28.2 Fitzsimmons Grp

It is recorded that the Tharp and Fitzsimmons Groups were designated at about the same time. There is no indication as to what criteria were used to place men in these two groups. Fate decided which of these men would be part of the Fitzsimmons Group that spent the majority of their TBR time in camps close to Thanbyuzayat rather than in the Burmese highlands.

As with the Tharp Group, upon completion of the TBR, these men were consolidated to camps in Kanchanaburi. Some were then transported to either Saigon or Japan. Most were eventually liberated from camps in Thailand.

Fitz	other	3213535	JOHNSON HAROLD MARTIN	SM1c	Borneo Internment Camp Kuching
Fitz	other	3214035	MCMANUS HAROLD EDWARD	SM1c	Borneo Internment Camp Kuching
Fitz	other	3421099	STONE HARRY Hoffman	SC2c	Borneo Internment Camp Kuching
Fitz	Burma-dcd	3823539	BENDER GEORGE FREDERICK	SM2c	TH Nakorn Pathom (final TBR death)
Fitz	Burma-dcd	20813346	BOWLEY Raymond Jesse	PVT	TH Kanchanaburi
Fitz	Burma-dcd	2658173	BROTHERS FRANK WHEELER	SM1c	114 Kilo Camp, Burma
Fitz	Burma-dcd	36009960	DALESIO Frank  (aka D’Alessio)	PVT	TH 133 Kilo Nikki
Fitz	Burma-dcd	36105805	DICKENS William H	PVT	114 Kilo Camp, Burma
Fitz	Burma-dcd	38027525	EKLUND Rudolph Leroy    “Swede”	PVT	114 Kilo Camp, Burma
Fitz	Burma-dcd	19000197	MATTFELDT WILLIAM Fuller	PVT	114 Kilo Camp, Burma
Fitz	Burma-dcd	2237690	MUSTO JAMES WILLIAM	SM2c	30 Kilo Camp, Burma (Reppo)
Fitz	Burma-dcd	20815880	PFEIL STANLEY Arthur	PVT	39 Kilo Camp
Fitz	Burma-dcd	20813159	PITTS Gaston Elwyn	PVT	114 Kilo Camp, Burma
Fitz	Burma-dcd	20814169	ROGERS JOHN William	PVT	TH Tha MaKam
Fitz	Burma-dcd	20814173	SIMPSON Ward Helvey	PVT	TH Kanchanaburi ‘F & H’ Hospital Camp No 1
Fitz	Burma-dcd	309529	WILSON JAMES Raydell  “Goon”	Pvt	114 Kilo Camp, Burma
Fitz	Burma	3288517	AGIN GERALD LEON	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814117	ANDERSON Luther Lee	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38036113	ANTHONY Nolan Durward	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38037070	ARGABRIGHT Joseph Harold	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814118	ARMSTRONG Roy Guy	PVT	Saigon (see below)
Fitz	Burma	3721563	ARNOLD FLOYD VIRGIL	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38026152	ARROYA Salome Gonzales	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	34140926	ASHWORTH Hix Campbell	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	299541	AUST RICHARD L. JR “Pluto”	Pvt	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813340	BAILEY Jack Wayne	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3467653	BAIN MARVIN LEATH	SM1c	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3685605	BALLEW JAMES LETCHER	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813581	BARNES DANIEL FRANK	PVT	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	2072971	BARNES STANLEY DAVENPORT	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	2916348	BEARDSLEY MARVIN MONROE	SM2c	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3372634	BEATTY PAUL ERSKIN	SM2c	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3562666	BEDFORD WINDELL JOSEPH	SM1c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	2239856	BERGEN JAMES TIMOTHY	SM2c	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38026050	BETANCUD Santos el Bofe	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3288670	BIGGER DELWONE BURET	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813460	BIRD Hilton Eugene	CPL	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3001768	BLACK ARTHUR ROBERT	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813837	BLACKWELDER Alton James	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38025540	BOWERS Walter Allen	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3823739	BRAIN DONALD CARL	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38027517	BRANUM Delton Daniel	PVT	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	20814123	BRIMHALL Clifford Oather	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814130	BRIMHALL Onis Leon	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	36105684	BRINKER Harold Arthur  “Bud”	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	312373	BUKOWSKY EMIL GUS	Pvt	Fukuoka POW Camp #1 – Kashii
Fitz	Burma	20813564	BUMPASS Jesse Franklin Jr	PVT	TBR (cheated death;see below)
Fitz	Burma	20813347	BUTLER Jesse William	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814101	CAMPBELL Charley James	CPL	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38036849	CARPENTER Lonnie Jasper	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3813776	CASTRO MANUEL “Tony”	SM1c	Fukuoka POW Camp #1 – Kashii
Fitz	Burma	20814126	CHAPMAN Henry Edward	CPL	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814131	CHAPMAN William Joseph	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	284977	CHARLES HOWARD ROBERT	Pfc	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3562705	CHILDERS MITCHELL KEEN	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	34054336	CLARK Braxton Bragg	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814127	CLARK John Dennis     “Jake”	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814132	CLAY Joseph Franklin	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814128	CLAY Melvin Lee “Corky”	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38050568	CLENDENEN J. G.	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38060290	COLE III Joseph Benjamin	CPL	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813870	COMBS Dale William	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814129	COOPER James Murray	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814134	CRAIN Drew Wyatt	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	259956	CRAY HAMPTON RHODES Jr	Pvt	TBR
