArthur’s return. At which time he was sent home to the state. He stayed in touch with that family until the day he died.

All I can say is thank you for the story, may this man never be forgotten.

I've thought I've heard every story about World War 2 until I heard this. I don't know how I missed it but thank God you did a video on this absolute "unit" of a man. What a warrior. I wouldn't mind hearing more about "Jock" or "joc" as well.

Thank you for talking about the horrors being a Japanese POW. My Grandfather was a Marine guarding the US embassy in China, when they attacked and he was captured the first day of the war, and his treatment was brutal but he made it through the whole war, and lived to be 100. He had stories...

After much inspection I can confirm that mushu is in fact, a good boy

Thank you for this story. Full respect for Mr Wermuth. He deserves the Medal of Honor, in my opinion.

Dude, I am soooo appreciative of these stories and overviews of people, events, and equipment that most of us have NEVER heard of, and most of which would have never been brought to the attention of folks if not for dudes like you. My granddad passed served in the Army in WWII and fought in the Philippines and Pacific theater, including one incident where he made the local paper for helping take out a Japanese pillbox and earned a Purple Heart from taking shrapnel, but he almost NEVER spoke about his experiences because of the memories and because PTSD was not a recognized thing among his generation. So, it's VERY important that guys like you continue to share the stories that need to be told so that the deeds of these brave men do not become lost over time and generations and, again, for which I am very grateful that you keep the memory of them and their deeds (and some of the wild equipment) alive for future generations.

If it’s a tossup between McNasty and anyone, the dude is a full blown legend already.

The fact that Sabaton hasn’t written _ANY_ songs about the veterans TFE has covered is surprising. They’re like the encyclopedia of war heroes (though someone like McNasty would detest that hero label)

When I was a boy, back in the 1960s, I lived next door to a survivor of the Bataan Death March. He never spoke of his military service except for one time when I asked him what it was like when he got home. He told me about the parades and speeches and dinners but what piqued my young imagination was when he told me that Congress passed a law of some kind that said that any survivor of the Bataan Death March could never be reduced in their military rank, for any reason. That seemed like a heck of an honor to me.

My great grandfather (Estel Myers) was a Corpsman in Corregidor until the Japanese moved him onto the Oryoku Maru. Being one of the few uninjured medical staff on board it's likely he helped keep Arthur alive. Not alot of the P.O.W.s survived the bombing and made it back to shore into captivity. Belly of the Beast by Judith L. Pearson is a book based on his journal of the events. Cool to see something that is close to some family history.

My brother in law is Phillipines Special Operations. I met my current wife through him, while I was on a private contract helping during the time of Marawi (I’m former Psychology Operations). Phillipine Special Operations are some of the coolest, funnest, skilled, and motivated people I ever met. Loved my time with them!

God bless the Battling Bastards of Baatan. True badasses and heroes.

It is good to see such valor remembered. Living in southern New Mexico I grew up knowing quite a few gentleman that knew the ghost. An entire regiment of "crazy cowboys" were sent out there just before the war. I see the Bataan bridge almost every day. Some year perhaps you can come out and walk the annual remembrance walk in Las Cruces.

I lived in the P.I. as a child. We had the honor and privilege to see historic landmarks and memorial for the Bataan death march. Before that, I lived on O'ahu, and after, I lived in Japan. My parents were in the Navy, my grandfather was Army Air Corps who fought in the Solomon islands in WWII, and my husband is an A/D Marine. My degree is in history with a concentration in military history and diplomatic affairs and my further studies focused on the South Pacific theater in WWII. It's fascinating to live where history was made.

An incredible episode. I love the jokes, but this story deserves the respect you showed it

My great uncle survived the Bataan death march. His son used his fathers diary to write a book "the naked flag pole". My great uncle never talked about his experience, but you could tell it affected him deeply.

Walking with the enemy and then shushing them every time they step on a twig was the ultimate troll. Then he handed him a grenade and it ran off into the forest. This dude is legendary.

I did a report on this in high school, thank you for filling in the backstory. One of the reasons I enlisted was because of the battling bastards of Bataan

I gotta say, people are badass. You should go over Fr Emil Kapaun, hes a pretty inspiring story, though not with a high kill count. Look him up, its pretty cool

The things they don't teach you in history class. Thank you for bringing these videos to us. They are fascinating!

Paul H. Lankford was an 17 year old kid when he was on the Bataan death march. He was a prisoner of war of the Japanese for 3 1/2 years. He caught every jungle disease out there. He was starved and only weighted 80 pounds when he returned to America. He stayed in the Army Air Corps/Air Force until he retired and rose to the rank of Chief Master Sargent. He won many awards and did many great things for his country in those years. He was a hero, a patriot, and an inspiration to all who met him...including me.

I worked with a Philippine Scout Veteran & survivor of the Bataan death march. He only had the use of one of his arms due to the damage the Japanese inflicted upon him in captivity. I could see the pain in his eyes when he told us stories.

The thing that amazes me is I have learned WW2 History my entire life and I somehow always learn new things from your videos. Thank you for l you do man

It's really great that he credited his men. I've had officers take credit for things I did while they were asleep.

I just stumbled upon your channel and I've been binge-watching all your crazy American history videos. Seriously, you've gotta make more of those! You're awesome!

You are without a doubt my favorite KZfaqr/history teacher. Thanks for the amazing content!

