Charles R. Jackson, was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Marine, best known for his posthumously published memoir

Memoir

A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...

 I Am Alive: A United States Marine's Story of Survival in a World War II Japanese POW Camp.

Military career

Charles R. Jackson attended Virginia Military Institute

Virginia Military Institute

The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...

 where he earned a degree in civil engineering. From there he attended the West Point

United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...

 and graduated in 1919. From there he served in the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

, resigning his commission in 1925 to join the United States Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

, where he enrolled in 1927 as a Private.

While fighting in the Battle of Corregidor

Battle of Corregidor

The Battle for Corregidor was the culmination of the Japanese campaign for the conquest of the Philippines. The fall of Bataan on 9 April 1942 ended all organized opposition by the U.S...

 in the spring of 1942, he was captured by the Japanese and interned as a P.O.W.

Prisoner of war

A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...

 for three years.

Military Medals and Ribbons

	Silver Star
	Purple Heart Purple Heart The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...

Writings

Charles R. Jackson's plain account of his experiences as a P.O.W. of the Japanese was edited by military historian Major Bruce Norton USMC (Ret.) and published posthumously in June 2003. Among other topics from Jackson's notes that were assembled were accounts of inhumanity and deadly situations, including forced marches.