There is a saying which simply states, “Freedom is not free!”
World War II proved such statements as this to be very true. The
fight which the U.S. entered with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on
Dec. 7, 1941 was the most expensive, expansive and deadly war in
the history of the world. As a result, it continues to be one of
the most interesting and fascinating pieces of history for
people world-wide.
The soldiers who fought in this war, many of whom never
returned, have since been called “The Greatest Generation”. It
was a generation which encompassed every walk of life in the
United States. From huge cities to small hamlets to country
farms, men and women in all walks of life answered the call to
serve their country.
One of those men, William Atha Gay, briefly called Lepanto home
and was a man who fully experienced the horrors of war first
hand. In the end, as so many did, he paid the ultimate price by
giving his life for his country.
Gay was born July 29, 1912 in Brooksville, Mississippi, the son
of Thomas Sephalon Gay (Lieutenant USNR WWI) and Maddie Woodlief
Jamison Gay. The family moved to Lepanto when Gay was a teenager
where he attended Lepanto High School until his father died in
1929. The family then moved to Memphis, the town Gay considered
to be his home town.
After graduation from high school, Gay attended Arkansas State
College in Jonesboro. Upon leaving State and trying to get a
job, however, he like, many people during the depression, found
no work of any kind.
“He even tried to get a job chopping cotton,” said his mother
later. Unable to get work, he left the army of the unemployed
and joined Uncle Sam’s army and was sent to Fort Benning,
Georgia.
Not satisfied with being just a grunt, Gay set his sights on
becoming an officer. As fortune would have it, the opportunity
soon presented itself. He took the entrance examination for the
U.S. Military Academy at West Point and passed receiving a
Regular Army appointment to the academy.
While there, he excelled in the military, athletic and academic
aspects of cadet life.
Militarily, within months of his arrival at West Point, he was
appointed Captain of his company due, in part, to his ranking of
29th out of 300 in his class. Athletically, although he had
never seen a lacrosse game before arriving at the Academy, he
turned out to be one for the Army’s best players. Academically,
he graduated 18th in the class of 1938.
Later that same year, on Sept. 5, Gay married his longtime
sweetheart, Elenor Dark in a ceremony at Alexander City, Ala.
Gay’s time in the peace-time army was relatively uneventful
being stationed in the Philippines at post McKinely, Manila, P.I.
training Pilipino officers and Filipino soldiers for service in
the U.S. Army.
The life there was enjoyable until May 1941 when things changed
drastically. Among the sudden changes was that Eleanor, along
with the other base dependents, was suddenly evacuated.
As is often the case with the military’s brightest and best
officers when countries begin anticipating war, Gay was quickly
promoted from Lieutenant to Captain in October then to Major in
December. Events began to occur rapidly after this.
Although details prior to and immediately after the Japanese
invasion are sketchy, citations indicate that he served as
assistant to the Luzon Force Engineer from March 12 to April 9,
1942. Those same records state that Gay made notable, often
heroic, contributions to the Philippine Defense Campaign by
directing and supervising engineer, construction and demolition
along the entire front contributing materially to the prolonged
defense of Bataan.
He later served on the staff of Brigadier General Hugh Casey
until Casey left with General Douglas MacArthur. He then he
served on the staff of Major General Edward King evacuating to
Camp O’Donnell near Manila when Bataan fell obviously thankful
not to have taken part in the famous “death march.”
While at O’Donnell, he suffered from malnutrition, as did most
soldiers there, but was citied for his service there. An
important part of these services was the difficult task of
securing and distributing food, water, shelter and medical
supplies for the columns of prisoners of war as they arrived at
the camp.
Then, late in 1942, it was reported that Gay, after twice
escaping enemy forces, was among those captured during the fall
of Camp O’Donnell. Records are sketchy about what occurred after
this, but eventually he reached Cabanatuan POW Camp on Luzon,
where he was confined until early Dec. 1944 when he was moved to
Billibid Prison Hospital in Manila.
During his 3 ˝ years as a POW, Gay learned to speak Spanish in
anticipation of someday returning to the Philippines to help the
Filipino people, for whom he had developed a deep affection.
“He was always concerned about the welfare of others above
himself, always unselfish,” said his wife Eleanor.
The capture of Gay prompted an article in the Memphis Commercial
Appeal on Dec. 13, 1944. In the article, his mother said Gay
was, “a typical Tri-States boy,” meaning he was hardworking and
persevering.
While in Manila Gay wrote to Eleanor the day before he was to
board the Japanese war ship, Oryoku Maru in Subic Bay Pacific
Islands. Gay gave the letters to another soldier to keep and
send to his wife if and when he was rescued. She did not receive
the letters until August 1945, eight months after the Major’s
death.
The first letter was dated Nov. 1, 1944:
“My darling sweetheart, Eleanor,
Within 5 days it will be exactly 3 years and 6 months since I
have feasted my eyes on your beauties and enjoyed the
companionship of the only real pal as well as lover that I have.