Petition to change the linke Button Intro a quack - bang 🦆🦆💥💥

First, I love your channel and have gone through almost all your videos in short order. I wish you had been my high school history teacher. One thing you may not know, though I wouldn't be willing to bet on it, is the impact Bataan had on my home state of New Mexico. Of those captured were the 200th Coast Artillery, New Mexico National Guard. Of the 1816 men identified, 829 never came home. In 1989 NMSU ROTC began sponsoring the Bataan Memorial Death March. In 1992 the White Sands Missile Range and the New Mexico National Guard joined the sponsorship and the march was moved to the White Sands Missile Range. Survivors of Bataan have attended regularly, though I am not certain if any are still alive at this time. Participation has grown from approximately 100 participants initially to almost 10,000. There are military and civilian divisions. My cousin has participated in this march several times, though our family didn't have anyone there (Grandaddy fought in the trenches of France in WWI, I was an Army Nurse but never saw combat), he wishes to show respect to those who were there. Thank you for bringing these people and their history to us and giving them the recognition they deserve.

My grandfather was a coastal artillery man on the Philippines and was taken prisoner after the surrender. He was in the Bataan death march and was taken back to japan where he was made to work in condemned coal mines for the mitsubishi company. He lived through the war and died at 53. Never talked about it. Know they ate rats to live and one of my uncles was named after a friend of his that didnt make it. I try and learn as much as I can about it to just try and understand what those men went through. I know many philippinos died helping the men on the march. Being killed for something as simple as the basic kindness of giving water to the men on the march. Thank you for this video.

My Great-Grand Uncles survived the Death March and my Grandfather, also named Crispin, served as a kitchen hand at an American Military base in Luzon as he was only 13 at the time. Along with getting the name "Cris" from granddad, I also learned the stories from the war, learned to appreciate the work of those that fight for freedom as they bleed not for politics but for the people that they love and serve alongside with. Granddad taught me English that he learned while working in the kitchens and he taught me to not harbor hate for the soldiers that fought and bled on both sides. Thank you sir for this story, as bloody and gruesome as it is, it needs to be told and kept alive like the memories of our fallen and the history of all peoples. And as a teacher now, I too wish to be as inspirational as my granddad, his stories and yours as well.

I think it is a strong testament to the idea of America that so many of their soldiers defer glory of their actions to the actions of the non-Americans who helped them along the way. Excellent video. Thanks for all that you do.

Thank you for the mention of Northwestern Military Academy, We learned about him in our "Smart Books" as I am Alum of St. John's Northwestern Military Academy (SJN 2008). Northwestern merged with St. Johns in the 1990's. There is a pure list of BAMFIC that came from these academies, incase you ever wanted to know anything, I'd be happy to share.

Bro you keep the humour balanced with real emotional punch. Another great story, and these heroes need recognition and can inspire a new generation. One man can make a difference! And one man with friends.......

"Patron Saint of hole punching" almost gave me a goddamn heart attack I was laughing so hard

This has to be the saddest video yet. He is a hero but he was in an unwinnable situation. He still persistent. It's amazing

Awesome history, thank you! I love the longer posts that you are doing, man.

Thank you for these videos by far my favorite thing to watch is your videos over anything else on the Internet or on tv.. My daughter is big into history now too. I got her hooked on your channel now also. 🇺🇲💪

Guys like you are why I loved history so much I never got below a b on any project in any history class I ever had. You’re a talented story teller bro major props💯

I'm in rotc for high school, and we recently did a small bataan March and not many of us completed it, I'm glad someone finally went over this even if it was brief

Wow! I am at a loss for words that can adequately express my sadness at the loss of life. Yet I am filled with awe at the bravery of men in the midst of war. Thank you for the history lesson

I appreciate this story. My Great-uncle Rodger Heinz survived the Death March. He wouldn't talk about it until he was near death.

Good stuff! If you ever get a chance, you should do a video on Carlos Hathcock, also known as "white feather," the most decorated sniper in Vietnam. He crawled for a couple days just to get a top VC commander and take him out. He also was the first sniper to take out a Target using a Browning.50 caliber machine gun for a sniper rifle.

Really appreciate your stuff, thank you. The offbeat humour is entertaining but respectful and nicely balances the informative content. These people deserve to be remembered and you do a great jon ensuring that.

That's now two war heroes I have heard of who at some point hid in some grass and almost got stepped on.

My great-uncle was in the air warning detachment of the 3rd marines, 4th battalion, stationed at cavite.(known as the “Rouges of Bataan”) He later wrote a few books on his experiences during the war. He was one of the survivors of the death march, as well as the PoW camps and the hell ships.

I'm so glad someone's talking about him! If you liked his story, you could check out MOH Jose Calugas (who is a Filipino, got it during Bataan) and you could also check out Cleto Rodriguez, another MOH recipient (got it during the Battle for Manila). All are certified OGs, keep up the postings, love the videos!

Something i would love to hear you talk about is the liberation of Camp Cabatuan (forgive the spelling) by American forces after the Bataan Death March. So much luck and pure nerve got many pows home. The biography, Ghost Soldiers, details both the pow experience and the raid to free them, and it is incredible.

I once made a history presentation about This one Canadian dude named Léo Major. No, he might not be American, but he might be one of the most gangster dudes of all time. He lost an eye, stole a tank and drove it back to friendly lines WHILE UNDER FRIENDLY FIRE and made a joke about it afterwards. Not to mention the time he liberated an entire village infested with Germans, dual wielding stens while capturing like 98 Swastika bois (i should also mention this a recon mission, and only attacked once his friend died). So anyway then he defended a hill in the Korean War, alone (or nearly alone I can’t remember) against 1500 and he won. He survived both world war 2 and Korea. Totally worth a video if you’re willing to overlook the non-American status of this dude.

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite channels, love these stories.

Thank you for sharing this story. My grandfather was a Bataan Death March survivor and POW but never talked about it, though I understand why. Some of my greatest conversations while on active duty was with the retirees who came to the hospital for treatment. Putting out these stories helps keep their history known and not forgotten in the dusty tomes of a library, especially with the WW2 generation all but gone and so many lessons lost.