Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing John L. Stensby, Sr. 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
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.
-
PlayEarly days of the war in Bataan and Corregidor. 00:05:41.5 - 00:09:47.5
-
PlayJapanese mistreatment of prisoners. 00:11:07.0 - 00:13:37.0
-
PlaySingle-handedly sinking a war ship. 00:17:57.5 - 00:19:52.0
-
PlaySabotaging the Japanese war effort; liberation. 00:20:07.3 - 00:27:12.0
-
PlayNarrowly escaping death - luck or instinct? 00:30:02.0 - 00:33:53.5
-
PlayPremature report of his death. 00:40:06.0 - 00:40:52.0
-
PlayBravery and resourcefulness of American forces. 00:42:01.0 - 00:43:25.0
-
PlayThe lighter side of being a prisoner. 00:48:56.0 - 00:54:31.0
-
PlayAmerican soldiers' resistance to their captors. 00:54:46.0 - 00:56:05.0
Transcript:
XML
More Resources
Show more resources (3)
About this Item
Title
- John L. Stensby, Sr. Collection
Names
- Veterans Memorial Museum
- Stensby Sr., John L.
- Poniatowski, Stephen
- Deborah Cohen-Rojas
- National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)
- Adams, Rebekah
State of Birth
- WI
Headings
- - Stensby Sr., 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
-
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: MiniDV [2 items] -- Oral history interview (collected 03/16/2002)
- 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 11/22/1945)
- 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 03/16/2002)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/454
Cite as
- John L. Stensby, Sr. Collection (AFC/2001/001/454), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video