merican tank crew listen to Bernard Herzog (US POW) who was just liberated from the camp of Santo Tomas, 1944
An American tank crew stands beside Bernard Herzog – an American citizen who lived in the Philippines – after his liberation from the Santo Tomas internment camp run by the Japanese in the old University of Santo Tomas campus, Manila. As you can see, he is severely malnourished as Herzog most likely exclusively ate refined white rice, as was the case with many other camps.
His lower legs are swollen due to beriberi, an illness which is caused by the lacking of vitamin B-1 (thiamine) in the diet, and his legs are most likely swollen from the illness. Beriberi was common in South East Asia due to the diets being predominantly of white rice, which has the husk of the seed removed to extend the time before it becomes inedible – except the husk contains the essential vitamin B-1.
In addition, notice the bucket of baby formula that Herzog is carrying – this is most likely the safest way and easiest way for him to get valuable nutrients that his body hasn’t been able to receive for years. It was known that some prisoners of war, if they went from their prison diet straight to normal dieting after release, they sometimes burst into cardiac arrest.
People in the image from left to right: Private 1st Class Arnold Senstrom, Sergeant Frank Duer, Private 1st Class Joseph Lewandowski, Bernard Herzog, Technician 5th Grade Bill Tksack, Technician 5th Grade Clifton Griffin, Private 1st Class John Rogen.