Join Us On Veterans/Remembrance Day Saturday November 11th Here In Ubon

[American Legion Post TH01]

It is also to honor Little Mother Ubon who aided prisoners of war in a interment camp here in Ubon Ratchaithani. We will be participating in a wreath laying ceremony.

About Little Mother Ubon

 

In 1945, some residents of Ubon Ratchathani (Ubon) risked their lives to help exhausted & sick Allied prisoners of war.  After the war, some of the ex-prisoners paid to build the Monument of Merit to thank Ubon people for their humanity & kindness.

The Japanese army used Allied & Asian prisoners to build the terrible “Death Railway” which ran from Thailand to Burma (‘Bridge on the River Kwai’ movie).  The food was so bad and the work was so hard that many of the prisoners died.

Most of the prisoners who perished were Asian, about 90,000; however, nobody knows the exact number.  The Japanese used whole Tamil-Indian families from Malaysia to work on the Death Railway.  Many of the Asian prisoners also came from China and Myanmar (Burma).  Many of those were worked & died were women and children.

Approximately 16,000 of the 60,000 Western prisoners who worked on the Death Railway died while in internment.  Those western prisoners who perished include 6,318 from Britain; 2,815 from Australia; 2,490 from Holland; and 4,377 from the USA.  Many other prisoners died later from illnesses contracted during their imprisonment.  The deaths were not accidents!  As the railroad needed to be built fast, the prisoners worked without adequate food, rest, or medical care.  They worked until they dropped.  New slaves replaced the dead.

 

The Japanese army brought the last of the Allied prisoners in Thailand to Ubon. The guards threatened the local Ubon people not to give aid to the prisoners, but many Thais bravely tried to help when they could.  Survivors told about one Thai woman and her daughter, ‘Little Mother Ubon.’  Even though the prisoners were strangers, Mother Ubon and her daughter repeatedly came to the camp to give fruit to the starving men.  This showed great bravery and compassion,

A Thai officer fighting with the allies marched into Ubon in 1945 & finally freed the prisoners.

 

 

Flier from the organizers of the ceremony.

Download Flier: Remembrance Day 2017 revA.pdf

Google map: https://goo.gl/maps/ubKZFuSsjN82  GPS: 15.230841, 104.858398

 

We will be going to the to RTAF Wing 21 driving range where we have our monthly meetings for lunch and a little socializing after the ceremonies. Everybody is welcome to join us. They have an assortment of Thai dishes on the menu and refreshments (beer also).  The driving range is located on the left side of the road to the airport. Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/24mULLiEVwu

If you have any questions or need more info please send a personal message.

 

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

Bump to top of page.

[American Legion Post TH01]

On 11/4/2017 at 2:30 PM, ubonjoe said:

Bump to top of page.

Thanks

[Kim1950]

Served two tours in Thailand during the Vietnam War and from-time-time manned the base's perimeter with the Thai Army. Appreciation to both Veterans and Military Families.

[ubonjoe]

On 11/6/2017 at 3:40 PM, American Legion Post TH01 said:

Thanks

You are welcome.

[Charlie chalk]

Sadly I Couldn't make the service on Saturday, however was able to lay a small poppy wreath yesterday of which my wife kindly made.

 

My heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all those that showed huge bravery, compassion and kindness during a time of great pain and suffering.

 

Cheeky charlie

British Veteran