240:. During his later court martial, some POWs testified that Batchelor had reported on them for transgressions of camp rules to the Chinese guards, though others stated that Batchelor had used his friendliness with camp officials to secure extra provisions for American prisoners. In 2010 William Smith, who was interned with Batchelor, reported that he was frequently seen within the compound carrying a copy of
220:(POW) camp. While there, he volunteered to serve on a "peace committee" formed by camp officials and composed of other POWs. While serving on the committee, Batchelor urged American POWs to sign a letter requesting the United States withdraw from the Korean Peninsula and to establish diplomatic relations with the
203:
on
November 5. After a two-hour firefight, the Americans surrendered. According to Batchelor's later testimony, he and his compatriots thought the Chinese would execute them but were surprised when a Chinese officer instead greeted each American prisoner by shaking hands, before ordering the group
141:
worldview to fellow prisoners and penned a letter calling for the United States to withdraw from the Korean
Peninsula. According to Batchelor, his actions were the result of brainwashing. Repatriated to the United States at the end of the war, he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, though he
195:(KPA) from July to October 1950. Batchelor was part of a group of 15 soldiers detached from his company who, on the evening of October 31, 1950, were tasked with making contact with a remote outpost. While en route to their objective, the main portion of Batchelor's company was overrun by the
137:, Batchelor enlisted in the Army at age 16 and was deployed to the Korean Peninsula at the outbreak of the Korean War. He was made a prisoner of war (POW) in late 1950 after his company was overrun by Chinese forces. While interned at the Pyok-Dong POW camp, he evangelized a
298:– recused himself on the grounds that, prior to the trial, he had "formulated the opinion ... that the accused is a traitor". Westbrook's defense of Batchelor was based on acknowledgment of the soldier's collaboration but claim that it was involuntary and the result of
257:, who later interrogated Batchelor, he decided to leave as Chinese officials had decided to demote him from leading the defectors in favor of another prisoner. Batchelor himself, however, said he had decided to leave after reading an article about communism by
199:. The detachment was soon joined by the company's remnants, bringing their total strength to 30 personnel. After several skirmishes with Chinese patrols operating in the area, the American troops were attacked by a superior Chinese force near
326:
After being paroled, Batchelor settled in San
Antonio, Texas, and went to work, first, for an accountant and, next, as a clerk for Remco Corporation, a manufacturer of air conditioner parts. In November 1960 Batchelor was charged with
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Batchelor was convicted on
September 30 of several charges of communicating with the enemy without proper authority and of promoting disloyalty and disaffection among the civilian populace of the United States. He was sentenced to
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302:. Psychiatrist Leon Freedman testified for the defense, stating that Batchelor suffered from "induced political psychosis" and had been led to believe that he was "a potential savior of humanity".
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ceremony. They were divorced on
December 20, 1961, and he married 20-year-old Evelyn Butcher of East Union, Indiana, in a civil ceremony in San Antonio later that afternoon.
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over his role in a traffic accident that resulted in the death of another motorist. The following year he was fined $ 500 in the matter.
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154:, the second of eight children. His family was poor. He dropped out of high school at age 16 and lied about his age to enlist in the
253:. However, along with Edward Dickenson, Batchelor later changed his mind and was transferred back to the United States. According to
468:
Single Handed: The
Inspiring True Story of Tibor "Teddy" Rubin, Holocaust Survivor, Korean War Hero, and Medal of Honor Recipient
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At the conclusion of hostilities, Batchelor was among 21 American POWs who refused repatriation to the United States during
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following the outbreak of the Korean War, Batchelor was reassigned from divisional band duties to the
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Communist
Interrogation, Indoctrination, and Exploitation of American Military and Civilian Prisoners
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Upon return to the United States, Batchelor was promptly charged with collaboration.
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In 1949, while posted to Japan, Batchelor wed
Japanese citizen Kyoko Araki in a
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314:. In 1957 the sentence was further reduced, to ten years. He was confined at
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Batchelor began his military career in 1948 and was posted to Japan with the
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and life imprisonment, the sentence later cut to 20 years by order of Gen.
