WW II POW survivor interviewed on KRNM
World War II veteran Ray “Hap” Halloran is the latest distinguished guest to be interviewed in the ongoing Humanities Roundtable series heard on Northern Marianas College’s public radio station KRNM.
Mr. Halloran was a navigator on a B29 bomber that was shot down over Tokyo on January 27, 1945. He survived that attack by parachuting out of the plane, only to be overrun and beaten unconscious by an angry mob upon landing.
Japanese military police took him to the notorious Kempei Tai prison facility, where he was interrogated, tortured, and held in solitary confinement for 67 days. He was later moved to a Prisoner of War (POW) camp in Omori, where he was held under unspeakable conditions for the next five months, until he was finally repatriated by the Americans after Japan’s surrender.
Mr. Halloran spoke with KRNM manager Carl Pogue for 90 minutes about his experiences during the war, including his excruciating days as a POW, his slow road to recovery, and his eventual decision to return to Japan in an attempt to gain some sort of closure.
The inspiring interview touches on Mr. Halloran’s perseverance, hope, and faith during his ordeal, as well as his firm belief in forgiveness and reconciliation. This special conversation can be heard on KRNM on Monday, Nov. 13 at 3:30 p.m., and Thursday, Nov. 16 at 9:00 p.m. at 88.1 FM or 89.1 FM.
