photo by: Warren Scott

Jim Brockman, executive director of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Museum and Education Center in Wellsburg, provides a tour Saturday to many veterans who served in the Army's 196th Light Infantry Brigade during the Vietnam War.

Two busloads of Vietnam veterans from many states visited a local museum that has helped to share the experiences of servicemen and women during various military conflicts.

The American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Museum and Education Center opened its doors Saturday to many former members of the Army’s 196th Light Infantry Brigade, many of whom came from distant states to attend a reunion of the veterans in Pittsburgh.

Often, they commented on their surprise at finding so many artifacts, photos and other items belonging to veterans like themselves within the Brooke County Public Library.

A number of them took time to share their own stories with the museum’s leaders and volunteers.

Jim Brockman, the museum’s executive director, noted it began with an exhibit within a large cherry wood display case containing photos, maps and excerpts from written recollections of survivors of the Bataan Death March.

It was created by Henrietta Jackfert of Wellsburg and her late husband, Ed, who was among 120,000 U.S. and Filipino troops that fought against Japanese invaders of the Philippine Islands of Bataan and Corregidor during World War II.

Outnumbered and poorly equipped, the Allied troops were defeated after five months in battle.

About 70,000 Americans and Filipinos were captured by the Japanese and forced to walk the Bataan Death March, a 65-mile trek in which many died, succumbing to disease, starvation and extreme heat, or because they had been killed by their captors.

While Jackfert didn’t experience the Bataan Death March, he wanted everyone to know about it as well as the experiences of those who became prisoners of war under the Japanese like himself.

His effort was carried on by former library director Mary Kay Wallace and her late husband, George, and Brockman and was expanded to include artifacts from other wars.

Brockman told his guests Saturday many of the materials came close to being discarded if not for the museum.

“Our museum is always growing. We want to preserve as much as we can,” he said.

Brockman said a special event is planned for Aug. 16 to mark the 80th anniversary of the Japanese surrender that formally brought an end to World War II.

The museum’s guests included brothers Herald and Melvin Watson, East Liverpool natives who both served during the Vietnam War.

Melvin said he was serving on Okinawa, from which B-52 bombing missions to Vietnam were launched, when he observed one of the planes veer off a runway.

He saw bright flames and black smoke, then heard and felt a loud explosion.

“It just about knocked me down,” said Melvin, who added he has suffered hearing lost as a result.

Harold said when he returned to the U.S. from the war, he settled in San Jose, Calif.

He explained his mother had died from a stroke while he was serving and he didn’t know his father, “so I didn’t have any parents to come back to.”

While in California, he met his future wife of more than 60 years, bought a home through a VA loan and pursued a 38-year career with the Postal Service.

But Harold has fond memories of the Ohio Valley, including playing football while attending East Liverpool High School.

“It’s great to be back home,” he said.

Harold also was looking forward to hearing from one of the most famous members of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade: Former Pittsburgh Steeler Rocky Bleier.

Slated to speak to the group Saturday afternoon, Bleier was on patrol when he was shot in the left thigh while his right leg was struck by shrapnel from a grenade.

Bleier, who had been drafted during his rookie season with the Steelers, was told he would not be able to play football again. But Bleier worked hard to recover and went on to be part of the Steelers’ first four Super Bowl-winning lineups.