Fitz	Burma	36105692	CURLEY LaVern Albert	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3423825	DEMOSS DONALD DEAN	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813353	DERRICK Cecil Lee	PVT	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	2723193	DETHLOFF ROBERT LEE “Swampy II”	F1c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38036043	DICKENSON Wilburn Duncan   “Babe”	PVT	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	20813310	DOVE Miley Day	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38036006	DRAKE Leonard Heartridge	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813842	EASTHAM Ramon Garland “Blackie”	SGT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	36009855	EICHORST William Charles	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3563096	ELAM RICHARD WADE	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814138	ELLIOTT Edward Leon	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38027510	ENGLAND Clifford James	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3421557	EWING JAMES CHATHAM	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	36105666	FALK George A	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3287012	FAY HENRY LEWIS	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	36204059	FENRICK Harlin F	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	2239874	FERGUSON JOHN ANDREW Sr	F1c	Fukuoka POW Camp #1 – Kashii
Fitz	Burma	3601290	FITZGERALD JAMES RUSSELL	F1c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	O-256049	FITZSIMMONS Archie Lee	CPT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	2873359	FORRESTER JOHN EDGAR “Pee Wee”	SM1c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3213085	FORSMAN MELFRED LAVERNE “Gus”	SM1c	Outman Rd Jail Singapore
Fitz	Burma	20814104	FRAZIOR Harold Roscoe	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814139	FRIE James William	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814145	FRIE Marion Lee               “Baldie”	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813596	FUNG EDWARD B       “Eddie”	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	2239942	GALOWSKI LEON HERBERT	F1c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38026049	GARCIA Alfredo Guerero  “Freddy”	PVT	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	38025702	GARCIA Jose DeJesus       “Freddy”	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	286257	GEE JAMES WALLACE “Jimmy”	Pfc	Fukuoka POW Camp #1 – Kashii
Fitz	Burma	3602802	GEORGE PERLIE MONROE	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813874	GILLEN Earl Harrison	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814144	GLAZNER Thomas Herbert	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	36009930	GNAT Frank Joseph	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38037027	GREGG Robert Nolen Jr	CPL	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814143	GREGG Roy Lee	CPL	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	273270	GRICE WALTER Lee	Pfc	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813356	GRIFFITH Hubert Whan	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3721312	GUNNERSON CARL FREDERICK	F1c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	36009889	GUZZY Walter Kasper	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	36105760	HALLENDY Mathew John	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813878	HAMMACK Zack Abraham	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38038463	HAMMONS Roy Herman	PVT	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	3288313	HANLEY ROBERT LEON	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	36105764	HANSER Charles Elwood	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38036031	HARRIS Dewitt Dodson	CPL	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	20814146	HENSLEY Jim Edgar	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814147	HICKS James Miles Jr	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813880	HIGGINBOTHAM Howard Vincent	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	O-406094	HINER David Alton	2LT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813599	HOLTON Melvin Gywn  “Buster”	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813600	HOOVER J. W.	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3720929	HUEBLER EUGENE ALFRED JR  “Bug”	BUG1c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38025447	HUFSTUTLER Oather Douglas	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813362	HUGGINS George Luther	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3376322	INGRAM WILLIAM JR “Shorty”	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38036815	JORDAN Roy E	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814149	JORDAN Willie Vester III	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813885	KENNY Robert Weldon	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813545	KERSHNER Horace Virgil	SGT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	309487	KING Frank Harris “Pinkie”	Pvt	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813606	KING William Ray	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	37021955	LADWIG Lawrence Edgar	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814154	