STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 12
While stationed in the Philippines, James Worthley ran into a friend: Billy Goodman, serving as a yeoman in the Seabees, had been Worthley’ s fraternity brother at Oklahoma A & M. They were delighted to see a familiar face so many miles from home.
While stationed in the Philippines, James Worthley ran into a friend: Billy Goodman, serving as a yeoman in the Seabees, had been Worthley’ s fraternity brother at Oklahoma A & M. They were delighted to see a familiar face so many miles from home.
Worthley’ s story ended heroically but tragically. On April 11, 1945, he had been promoted to First Lieutenant; however, he was killed in action on Jolo island in the Philippines before he received the news of his promotion. After his death, a letter was sent home to his mother regarding the details of his death and heroic acts in battle. Affectionately referred to as“ Jimmy,” Worthley’ s commanding officer described how his quick action had saved the lives of many of his men when the company came under intense Japanese fire.
In the years following the war, Worthley’ s father used his death as a platform to advocate for World War II veterans to be able to fully benefit from the GI Bill – a measure that honored the service of military members with support such as medical care, home loans and college tuition assistance. For many years, Worthley’ s father also worked with Stillwater’ s Red Cross and was deeply involved in the community. James Worthley is buried at the American Memorial Cemetery in Manila. The Cowboy Delegation was honored to pay our respects to him there.
CLYDE“ TED” KERN United States Army
Ted Kern( third from right) aboard ship headed home, c. 1945.
M ajor Clyde Vincent“ Ted” Kern was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma in 1911. His family later moved to Tulsa where his father, L. D. Kern, joined the Tulsa Police Department. Ted studied pre-med at Oklahoma A & M College where he held a reserve commission with the ROTC. He later completed his doctoral studies at Oklahoma University, and married Katherine Cantrell. They travelled together to the Philippines after he joined the regular Army in January 1941.
Kern was stationed at Fort Stotsenberg, Pomponga, Philippines prior to the Japanese invasion: he oversaw the hospital. In May 1941, the Army ordered the evacuation of service members’ families, including Kern’ s wife, who returned to the United States via the transport ship the Republic. During the Japanese invasion, Kern treated American and Filipino defenders of Bataan in an open-air hospital with almost nonexistent supplies; with the surrender of Bataan in April of 1942, he became a prisoner of war. Amidst the Bataan Death March, Kern helped to transport the wounded to Camp O’ Donell, and he continued to serve as a doctor for the thousands of suffering POWs. A survivor of the camps would credit Kern with saving hundreds of lives.
Kern’ s family chose not to tell his mother about the fall of Bataan out of fear for her declining health. When U. S. forces began efforts to retake Manilla in early 1945, Kearn found himself transported on one of the infamous Japanese“ Hell Ships”; he survived, and was confined to another prison camp in Formosa( Taiwan). Kern remained a Prisoner of War until American forces broke through later in 1945. Tragically, his mother passed away before his liberation. After the war, Kern returned to the United States as a Major. He died in 1962 and is buried in Highland Cemetery in Pawnee, Oklahoma. We are grateful to family members who shared information about his life with us.
ROBERT BRITTAN – United States Army & JORGE MADAMBA – Guerilla Fighter
L ieutenant Colonel Robert Neil Brittan stepped ashore on the island of Negros in the Southern Philippines in early 1942. His mission at the time was to take over efforts to salvage the S. S. Panay, which had been sunk off the coast by the Japanese in December. Previous salvaging was done by a local group of Filipino forces in the region, therefore Brittan made his way to a local leader’ s home for more information. Captain Jorge Madamba wasn’ t home, so Brittan was instructed to wait for him inside. Improbably, he found himself gazing upon a large Oklahoma A & M College banner proudly hanging on the front wall. Not knowing anything of Madamba, Brittan was obviously surprised to see his alma mater’ s flag some
Ted Kern, c. 1942.
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 12