(Quentine) Pershing DeVORE

Quentine Pershing DeVore completed his life’s journey on June 2, 2016 at the VA Medical Center in Grand Junction, Colorado. Born on May 14, 1919, in Vernon, Colorado, he was raised on a wheat farm during the Great Depression. During those “hard times” he gained resourceful skills he would use throughout his life. In 1940, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and trained as an armament specialist for B-17 bombers, which meant synchronizing the machine guns to shoot between the propeller blades. In October 1941, he was shipped to the Philippine Islands and onboard met Ben Steele, who would become his closest war companion and life-long friend. Both were stationed at Clark Field, a major US base in the Philippine Islands. Two months after they arrived, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Knowing of the attack in Hawaii, Pershing was assigned to a watchtower at Clark Field. As anticipated, the Japanese began their attack, and during the bombing, he was blown from the watchtower. Following the attack, Ben Steele found only a wristwatch and assumed Pershing had been killed. Ben later located Pershing bandaged and wounded in a clinic.

Within a few days, the Japanese began to take over the island with a major land force. The troops assigned to Clark Field started their retreat into the jungle, but Pershing and Ben were given a suicide mission to stay behind for the night. Sitting in their foxhole with only a machine gun, their mission was to “slow the Japanese down.” Fortunately, before reaching the two soldiers, the Japanese camped for the night, just within earshot. Early the following morning, before the Japanese advance, their commanding officer returned to pick them up. After eventually being pushed to the far southern tip of the island, Pershing’s group was surrounded by the Japanese and given the option to fight or be captured. The generals in Washington D.C. had predetermined they could not support both the European and Pacific fronts, and ordered General Douglas MacArthur to withdraw, leaving his troops trapped on the island. This led to the group calling themselves “The Battling Bastards of Bataan—no momma, no papa and no Uncle Sam.” Tired and hungry after months of no food or military supplies, they were all captured. Thousands of troops, including Pershing and Ben, were then marched in tropical heat for several days to POW camps in the north part of the island. Deprived of water, food, and medical care, many troops perished or were bayoneted along the way, the horror of which became known as the Bataan Death March. The tale of this and his subsequent 3-year POW captivity has been related in the book “Tears in the Darkness.” Both Pershing and Ben survived, at times saving each others lives. They remained life long friends into their nineties.

Following his liberation and return to the states he married “the prettiest girl in Vernon,” Dorothy Ann Devlin on June 30, 1945 and settled down to raise his family of three sons. During his working career Pershing was the City Manager for Wray, Yuma, and Longmont, Colorado, and when the local politics became too much, he willingly changed careers. He began work for the Colorado Department of Transportation, developing a new position as Utilities Inspector. He retired in 1984 and stayed very busy buying cars, gardening, jeeping, fishing and hunting— bagging a 6-point bull elk at the age of 80. After his wife died in December of 2010, Pershing moved and started a new life in Grand Junction, Colorado, making many wonderful friends.

Pershing was predeceased by his parents, Robert Wesley DeVore and Maude Ella Wales DeVore, his 2 brothers, Harold and Perry DeVore, and his sister, Marjorie DeVore Zion. He is survived by his three sons and their wives, Robert Wayne DeVore of Seattle WA, Thomas Pershing and Susan DeVore of Arvada, and Dennis Gerald and Judi DeVore of Grand Junction. Also survived by four grand daughters, two grandsons, a great-granddaughter and great-grandson, and several nieces and nephews. He leaves a big hole in our hearts saying goodbye to this witty, sassy, hero of a man.

Military service to be held at the Grand Junction VA Cemetery on June 13, 2016 at 10:00am. Reception following the services at 353 Dakota Circle Grand Junction, CO. No flowers requested. Donations may be made to the Grand Valley Combined Honor Guard or Home Care of the Grand Valley.

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