Hero’s Journey: WW 2 Veteran Frank Gleason revisits the past

Hero’s Journey: WW 2 Veteran Frank Gleason revisits the past


On October 11th, 2008, 88-year-old American man Frank Gleason, Jr. arrived at Guiyang by air for the first time since 1944 accompanied by Richard Montgomery and Richard Martin.

In the Sino-Japanese War before 63 years, 24-year old US Army Captain Frank Gleason was dispatched to China to help the Chinese fight against Japanese forces. He returned to China and hoped to revisit the former battlefields. To make the old hero’s wish come true, China Highlights（www.chinahighlights.com） researched and made well preparation for the visit and was honored to provide our land services on a complimentary basis. Frank and his companions are warm welcome by David Zhou from China Highlights and local guide Aggie at Guiyang airport, Aggie presented flowers to Frank.

On October 13th, Frank and his party departed from Guiyang for Dushan County where in the south of Guizhou province. Frank firstly visited the War Monument and laid flowers. Then he walked to visit the Anti-War Culture Garden and Qiannan Incident Museum. There were two carvings on the wall of Culture Garden, one was the scene where refugees fled from horrors of war, and Frank remembered: ‘In Xianggui railway Retreat, he met the refugees with tattered clothes, carrying all their belongings on the shoulders and back. Many mothers held their kids and cried ‘Please take my baby’; the terrible pictures came again clearly’. The Qiannan Museum displayed photos and relics of Dushan during Sino-Japanese War, including cots and ammunition fragments. Frank looked carefully, and told us what he remembered from time to time.

In 1944, Japanese forces commenced an action to advance from South East Asia to make a connection to mainland China. By the end of 1944, Japanese forces occupied Guilin and Liuzhou, and were attacking towards the Guizhou area. Frank followed the retreating troops and came to Dushan County, where there were more then 10 arsenals near the Dushan military airport. Their mission was to bomb these arsenals and bridges to stop Japanese attack. At beginning, they use dynamite to bombed two arsenals, but it was difficult, so they burned the rest arsenals. The strong smokes were towards to the sky. and then Frank ordered his man to bomb the Shenhe Bridge outside of Du Shan county for cut the way to Guiyang, when all mission completed they retreated to Guiyang. Japanese forces occupied Dushan County finally but they could not move on any more as the bridge was destroyed. Frank and his troops stopped Japanese Invasion at the last minute. The war turned against Japan and they eventually surrendered in August, 1945.

Frank also talked about the scenes of war with the local elders. Frank talked about the great changes and the differences happened in the Du Shan county he knew more than sixty years ago. On October 14th, Frank and his party visited the old Qian gui Railway, the fields made him remember that it was the place where he bombed the arsenals years before. Frank took photos in the place where he struggled against the Japanese forces year ago.

During the next two days, Frank visited the Jidao Miao Village of Kaili, Qianhu Miao Village of Xijiang and Shiqiao Miao Village. The ceremony upon entering the Jidao Miao Village, the technology of making papers in Shiqiao Miao Village and the folk customs left deep impression on Frank. They also visited a country hope school on the way. When saw those lovely children, Frank and his party expressed a desire to do something for development of school.

On October 16th, Frank ended his time in Guizhou’s and flew to Guilin. He was eager to meet a 92-year-old Guilinese, Zhihong Lin, who was an interpreter for Flying Tigers during WW11. On the17th, Frank went to Lin’s home where the two old men talked about the unforgettable times, and Lin showed many letters from Flying Tigers to Frank. Victor Shu, Director from China Highlights hosted a farewell lunch for Frank and his party.

On October 18th, Frank departed from Guilin by air. He stayed a short time in Shanghai, and then returned to USA to end another documentary tour in China.

China Highlights wishes Frank all the best and the everlasting friendship between American and China.