Stories of war
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 14 years, 3 months AGO
<p>JEROME A. POLLOS/Press Bud Kirschoff, a POW who survived the Bataan Death March, discusses with the Hayden Lake Rotary Club on Thursday what life was like in the prison camps he was held during WWII.</p>
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | September 23, 2011 9:00 PM
HAYDEN - Bud Kirchoff did not receive a medal, ribbon or a plaque from the Hayden Lake Rotary Club on Thursday.
What he did get were a whole lot of thank yous, handshakes and some applause, too.
Rotarian Graham Crutchfield invited Kirchoff to the luncheon at Sargents restaurant to recognize him for his service to the United States during World War II.
He demonstrated courage, bravery and great resolve as a prisoner of war for three and a half years, Crutchfield said.
Kirchoff, 92, is one of the few survivors of the Bataan Death March.
"I wish I would say more, but the very fact that he's here is a great honor in my life," Crutchfield added in a brief introduction.
Kirchoff was a 21-year-old private in the Army when he was captured by Japanese forces on the island of Luzon in the Philippines in 1942.
"We surrendered," he told the group of about 15.
The 60-mile march that followed, he explained, was marked by extreme heat, lack of water and food, and brutal guards. Men who couldn't keep up were often killed.
"The amenities were awful," Kirchoff said.
He survived, despite being sick with pneumonia, and was eventually shipped to a prison camp on Omuta, a city about 75 miles from Nagasaki, on the island of Kyushu, where he was forced to work in coal mines.
Kirchoff endured beatings and starvation before being freed in August 1945, when Japan surrendered.
He would spend a month roaming Japan before returning to the United States, where he would marry and raise a family. Today, he lives in Fernan.
When Kirchoff was done speaking, Rotarians gathered around him, shook his hand and patted his back.
"We are honored to have him with us," Crutchfield said.
Kirchoff, who occasionally smiled and chuckled as he recounted his stories of war and survival on Thursday, said he was glad to speak briefly to the Rotary Club. It's important for people to know what went on in the war.
History books don't tell the real stories, he said.
"It's a chance to tell somebody else what happened," he said.
"I don't mind doing it. In fact, I enjoy doing it. The more you can get the word out, the more people know about it."
ARTICLES BY BILL BULEY
Companions Animal Center has adopted out nearly 2,000 dogs, cats in 2025
Companions Animal Center has adopted out nearly 2,000 dogs, cats in 2025
As if to prove it, signs on two kennel doors proclaim “I have been adopted! I’m currently waiting to be picked up by my new parents.” One is a timid black mastiff. But the shelter remains crowded. Monday, it has about 50 large dogs filling kennels, including in the new wing oped this year, and there is still a four-month waiting list with names of about 80 dogs that people are looking to surrender pets.
Post Falls man named director of ministry with global reach
Post Falls man named director of ministry with global reach
Grassi, a longtime hunter and fisherman, started what was originally called “Let’s Go Fishing Ministry, Inc.” with a focus on outdoors, men and God. It was later changed to “Men’s Ministry Catalyst." The emphasis was on helping men understand their role as defined in the Bible.
Nonprofit foundation helps family become homeowners for first time
Nonprofit foundation helps family become homeowners for first time
The Young Family’s Foundation launched about a year ago with a mission "to empower young, hardworking families to achieve the dream of home ownership. Even if a family saved $25,000, they would still be $19,000 short of the down payment needed to buy a $550,000 home, which is the median price in Kootenai County. It’s estimated that only about 20% of area households can afford to buy a home.