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→POW years
==POW years==
==POW years==
Snyder was so eager to join the [[United States Army]] that he claimed to have been a year older than his actual age. In June 1940, he wanted to "get in on the ground floor” of a second world conflict which seemed imminent to many. "I was seventeen. I went by myself and enlisted," Snyder said. His parents were reluctant to give their consent and regretted having done so when Snyder was declared [[missing in action]] at Bataan.<ref name=baytown>{{cite web|url=http://baytownsun.com/story.lasso?ewcd=e5d6249f2275ced2|title=Wilburn Snyder|publisher=''The Baytown Sun''|accessdate=May 30, 2007}}</ref>
Snyder was so eager to join the [[United States Army]] that he claimed to have been a year older than his actual age. In June 1940, he wanted to "get in on the ground floor” of a second world conflict which seemed imminent to many. "I was seventeen. I went by myself and enlisted," Snyder said. His parents were reluctant to give their consent and regretted having done so when Snyder was declared [[missing in action]] at Bataan.<ref name=baytown>{{cite web|url=http://baytownsun.com/story.lasso?ewcd=e5d6249f2275ced2|title=Wilburn Snyder|publisher=''The Baytown Sun''|accessdate=May 30, 2007}}</ref>
After serving fifteen months at Fort Crockett in [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], Snyder was deployed to the Philippines as a combat medic]in the 3rd Battalion of the 31st Infantry. From that outfit of twenty-nine men, he was one of five who returned to the United States.<ref name=baytown/>
After serving fifteen months at Fort Crockett in [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], Snyder was deployed to the Philippines as a combat medic]in the 3rd Battalion of the 31st Infantry. From that outfit of twenty-nine men, he was one of five who returned to the United States.<ref name=baytown/>
On Snyder’s death at the age of eighty-five, ''The Houston Chronicle'' quoted his daughter, Theda S. Cuellar of Houston: "He had no hatred towards those people. As a [[Christian]], he put away all that hatred, but he wanted people to know what they went through." Cuellar said that her father suffered twice from [[malaria]] during the internment and was left for dead, but a [[United States Army]] friend stole [[medicine]] from the Japanese invaders and nursed Snyder to health.<ref name=chron/>
On Snyder’s death at the age of eighty-five, ''The Houston Chronicle'' quoted his daughter, Theda S. Cuellar of Houston: "He had no hatred towards those people. As a [[Christian]], he put away all that hatred, but he wanted people to know what they went through." Cuellar said that her father suffered twice from [[malaria]] during the internment and was left for dead, but a [[United States Army]] friend stole [[medicine]] from the Japanese invaders and nursed Snyder to health.<ref name=chron/>
After American forces under General Edward P. King, surrendered on April 9, 1942, Snyder, along with some 12,000 American and 68,000 Filipino defenders of the Bataan peninsula, was forced to march sixty-eight miles over fourteen days to the prison camp. On this journey, a large number of the soldiers, denied food and water by the Japanese, perished.<ref name=chron/> In surrendering, King disobeyed orders, but Snyder and other captives contended that the general had no alternative. Snyder said that the surrender was respected by the men who were afflicted from a lack of food, quinine, medicine, and ammunition.<ref name=baytown/>
After American forces under General Edward P. King, surrendered on April 9, 1942, Snyder, along with some 12,000 American and 68,000 Filipino defenders of the Bataan peninsula, was forced to march sixty-eight miles over fourteen days to the prison camp. On this journey, a large number of the soldiers, denied food and water by the Japanese, perished.<ref name=chron/> In surrendering, King disobeyed orders, but Snyder and other captives contended that the general had no alternative. Snyder said that the surrender was respected by the men who were afflicted from a lack of food, quinine, medicine, and ammunition.<ref name=baytown/>
"I think it was one of the bravest things for him [General King] to do. He risked his whole military career when he did that because he did it against orders. He’s a tremendous man in my eyes. He saved about 12,000 Americans' lives," said Snyder in a [[Memorial Day]] 2007 interview with his hometown ''[[Baytown Sun]]'' newspaper.<ref name=baytown/>
"I think it was one of the bravest things for him [General King] to do. He risked his whole military career when he did that because he did it against orders. He’s a tremendous man in my eyes. He saved about 12,000 Americans' lives," said Snyder in a [[Memorial Day]] 2007 interview with his hometown ''Baytown Sun'' newspaper.<ref name=baytown/>
In his own words, Snyder recalled the Death March:
In his own words, Snyder recalled the Death March: