Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing John L. Stensby Collection

Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 60th Coast Artillery
- Location of Service: Philippines; Pacific Theater
- Highest Rank: Chief Warrant Officer 3
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/454
John Stensby held out as long as he could from Japanese capture on the Philippines, then made an art form of sabotage whenever his captors tried to use him for slave labor. His incompetent welding job on a Japanese warship created a launch that was an extreme embarrassment for the Japanese Navy. He had to steel himself when buddy after buddy dropped by the wayside, in prison camps, on the hell ships that took POWs off to Japan and Manchuria, and in factories and mines.
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PlayEarly days of the war in Bataan and Corregidor. 00:05:41.5 - 00:09:47.5
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PlayJapanese mistreatment of prisoners. 00:11:07.0 - 00:13:37.0
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PlaySingle-handedly sinking a war ship. 00:17:57.5 - 00:19:52.0
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PlaySabotaging the Japanese war effort; liberation. 00:20:07.3 - 00:27:12.0
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PlayNarrowly escaping death - luck or instinct? 00:30:02.0 - 00:33:53.5
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PlayPremature report of his death. 00:40:06.0 - 00:40:52.0
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PlayBravery and resourcefulness of American forces. 00:42:01.0 - 00:43:25.0
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PlayThe lighter side of being a prisoner. 00:48:56.0 - 00:54:31.0
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PlayAmerican soldiers' resistance to their captors. 00:54:46.0 - 00:56:05.0
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About this Item
Title
- John L. Stensby Collection
Names
- Veterans Memorial Museum
- Stensby, John L.
- Adams, Rebekah
- Poniatowski, Stephen
Headings
- - Stensby, John L.
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
- - Prisoner of War -- United States
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
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World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 60th Coast Artillery
- Location of Service: Philippines; Pacific Theater
- Highest Rank: Chief Warrant Officer 3
- Dates of Service: 1939-1960
- Prisoner of War: Yes
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran served as part of the Corregidor defenses and became a Japanese POW.
Materials
- Video: Digital Betacam [1 item] -- Digitized Copy (collected unknown)
- Video: Digital Betacam [1 item] -- Digitized Copy (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of video recording (collected 2002-03-16)
- Manuscript: Clippings [4 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1942-1945)
- Manuscript: Maps [1 item] -- (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Clippings [8 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1941-1945)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [1 item] -- Handwritten document (collected 1945-11-22)
- Video: MiniDV [2 items] -- Oral history interview (collected 2002-03-16)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/454
Cite as
- John L. Stensby Collection (AFC/2001/001/454), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video