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The Secret Camera: A Marine's Story : Four Years as a POW
"They may be the only images in existence of American prisoners in Japanese prisoner camps. And they sat unpublished for more than fifty years, apparently ignored by a U.S. government that seemed indifferent to the atrocities the images documented."-- Fort Worth Weekly
On the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the twenty-three marines stationed in North China were at the peak of physical condition. They were young, brave men who were willing to die to defend their country. But on that day, they were forced to surrender to the Japanese and spent the rest of the war-all 1,355 days-as POWs. They didn't know the statistic that stated a marine was 17.5 times more likely to die in a Japanese prison camp than in battle-or that 38 percent of all Americans captured by the Japanese died in labor camps. But they were soon to find out on their own.
The Secret Camera is the true story of how one North China marine struggled for survival. From his capture on Pearl Harbor Day, through the bombing of Nagasaki, Corporal Terence S. Kirk spent years as slave labor for the Japanese war machine. Watching himself and his fellow marines wither from strapping young men to mere skeletons, ravaged by starvation, abuse, and disease, he decided to make a difference-by recording the atrocities they all endured. With the help of a Japanese interpreter and a handful of other brave marines, Kirk managed to build a pinhole camera from scraps of cardboard, take a handful of photos, and then hide them away until the end of the war. These are the only photos ever taken inside a Japanese POW camp. A record of courage, faith, and ingenuity, his is a story of heroism, unimaginable adversity, and the will to survive.
His photos sat unpublished for more than fifty years, ignored by a U.S. government that seemed indifferent to the atrocities the images documented. But Kirk would not let them languish, and this book is his legacy.
On the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the twenty-three marines stationed in North China were at the peak of physical condition. They were young, brave men who were willing to die to defend their country. But on that day, they were forced to surrender to the Japanese and spent the rest of the war-all 1,355 days-as POWs. They didn't know the statistic that stated a marine was 17.5 times more likely to die in a Japanese prison camp than in battle-or that 38 percent of all Americans captured by the Japanese died in labor camps. But they were soon to find out on their own.
The Secret Camera is the true story of how one North China marine struggled for survival. From his capture on Pearl Harbor Day, through the bombing of Nagasaki, Corporal Terence S. Kirk spent years as slave labor for the Japanese war machine. Watching himself and his fellow marines wither from strapping young men to mere skeletons, ravaged by starvation, abuse, and disease, he decided to make a difference-by recording the atrocities they all endured. With the help of a Japanese interpreter and a handful of other brave marines, Kirk managed to build a pinhole camera from scraps of cardboard, take a handful of photos, and then hide them away until the end of the war. These are the only photos ever taken inside a Japanese POW camp. A record of courage, faith, and ingenuity, his is a story of heroism, unimaginable adversity, and the will to survive.
His photos sat unpublished for more than fifty years, ignored by a U.S. government that seemed indifferent to the atrocities the images documented. But Kirk would not let them languish, and this book is his legacy.
- GenresWorld War II
259 pages, Paperback
First published January 28, 1983
40 people want to read
About the author
Terence S. Kirk
3 booksTerence Sumner Kirk was born in Harrisburg, Illinois, June 10, 1916.
Sadly at the age of 3, with a tragic turn of events, he and his siblings were sent to Mooseheart Orphanage to be raised. There he was educated and graduated from high school.
Kirk entered the Marine Corps in 1937. He trained in San Diego, California, and later in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Coveted orders arrived in 1939 when he received orders to serve with the elite North China Marines, as a legation guard in Peking, China. The assignment offers him status and prestige until his capture on Pearl Harbor Day.
Terence S. Kirk served his country for 30 years retiring from the Marine Corps and later from the FAA as a Proficiency Development and Evaluation Officer.
A voracious learner, he graduated from Santa Rosa College in 1969. Some of his many interests include far reaching knowledge of American history, advanced study toward hydrogen powered transportation systems, ham radio operator, gardening, and chess.
He is known for his quick wit, wise-acre sense of humor, ever-present smile, and twinkle in his eye.
(source: http://www.thesecretcamera.com/Biogra...)
Sadly at the age of 3, with a tragic turn of events, he and his siblings were sent to Mooseheart Orphanage to be raised. There he was educated and graduated from high school.
Kirk entered the Marine Corps in 1937. He trained in San Diego, California, and later in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Coveted orders arrived in 1939 when he received orders to serve with the elite North China Marines, as a legation guard in Peking, China. The assignment offers him status and prestige until his capture on Pearl Harbor Day.
Terence S. Kirk served his country for 30 years retiring from the Marine Corps and later from the FAA as a Proficiency Development and Evaluation Officer.
A voracious learner, he graduated from Santa Rosa College in 1969. Some of his many interests include far reaching knowledge of American history, advanced study toward hydrogen powered transportation systems, ham radio operator, gardening, and chess.
He is known for his quick wit, wise-acre sense of humor, ever-present smile, and twinkle in his eye.
(source: http://www.thesecretcamera.com/Biogra...)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 8, 2024
Excellent WW2 POW memoir. My uncle is briefly mentioned. Elements remind me of Unbroken by Hilllenbrand. Humanity’s capacity for good, evil, and grit is amazing.
October 16, 2008
What an absolutely amazing book.
In a nutshell - this man was taken prisoner during World War Two. He constructed a camera in the prison camp and took pictures of the camp and its conditions. These are the only known pictures taken inside a prisoner camp.
