Monday Jun 19, 2023
Submit Your Family’s Story
Do you know of a serviceman or woman who served in The Philippines during WW2?
If so, I want to hear from you.
Check out the episode to find out what stories I'm looking for right now, then visit https://leftbehindpodcast.com/submit-a-story to submit your story today.
6 months ago
The Story of My Uncle, Private Jose Garsia Jauriqui Born December 7, 1921 – Died June 28, 1942 (Cabanatuan POW – Philippines) 200th Coast Artillery Regiment (New Mexico National Guard) Soon after, the prisoners were loaded into overheated steel boxcars—the same infamous freight cars used in the Bataan Death March. Each boxcar, built to carry 30 men, was crammed with 80 to 100 prisoners. With no air or water, many suffocated during the sweltering ride to Capas, Tarlac. Those who survived the rail journey were forced to march another 10 to 12 miles under the scorching sun to the Cabanatuan Prisoner of War Camp in Nueva Ecija Province. There, amid starvation, disease, exhaustion, and brutal beatings, my uncle Private Jose Garsia Jauriqui died at the Cabanatuan POW Camp on June 28, 1942, only weeks after arriving. He was just 20 years old. Jose’s military record lists his death as “Executed (Cabanatuan),” a term often used broadly to describe POWs who perished from deliberate mistreatment and enemy brutality. After the war, Jose’s remains were recovered and laid to rest with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, alongside seven of his fellow soldiers from the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment. My uncle’s story is not only one of loss—it is a story of honor, resilience, and sacrifice. He embodies the spirit of the New Mexico soldiers of the 200th and 515th Coast Artillery Regiments, who fought with extraordinary courage in a foreign land and endured unimaginable suffering in the name of freedom. Their bravery will never be forgotten. By remembering Jose, we also remember the thousands of World War II soldiers who stood their ground on foreign soil and paid the highest price for freedom. It is my mission to ensure their stories are told, their names remembered, and their sacrifices never fade from our nation’s conscience. Dr. Larry Jaurequi Nephew of Private Jose Garsia Jauriqui 📞 916-425-0493 📧