Without the many letters and pictures that I have received from
you since we began to get mail last February my life would be
very dreary. I do not know how many letters I have received for
rather than loose this set I buried them at Cabanatuan.
If you receive this letter from hands other than mine, you can
be sure that I have shipped to Japan and all plans to avert such
a thing have gone away. 3 weeks ago tomorrow they moved all of
us from Cabanatuan except about 750 sick, lame and medicos. If
we leave here we will leave about 500 of the same. Do not worry
anymore than you can help, my precious .The outcome is in the
hands of the gods. I can assure that nothing our hosts can do
can kill me. I can live now as the Filipines do on almost
nothing. They may practically starve me beyond recognition but
they can’t kill me. I’ll be back to you whole if not completely
sound.
One time, in August, they had me down to 135 lbs. but in the
ensuing months I gained some back. Our food is all starch, rice
camotes and cassava. Meat is unheard of practically. We have had
many ups and downs in quantity and here I think that our ration
is 200 grams of rice per day. Try living on that. I am not
writing this to worry you but to let you know that all is not
rosy but I am in good shape and will continue to be no matter
what happens. I am more bald than ever and almost deaf in my
right ear but those are very minor complaints.
I have never worried about your welfare but I have and did worry
about you during that time when I knew you could not know what
had happened to me. My dear I have lived those hours, months,
and days with you as though I were at your side. They were hard
for me to bear but from your letters I know that those days of
terrific strain are past and you are as happy as can be under
the circumstances.
I have not stopped working since the surrender. The first day I
hit prison Camp at O’Donnel, I worked on the water supply and
have progressed from job to job through both camps until now no
one is working.
Have you ever thought of getting out of the Army my sweetheart?
Would it mean much to you to leave some of the friends you have
made? This is just a thought for the future out it is one on
which I have spent much time. I have seen the Army at its worst
and in some instances at its best and rather than degenerate
into what I have seen some do, I’m getting out. I am entire
confident that I can handle any situation I under take with an
even break.”
The second letter had a date of December 13, 1944:
“My dearest darling sweetheart,
Last night our friends sprang a surprise on us and within an
hour and a half we are supposed to leave for the boat ride.
Needless to say, you can imagine my mental state. Our friends
are as usual using too little and arriving too late. Today we
have been here two months and one day. Tomorrow 9 weeks.
Tomorrow 8 weeks ago, Mac’s forces landed on Leyte. He talks too
much and does to little. We will do our best but I think it will
not be enough. This means to me a delay of another year. I am
trying not to be optimistic.
Last night, I more or less arranged my mind to make a change in
my attitude toward life. Up to now I have always been a fighter,
the job coming first. From the time we get together, we will
come first the job will get done without too much effort. I want
you, a family, a home, a permanent one, and a chance to live.
Just as we please and that please contains plenty. I am thinking
seriously of quitting the army. I have run into too much grief
in it we will find a more compliant occupation. Study Spanish
hard; learn to play chess. I am going to take up Russian…
Keep your chin up sweetheart…Keep loving me sweetheart, I know
you will, just as I love you more & more everyday. Keep the old
chin up, we will keep those promises and complete a wonderful
life. Don’t spend all our money on government bonds if we can
not get rid of them soon. The interest rate according to my
estimate of what you have told me, let it lie fallow in the bank
if this is all we will get. I am not quite so patriotic as you.
I have given my all.”
The day after Gay wrote these letters, Dec. 14, 1944, he, along
with 1619 fellow American POW’s were packed into the Oryoku Maru,
a hell ship, in preparation of leaving Manila thinking they were
being transferred to Japan. Hell Ships were unmarked Japanese
freighters used to transport American POW’s and were literally
packed inside the ship like sardines in a can, deprived of food
or water.
That morning U.S. Navy planes from the USS Hornet attacked the
unmarked ship, causing it to sink the following day. 286 men
were killed or shot in the water while trying to escape.
Approximately 942 POW’s were reported by the Japanese to have
lost their lives in this ironic twist of fate with victory and
freedom just months away. Gay’s body was never recovered. He was
32 years old.
In memory of Major William Atha Gay, a headstone was placed in
Woodlawn Cemetery in Jonesboro next to his parents and sister
Martha.
His decorations included the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star
Medal, and the Purple Heart. His name is on the wall of the
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.
Former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, who was permanently wounded
during fighting in the Italian Alps, when asked if he considered
himself a hero responded, “The real heroes of war are the
soldiers that didn’t return.”
That sentiment would, no doubt, be echoed by Major William Gay
if he had lived to return to his beloved Eleanor. However, Gay
became a “real hero” to his country’s everlasting thanks.
Editor’s note: For more information on Major Gay, copies of
letters written to Mrs. Gay from the Major, photos of him and
his family and letters from the Army including Gen. MacArthur
can be seen at the Lepanto Library, the American Legion Hut in
Lepanto and the Lepanto Museum USA.
This is used with permission from the author Marissa L. Holiman
and editor Samantha Martin of the Tri-City Tribune.
