Pawnee elder tells story of surviving Bataan Death March

by: Brian Daffron

CACHE, Okla. - Alexander Mathews carries a high and rare distinction in the Pawnee Tribe.

Considered to be the first Pawnee to see hostile action in World War II the day immediately following Pearl Harbor, he is currently one of only two tribal members for whom the Pawnee Prisoner of War Song can be sung.

Mathews' story, however, is even rarer, as he is a survivor of the Bataan Death March and Hell Ship rides. During this time, Mathews served 3 1/2 years as a POW in both the Philippines and Japan - almost the entire length of WWII. Mathews' story of surviving the sadistic brutality of the Japanese begins with his upbringing in Pawnee, Okla., where he labored long and hard plowing with draft horses, baling hay and doing farm labor.

''I was born May 11, 1919, and I knew what hard work was,'' Mathews said. ''I had worked for different farmers - a dollar a day.''

Decades before, ''Mathews'' became the family last name when interpreters could not understand his father's name when enrolling at the Pawnee Agency in north Oklahoma.

''The interpreter that was interpreting my dad, he could not interpret or explain what the name was,'' he said. ''There was an Army group there. He said, 'Sergeant, what's your name?' He said, 'Mathews.' 'Okay, your name is going to be Mathews.' My dad's name is Buffalo Chief.''

Mathews said his father was afraid of him working and spending all of his money foolishly. His father always told him, ''If you ever feed me, I'll know then that you understood what I was talking about.'' When Mathews began filling the pantries with food as a young man, he earned his father's respect.

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