Sacrifices for Patriotism
A Korean POW Remembers the Forgotten War
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Winston Churchill was quoted as saying about the captivity of a prisoner, "You are in the power of the enemy. You owe your life to his humanity, your daily bread to his compassion. You must obey his orders"... But the North Koreans had no humanity; they had no compassion.
Select Format
Book Details
About the Book
Sacrifices for Patriotism—A Korean POW Remembers the Forgotten War is a narrative nonfiction recollection of the thirty-seven months Pharis Greene spent in captivity during the Korean War. His story includes his childhood memories and continues to his life today.
In Korea, Pharis experienced horrific events. He witnessed his new commander, Colonel Martin, being cut in half by a Russian tank after engaging in a street fight with only a bazooka to defend himself. Less than forty yards separated Pharis from his higher-ranking officer, Second Lieutenant Thornton, when a North Korean madman dubbed “The Tiger” shot him in the back of the head on the infamous Death March. On numerous occasions, Pharis feared his life was over, including the three times he stood in front of a firing squad.
Some fellow POWs have been quoted in Remembered Prisoners of a Forgotten War by Lewis H. Carlson and In Mortal Combat by John Toland. In contrast, Pharis shares his personal experiences from the beginning to the end of the Korean War and recalls how he endured the challenges and miraculously survived.
About the Author
HELEN GREENE LEIGH, after being awakened every hour on the hour one summer night, gladly agreed to follow God’s instructions for her to share with the world Pharis’ personal experiences as a Korean POW and his miraculous survival. She spent the next year interviewing her oldest brother, Pharis, and researching the Korean War.
This is the only book she has written. As an entrepreneur, she has founded an insurance agency, a wholesale business, and an underground utility construction company.
As a single parent, Helen reared a daughter, Dawn, and a son, Derek. The three live in Charlotte, North Carolina. She boasts of five wonderful and amazing grandchildren. The eldest, Jeffrey, served five years in the US Army and deployed to Iraq for fifteen months. Amanda landed a full basketball scholarship at UNCG and continues to pursue her dream of playing in the WNBA. Megan, Jessey, and Kody are young adults who are searching for their own unique destinies.