Commemorating James M. Houser

Picture compliments of Marilyn and
Jamie Houser which they received
after sending flowers.  Click here to
find out more.

As you recall, last week's post left you with some great news (at least for me).  Marilyn Houser, wife of  Jamie Houser, Frank's son sent some information about James' death, newspaper articles, as well as his final resting place (as best we know it's his bodily remains).  today's post will piece together the known stories from Frank as well as the time frames found in the newspaper articles:

James, Buster, worked in the orchards in California, helping to keep his mom and brother fed while they awaited for their father to join them, the year is 1935, right at the height of the Great Depression.  James was a hard worker who knew that he would someday be able to use the skills he learned from the duties of helping to run the Houser ranch in Montana.

After officially moving to California, James (27) joins the Army .  James was hoping that by joining the Army his true passion to travel the world would soon come true.  He dreams (which is a luxury for migrant workers) of  visiting strange new cultures, defending America's honor and dignity along his far away travels.

Private James House soon receives his first military assignment, Fort McCarthy, a whopping 38 miles away from his home in Pomona.  In disappointment, yet classic dignity, he accepts this assignment with plans to request a quick change of scenery.

News article about James' letter
to Grace.

For the next 4 years, James continually requests re-assignment to somewhere overseas, with each request being denied by his superiors.  Through hard work, and the many skills he learned while running the ranch and working as a migrant worker, he earns his way up the 'ladder' and becomes Sargent James Houser.

After 4 long yearning years, Sargent James Houser, receives the orders of his dreams - Philippines under the orders of General MacArthur.  James enthusiastically accepts his new re-assignment, and sets sail for the the Philippines soon.

James has been stationed in the Philippines for a while, the exact length is unknown.  While there, he kept a steady stream of letters to his mom, Grace, letting her know that he was still ok and doing well.  When the Japanese started controlling the South Pacific, letters home came to a stand still.  For several weeks, Grace knew nothing about the status of her son.  She held onto hope that her son was alive and safe.

When the lucky day came that she received a letter from James, dated Feb 8 (1942?), Grace in excitement and relief reads the letter, each word bringing her closer to her son.

In the letter, James told Grace that he has been promoted to Second Lieutenant!  This made Grace even more proud of her oldest son, her relief and excitement just oozed out of each pore in her body.   James also indicated that he has seen some action from the Japanese, but he was doing ok.  Grace read and re-read the words written in this short letter not knowing that this would be the last letter she would ever receive.

When Grace read this letter, it had been a few weeks after it was written, and Manila had recently been taken over by the Japanese.  Grace believed with every cell in her body that James had escaped the Philippines with Genereal MacArthur, who was ordered to leave late Feb 1942.  She knew that her son was safe, and she'd soon hear from him.

News article about James
and one other Pomona individual
being held as POW

Months go by before Grace hears any word about or from James.  Her hopes that he escaped to Australia were getting harder and harder to hold onto with each passing day.  Her soul, however, needed to hold onto this hope in order for her to continue with each day.

In January, 1943, almost 10 months after Grace last heard from James, she hears the disbelieving news that she was hoping she'd never hear.  She learns that James is one of two Pomona men being held as POW's in the Philippines, most likely Camp O'Donnell.   Again, she finds some positive bit of information, he's still alive.  She'll see him soon, she needs this thread of hope to keep carrying on.

The next six moths Grace finds herself fraught with emotions.  She hesitantly continues her daily life, all the while grasping onto the hope that she'll receive news any day now from her son, James.  When you're a POW, no news is good news.  


July 1943, the Red Cross sends a telegram to Grace stating, "The causality report shows that he (James) died at a prisoner of war camp in the Philippines islands as a result of beriberi*, but fails to show the exact date.  Efforts to gain the exact date have been unsuccessful.  From the meager information gained from the Japanese, the war department  regards him as being dead at the time of this dispatch..."

News article about
James' death

Grace, all feeling rushing from her body, re-reads in disbelief the horrendous telegram.  News she so desperately didn't want to find out, has now been confirmed.  In numbness and disbelief she works on burying her pain, pain that got easier to hide as time went on.  A few weeks later Grace receives an official letter from the Army confirming the Red Cross telegraph.

Grace used the next year and a half before the war ended to work on moving forward with ease, and less emotional pain showing through.  After the war, the Army started their own investigation into the POW camps, using any data left by the Japanese, mass graves, and the red cross to determine a better time frame of death for James.

Grace learns sometime in 1946 that they found what they believed to be James' body.  Grace, and Frank M. decide for what ever reason to have him buried in Manila.  They did send request for any personal effect found on the body believed to be James to be returned to them, dated, August 1946.  It is unknown if they found anything to send back for Grace.

Copy of the letter Grace received from the Army
concerning personal effects

Chronological Dates of 

James Morrison Houser:

Visit the Manila American Cemetery for more information:
The following picture is from the following website:
http://www.abmc.gov/search/wwii.php

* May 27, 1908 - James Morrison Houser born
* 1935 - James and family 'officially' move to California
* 1935 - James joins the Army stationed at Fort MacArthur
* 1939 - James re-assigned to Philippines
* Feb 8, 1942 - Last letter from James
* April 1942 - America surrenders Bataan Philippines to the Japanese
* April 10, 1942 - James begins the Bataan Death March
* April 16, 1942 - James at POW Camp O'Donnell
* Dec 2, 1942 - James passes from beriberi
* January 1943 - Grace learns of James a confirmed POW
* July 1943 - Grace notified of James' death
* 1945 - Army investigation into deaths
* 1946 - James body identified with a better decease date of Dec 2, 1942
* August 1946 - Grace requests any personal effect from James' body


This is the best that I can determine for the dates. I hope I've honored James' life in a manner that would please him. Thanks to Marilyn's timely email offer to share what she has, this information has helped fill in the gaps and confirm several unknowns.


*Beriberi is caused from a lack of vitamin b1 (thiamine) that affects either the cardiovascular or nervous system.  Symptoms included; difficulty walking, loss of muscle coordination, loss of sensation, memory loss, confusion, paralysis, severe pain, tingling in the hands or feet, vomiting, swelling of the feet, enlarged heart, accumulation of fluid around the lungs, kidney failure, etc.  If left untreated, death.

Financial Recovery, Selling the Houser Ranch, Oceans and Continents Apart

James graduated college in 1938 or possibly 1939, the date isn't what this story is about, so the exact year won't be known, since the memory is only an approximation.

America was just starting her financial recovery from the Great Depression, and the unemployment rate was slowly getting better, which helped in the selling of the Houser ranch. After almost ten years - ten long years of desperate, starvation, and survival Frank Morrison joins his wife and two sons in sunny California.

Even with all the success that America has created, the American dream however, was reluctantly starting to fracture - again. Germany's, Adolph Hitler, was on a path to turn all of Europe into the Nazi, Aryan Nation.  The American Society, along with her defensive allies, were reluctant to get involved in another expensive war. They decided instead to sit back and maintain neutrality in fear of another financial tail spin that they experienced after WWI.

American military defenses kept a militant eye on Japan, a small nation under militia control, which also happened to be close to American soil.   They watch the Japanese military strike and take control over the Chinese borders and other various islands in the South Pacific Sea. American military couldn't sit idly by without implementing some kind of military action plan. American military determines that they had to somehow create a 'secure, meandering, stealthy' path through the South Pacific islands to Japan.



James learns (through the newspaper and other media like, radio) about the wars going on around Japan and Europe. He learns of Hitler's deliberate actions that willingly defy the Treaty of Versailles, as well as the suppression being imposed on our allies, and the other unbelievable grotesque war crimes. His compassionate desire to end the suffering of innocent people, combined with; American pride, the need for a job, and the desire to remove the lethal dictatorships of the world - motivates him to sign up for the Army.

After finishing basic training, James is assigned to active duty in the Philippines. He's to help create the secure and safe path that would meander through the South Pacific islands to Japan.

Dec 8th, 1941 around 4:30am, James is awakened from an exhausted sleepless sleep, by his commander's direct urgent tone. He's required for an important military briefing  ASAP.  James, jumps out of bed runs out of his barracks, ready for anything - confident that his training would serve him well.

James along with his fellow soldiers stand at ease waiting for the briefing to start. He stands there listening as his commander explains that he was just notified by General McCarther that American blood has been spilled on American soil. Two hours prior (the Philippines are about 16 hours ahead of Hawaii), the Japanese slaughtered thousand's of Americans by their sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

It's Dec 8th, 1941, a day that James, in tragic disbelief, lowers his head, and wipes the tear pooling at the corner of his eye. Another day in James' life where indescribable emotions swirl around him, wanting to consume his every cell, causing time to stand still. He stands with weak knees, slowly attempts to soak in the depth of this new reality- thousands of fellow troops died in a sneak attack - troops that were struck in the morning light, under secrecy and surprise, dying without the ability to strike back.

Tragedy has struck America - the land of the wealthy, populated, and un-impenetrable.

Standing there feeling alone in a crowded Army briefing in the middle of the Philippine coastline thousands of miles from home, he awaits in uncertainty the impending orders:

A New Trajectory - A New Life

James (also known as Buster) excited, relived, concerned, but most importantly excited, takes his hand, grasps the tassel and moves it to the left side of his hat.  He smiles at the thought that his Flathead County High School days are over, done, caput.   As he takes his seat back with his class mates, the thoughts hidden behind his stoic expression are ones that he can't put aside.  This impending summer won't be like the others:

It's 1928, the year that the economic bubble begins to release its pressure valves. The bubble starts showing microscopic tears, tears small enough to only affect the working class, like Frank Morrison Houser and his ranch.

Frank Morrison, Frank's dad, angrily grabs the handful of bonds he keeps hidden away, bonds 'secured' by the U.S.Government.  He shakes them in the air and bellows desperately, "These, these bonds aren't even worth the wall paper in the hallway.  Not even the  paper they were printed on!" He stomps out of the house determined to find a way to sell the ranch and get out while the gettin's 'good'.

Frank Morrison and Grace saw the beginning of what will be known as the Great Depression heading towards America.  Together they decide to sell the beloved Houser ranch, get what they could out of it before they won't be able to get anything.  Hopes were high, the confidence in the housing market high as well.  There has to be someone who too wants a piece of the wild west, just as they did years ago.

Grace and Frank Morrison look to the future; what's best for their family, children, and finances.  They put their ambitions and dreams, again, on the 'west'.  The west is the future, west to California. Aah California, life was booming, agriculture was steady, unemployment was low, college registration was steady (at least this is what they thought). This was where they wanted to finish raising their boys, and where hopefully James would be able to attend college.  They decide that Grace and the boys will head to California to find a place to live.   While Frank Morrison stays to care for the cattle, sheep, land and house until the sell is final.  

That summer changed everything for the Houser family.  This is one of those life altering events (one of several that we will have the chance to read and write about).  Never again will the Houser family be the same, be able to enjoy the company of one another like they had.  This will mark an end to an era, but also a new beginning...