Mr. Parkinson and Mr. Benson talked about their book Soldier Slaves: Abandoned by the White House, Courts and Congress, published by Naval Institute Press. The book chronicles the life of WWII soldier Harold Poole and his legal battle, along with other POWs, to seek restitution from Japanese companies that used them for slave labor following the Bataan Death March of April 1942.

In the Bataan Death March, the Japanese soldiers marched Mr. Poole and other POWs 85 miles in Manila’s blistering heat and then shipped them to work as slaves for private Japanese corporations. Approximately 1,000 American soldiers died on the march. During the event, Senator Hatch, who wrote the foreword, discussed his support of legislation that will help American WWII veterans who were enslaved receive compensation for their labor. Mr. Parkinson is a trial lawyer who was co-lead counsel in the JPOW case. The authors, as well as POW and Salt Lake native Harold Poole, answered questions from members of the audience. 

This event was hosted by Deseret Book Company at the ZCMI Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.