LAIRD John Milles	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813370	LAMB Floyd Roy	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38026147	LANDIN Mariano Diaz Jr	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	O-403531	LATTIMORE James Padley	2LT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813608	LAWLEY George Parks  “Buck”	PVT	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	20814155	LEATHERWOOD Ellison Paul	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814156	LEDBETTER Jimmie Jesse	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813371	LEWIS Dale A	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814157	LONG Luther J	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38037065	MAHER Boyd Edward	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38027533	MARTINEZ Homero Lauro	SGT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38036966	MATLOCK Sidney Carrol	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813888	MAY Richard Ray	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	282729	MCCONE JAMES “Packrat”	Pfc	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813889	McELREATH Jessie Andrew “Chow Hound”	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	311720	MCFARLAND THOMAS James “Tex”	Pvt	Fukuoka POW Camp #1 – Kashii
Fitz	Burma	38025794	MEDINA Refugio Barrientos	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813575	MORRIS James Robert	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3859346	NETTER JACK GORDON	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	308697	OBRIEN JOHNNY FRANCIS	Pvt	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814162	OGLE Ray Odis “Snake”	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814163	OLIVER Garth Sears  “Pinkie”	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	36152975	OOSTING CHARLES          “Red”	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814110	OWEN John Hardy          “Big John”	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	287866	OWENS FLOYD IRVING “Sheep”	Pfc	TBR
Fitz	Burma	290308	PAGE BERT ELWIN JR “Birddog”	Pvt	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3115298	PAQUIN JAMES OSCAR	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814165	PITTS Jennings Bryant	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	2238645	POLIDORO VINCENT FLORENTINO	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	300453	QUICK FRED BUTLER JR “Freddy”	Pvt	Fukuoka POW Camp #1 – Kashii
Fitz	Burma	38036710	RAY George Franklin JR	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814166	RAY James Edward            “Rookie”	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813615	RAYBURN Eldridge Leon “Snowy”	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813379	REA Maston Lafayette	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813616	REICHLE GROVER William  “Red”	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3602584	ROBERTS VALDON STEPHEN “Cream”	F1c	Fukuoka POW Camp #1 – Kashii
Fitz	Burma	298880	ROBINSON MARVIN EARLE JR  “Robbie”	Pfc	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814171	ROSS George Elmore	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3000627	ROSS WILLIAM J JR	F2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	3762045	SCHWARZ OTTO CARL	SM2c	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38036263	SCROGGINS HERMAN Williams	PVT	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	20813620	SELF GLENN B	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814113	SHERRILL Cosby Ray “Pupsie”	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	287872	SHUSTER JOHN Franklin	Pfc	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	2874154	SIZEMORE MARVIN	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38036028	SMITH J. W.	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	2745158	SMITH JAMES ALBERT	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	14027596	SMITH, John Frank Jr.	MSG	TBR
Fitz	Burma	37066807	SMOKE Albert Franklin	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814114	SOLOMON Henry Wayne	PFC	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20814175	SPENCER Thomas John	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	20813314	STAMBAUGH Clyde Melvin	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	O-386242	STENSLAND Roy Elmer “Bulldog”	2LT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20813623	STONE Preston Ernest	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	O-397556	TEBOREK Raymond George	1LT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38036998	TEEL Horace Glenn	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	38036729	TIDWELL Walter Lee JR	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	36153270	TORP Franklin Bernard	PVT	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	301757	TRICE ERNEST Meldon	Pvt	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3287093	VINJE HAROLD MORRIS	SM1c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38036851	WADE Arnold William	PVT	TBR
Fitz	Burma	2915799	WAMPLER CARL AMOS	MM3c	Fukuoka POW Camp #1 – Kashii
Fitz	Burma	3760399	WARCKEN AUGUST Nichols	SM2c	Fukuoka POW Camp #1 – Kashii
Fitz	Burma	38050408	WEHRING Theodore Ben	PVT	Fuk-24B-Emukae (Senryu)
Fitz	Burma	307067	WILLEY LLOYD Vernon	Pvt	TBR
Fitz	Burma	310161	WILLIAMS CARL Henry	Pvt	Saigon
Fitz	Burma	3762748	WOLF JOSEPH WILLIAM	SM2c	TBR
Fitz	Burma	20814116	WOOD Chester Lawrence	PFC	TBR
Fitz	Burma	38026396	WRIGHT Houston Tom      “Slug”	PVT	TBR

Interestingly, three of those that Fitzsimmons had left in Singapore were trans-shipped to the island of Borneo. The explanation for this is lacking.

As explained in Section 28.1, I have simplified the designation TBR; meaning those men stayed at one of the many camps in Thailand rather that being sent elsewhere.

The Fitzsimmons Group were often co-located with Australian survivors of the HMAS PERTH as well as other Australian units organized into the Williams and Black Forces. Their TBR experiences in many ways run parallel to the US POWs. I have included a separate section to memorialize the crew of the HMAS PERTH who fought and died alongside the USS HOUSTON. [see Section 27]. Overall, the Fiz party had a much less harrowing TBR experience. They spent the majority of that time at the rail / supply yard at KILO 18. As construction neared completion they moved briefly into the highlands; then across the border into Thailand. PVT DALESIO is noted to have died at the Nike (Nikki) camp. They arrived there soon after the cholera outbreak had subsided. Not long after completion they were moved to Kanchanaburi.

PVT Roy ARMSTRONG was seemingly an outlier from the usual travel pattern. It seems that he departed Java with Fitzsimmons but was left in Singapore when they proceeded on to Burma. He then traveled there with the Tharp group in JAN 43. He vividly describes the air attack. Upon arrival, he re-united with and spent the remainder of his TBR time with the Fitzsimmons party.

That group arrived at ThaMaKam before the Tharp group who remained on wood cutting duty for some months. Not long after their arrival, many of the Fitzsimmons party were sent on to Saigon. Others to Japan. It is a testament to the easier time that this work group had that they were deemed fit enough to take on these additional assignments.

Armstrong further claims that while in Saigon they were told that they were to be sent on to Japan. But the ship that was to be used was sunk in the harbor during an air raid so they never departed.

==================

All tolled, the Fitzsimmons Group experienced only 13 of the 131 TBR US deaths. PVT GEORGE BENDER was the final TBR death at the Nakorn Pathom hospital of dysentery on 22 MAY 44.

TXNG PVT Jesse Bumpass managed to cheat death in early 1942. He was initially scheduled to fly on the plane that was shot down during the first Singosari air attack on which Barnes and Bingham were KIA. However, he was delayed and they took off without him.