536:"Surviving Korean War POWs-turned-defectors offer their insights on Lindh"
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soldier convicted by court martial of collaborating with China during the
232:; he led lectures to fellow POWs in which he described the injustices of
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294:, represented Batchelor. During the trial, one member of the tribunal –
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440:. University of Illinois Press. pp. 34–36, 241–242, 267.
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Batchelor's court martial was convened on August 30, 1954, at
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WBAP-TV news clip about the court-martial of Claude
Batchelor
224:. Batchelor also penned a letter to Kermit's newspaper, the
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List of
American and British defectors in the Korean War
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moved to a nearby house where they were fed and given
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Prisoners and detainees of the United States military
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United States Army personnel who were court-martialed
694:"Prison Term Given Claude Batchelor Reduced 10 Years"
812:"Turncoat Batchelor Tries to Rebuild Life in Texas"
216:Batchelor was ultimately interned at the Pyok-Dong
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318:, and paroled after serving less than five years.
191:. He participated in combat action against the
891:United States Army personnel of the Korean War
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901:United States Army non-commissioned officers
628:"Life Sentence Ordered for Claude Batchelor"
911:American prisoners of war in the Korean War
665:"United States, United States v. Batchelor"
316:Federal Correctional Institution, Texarkana
286:. Joel Westbrook, a civilian attorney from
18:American soldier convicted of collaboration
183:Deployed to the Korean Peninsula with the
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503:Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
589:from the original on July 12, 2019
142:ultimately served less than five.
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771:"Claude Batchelor is Fined $ 500"
738:"Korean Turncoat Weds Local Girl"
534:Crenson, Sharon (April 2, 2002).
175:, where he was a trumpet player.
388:Hillman, Elizabeth (June 2004).
261:which appeared in a copy of the
492:"Interview with William Smith"
390:"Disloyalty Among Men in Arms"
274:Court martial and imprisonment
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886:Military personnel from Texas
616:: Pyramid Books. p. 262.
470:. Penguin. pp. 232–233.
267:he had acquired while a POW.
179:Capture during the Korean War
150:Claude Batchelor was born in
906:American defectors to China
230:American biological warfare
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636:United Press International
238:Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
222:People's Republic of China
881:People from Kermit, Texas
582:. June 1956. p. 62.
499:ALPL Oral History Program
466:Cohen, Daniel M. (2016).
394:North Carolina Law Review
173:1st Cavalry Division Band
108:1st Cavalry Division Band
359:The Manchurian Candidate
296:Edward R. Schowalter Jr.
146:Early life and education
841:(subscription required)
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608:Hunter, Edward (1956).
243:The Communist Manifesto
197:People's Volunteer Army
57:United States (1948–50)
436:Lech, Raymond (2000).
308:dishonorable discharge
822:. February 17, 1959.
775:Longview News-Journal
76:Years of service
580:United States Senate
292:Texas National Guard
251:Operation Big Switch
193:Korean People's Army
189:8th Cavalry Regiment
185:1st Cavalry Division
112:8th Cavalry Regiment
896:American communists
744:. December 30, 1961
290:and officer in the
226:Winkler County News
25:Claude J. Batchelor
742:Noblesville Ledger
704:. April 12, 1957.
632:Brownwood Bulletin
259:Whittaker Chambers
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638:. October 1, 1954
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748:August 14,
712:August 12,
678:August 14,
642:August 11,
593:August 15,
551:August 12,
516:August 12,
447:0252025415
366:References
322:Later life
255:Bert Cumby
206:cigarettes
167:Enlistment
128:Korean War
54:Allegiance
37:1929-12-14
139:communist
79:1948–1953
824:Archived
783:Archived
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669:icrc.org
614:New York
584:Archived
507:Archived
347:See also
88:Corporal
64:Service/
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66:branch
587:(PDF)
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284:Texas
201:Unsan
832:2019
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