Troness, Art (1913-2005)

Art Troness was drafted for military service in April 1941. He was deployed overseas October 1, 1941, and was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines four months later. As a POW in the Philippines, Troness spent time at the Bilibed, Cabanatuan, and Dapecol camps. He plowed, harrowed, planted, harvested, and threshed the rice fields in Dapecol. Troness experienced punishments similar to the stories of others, but he did not just fall over when hit by the Japanese, he stood back up at attention, which made the punishments worse. In 1944, Troness was evacuated with others from Cabanatuan by ship for Japan, which took weeks as they dodged American submarines. While in a POW camp in Japan, Troness would seek medical help for ulcers, which were lanced and had to stay open to heal for months. Troness was left in a ditch when walking to work in the mines because he could no longer move, he was left there for the day and then grabbed when they were returning from the mines to the camp. Troness was liberated on September 16, 1945. When back in the states, Troness returned home to family before spending time at the VA for psychological disabilities. He was married to Letha Vivian Troness, and passed away on January 4, 2005.

No oral history

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