The book Beyond the Bataan Death March is a biography written by the granddaughter of US Army Lt. Gen. Kearie Lee (K. L.) Berry, a former adjutant general of Texas and a survivor of the Bataan Death March. Berry led a remarkable life, one that deserves to be told. He was a stellar athlete and highly decorated soldier who exhibited remarkable leadership, courage, and determination as illustrated in this book.
The author meticulously researched her grandfather when writing his biography, which captures his life from his early childhood until his death in 1965. It begins with details from Berry’s time as an athlete at the University of Texas, where he excelled in football, wrestling, and track. He was a star member of the undefeated 1914 football team and was later chosen to serve as the captain of the 1915 team. World events, including those along the border of his home state of Texas, resulted in Berry joining the Texas Guard in May 1916. Later, Berry applies for and was accepted into the First Officers Training Camp in Leon Springs, Texas, where he would graduate and earn his commission in the Officers’ Reserve Corps in August 1917. During World War I, then–2nd Lt. Berry trained soldiers at Camp Kearney in San Diego. He would later go on to serve in various locations including several stateside assignments and serving abroad in Siberia, the Philippines, and China as an officer in the Regular Army.
Much of the book focuses on World War II with extensive coverage of Berry’s involvement in the Battle of Bataan and his subsequent time spent as a prisoner of war (April 1942–August 1945). During this period, Berry faced harsh conditions that he recounted in his diaries. The book vividly describes living conditions, the treatment of prisoners of war, and other anecdotes recorded by Berry during his time spent in captivity. While much of the material comes from Berry’s personal accounts, the book also contains material from other historical sources as well as pictures, maps, and other relevant documents.
The book then transitions to Berry’s time in the postwar period, where he eventually earned his much-deserved promotion to brigadier general, albeit only a temporary appointment. Berry’s attempts to earn permanent status as a brigadier general were never realized. Nevertheless, Berry’s leadership and connection with prominent figures led to his appointment as the adjutant general of Texas following his retirement from the Army, a position he would hold for seven consecutive terms. When Berry retired from the position in 1961, he was awarded the rank of brevet lieutenant general.
The book is extremely well-written and adds to the many other fine works detailing the Bataan Death March and life in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps. The author’s attention to detail is evident and her research is extraordinary. Altogether, she does a wonderful job conveying her grandfather’s life story. The book is definitely worth the read, especially for those with an interest in military history and World War II.