Its the story of our heroes, what they endured and how they survived the atrocities.
In a nutshell - this man was taken prisoner during World War Two. He constructed a camera in the prison camp and took pictures of the camp and its conditions. These are the only known pictures taken inside a prisoner camp.
Its the story of our heroes, what they endured and how they survived the atrocities.
January 10, 2010
I bought this book when the author's death had been announced. It is amazing the things he had to do to get his photographs. And, wow, what amazing photos they turned out to be. Freedom is NOT free!
October 6, 2013
Interesting, if workmanlike book about a man whose WW2 experience was especially unique: he was a U.S. Marine stationed in China, who was captured shortly after Pearl Harbor and remained a POW until the end of the war.
There are tragic stories about deaths of several of his fellow prisoners, but Kirk's work is not filled with details about atrocities: cold, heat, hunger and disease are the significant factors in his war years.
The book jacket touts accolades from the likes of Oliver North and Ted Nugent, two checkered characters who wouldn't increase the book's appeal to a good portion of society, but if you can get past that, the book is worthwhile.
The title is somewhat misleading: Kirk's creation of the "secret camera" occurs late in the book and there is no real foreshadowing about it, so it is not an overriding element of the work.
At book's end, Kirk says that he was given orders to not reveal he was a POW in Japan, and he obeyed these orders for decades, even though he remained in the US Marines for a time after the war. Since he was so uninformed about what transpired in the Pacific theatre during his incarceration (and completely uninformed about what happened in the European theatre) I would be curious to know how he responded to questions about his military experience, in later life.
Did he memorized everything he could about marines who had served in a particular place, to pass himself off as one of them?
Unfortunately, Kirk gives us no information about this long-lived deception.
There are tragic stories about deaths of several of his fellow prisoners, but Kirk's work is not filled with details about atrocities: cold, heat, hunger and disease are the significant factors in his war years.
The book jacket touts accolades from the likes of Oliver North and Ted Nugent, two checkered characters who wouldn't increase the book's appeal to a good portion of society, but if you can get past that, the book is worthwhile.
The title is somewhat misleading: Kirk's creation of the "secret camera" occurs late in the book and there is no real foreshadowing about it, so it is not an overriding element of the work.
At book's end, Kirk says that he was given orders to not reveal he was a POW in Japan, and he obeyed these orders for decades, even though he remained in the US Marines for a time after the war. Since he was so uninformed about what transpired in the Pacific theatre during his incarceration (and completely uninformed about what happened in the European theatre) I would be curious to know how he responded to questions about his military experience, in later life.
Did he memorized everything he could about marines who had served in a particular place, to pass himself off as one of them?
Unfortunately, Kirk gives us no information about this long-lived deception.
May 28, 2013
The Secret Camera is the true story of how a marine struggled for survival...from his capture on Pearl Harbor Day, through the bombing of Nagasaki, Corporal Terence S. Kirk spent years as slave labor for the Japanese...both he and his fellow marines wither away from healthy young men to mere skeletons through starvation, abuse, and disease...he decided to make a difference by recording the atrocities they endured....Kirk managed to build a pinhole camera from scraps of cardboard, take a handful of photos, and then hide them away until the end of the war..these are the only photos ever taken inside a Japanese POW camp...his photos sat unpublished for more than fifty years, ignored by a U.S. government that seemed indifferent to the atrocities the images documented. But Kirk would not let them languish, and this book is his legacy...talk about tenacity and courage....
April 6, 2016
First off, thanks to Terence Kirk for his service. Now, on to the book. For a book about an illicit camera made to reveal the worst times of humanity, you would think that it would appear more than 200 pages into a 240-page book. I understand that we require a lot of backstory for the prison camp and the soldiers held there, but a lot could have been cut. I also would have liked to have read more about his story after the war and his struggle to get the pictures published.
December 9, 2012
Mr. Kirk's account of the experiences he endured as a WWII P.O.W. is extraordinary, and a must read that I recommend for EVERYONE!
My full review is available at http://www.flashnee.com/pumpkin-run-p....
The Secret Camera makes an awesome addition to any librarary!
femmeflashpoint
My full review is available at http://www.flashnee.com/pumpkin-run-p....
The Secret Camera makes an awesome addition to any librarary!
femmeflashpoint
April 21, 2016
A true life account of the misery POWs went through at the hands of their Japanese captors. Not a fictionalized story, it shows the undefeatable spirit of American servicemen.
February 19, 2017
I was lucky enough to meet the author shortly before he died. Terence Kirk was a hero, may he never be forgotten.
The book details his time as a pow at the hands of the Japanese during WWII and contains perhaps the only pictures ever taken of American GI's inside a pow camp. Even if it was poorly written, which it isn't, this book would be worth its weight in gold simply for the history it contains. The first hand account of what men suffered to keep America free should be standard reading in every high school in America.
Pick this book up for a glimpse at what real suffering and adversity looks like.
The book details his time as a pow at the hands of the Japanese during WWII and contains perhaps the only pictures ever taken of American GI's inside a pow camp. Even if it was poorly written, which it isn't, this book would be worth its weight in gold simply for the history it contains. The first hand account of what men suffered to keep America free should be standard reading in every high school in America.
Pick this book up for a glimpse at what real suffering and adversity looks like.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews