by Han Mouthaan FOREWORD For clarification purposes: The Dutch civilians of the former Dutch East Indies endured two types of camps during AND after WWII. The first type were the WWII Japanese concentration camps, 1942-1945. The second type… Read More

By Jan Krancher Book:  Ambushed under the Southern Cross Author:  Capt. George W. Duffy Highly decorated Capt. George W. Duffy has authored the book “Ambushed under the Southern Cross . . . The Making of an American Merchant… Read More

By Bianca Dias-Halpert USS Wichita (CA-45)  Ship’s Chief Petty Officers listen to the radio broadcast of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s address to the Congress requesting a declaration of War against the Axis powers, circa 8 December 1941.  Note… Read More

By Sylvia Boon Couto, daughter Name:  William Boon Born:    December 17, 1917, Java, Dutch East Indies Died:    June 10, 2011, California, USA POW:   Camp Tjimahi, West Java, Nov 20 , 1942 camp 4e Bataljon The… Read More

By Jan Krancher, California, USA Overview of the Japanese Imprisonment Experience   The Japanese High Command on Java attempted to coerce the Indo-European members of the former Royal Netherlands-Indies Army, Navy and Air Force to enlist in the… Read More

By Bianca Dias-Halpert, USA Heroes are lost in the annals of history.   Doc Hekking and the incredible bond with his fellow POW’s  is an inspirational story that awaits rediscovery in the Indo community and beyond. The boys… Read More

By Joyce Kater, New Mexico, USA LITTLE MOMENTS OF HUMANITY AT WARTIME   Although this incident happened a lifetime ago in the Second World War in South East Asia, it still lingers in my memory.  It took place in… Read More

By Robert Vanderwaall, nephew Name:  Pieter Hendrik van der Waall Born:  July 3, 1921 Dutch East Indies Died:  July 5, 1993 Zoetermeer, Netherlands POW:  Thai-Burma Railway     Pieter Hendrik van der Waall July 3, 1921 to July… Read More

By Tamara Fielding, New York, USA ADEK CAMP – BATAVIA (Jakarta) – August 1945   My mother was clairvoyant.  She always seemed to know things before they happened and had telling dreams.  News had penetrated Adek Camp that… Read More

By Maartien Van Genderen, Washington, USA Winds of change were unmistakably headed for my homeland, the island nation of the former Dutch East Indies.  They came foreshadowed by foreboding events.  The Netherlands, our fatherland, fell victim to the… Read More