African American deserter in WWII that lead a tribe in India?
July 23, 2008 12:04 PM   Subscribe

African American deserter in WWII that lead a tribe in India?

On NPR a few weeks back I heard about an African American deserter in WWII (maybe WWI) who was stationed in India. He retreated to the mountains and married the daughter of the chief of a local indigenous group. He lived in the mountains as an outlaw for decades, and there were some reports he was very unbalanced (maybe PTSD, maybe preexisting conditions).

I think he was being discussed on NPR because he was the subject of a new biography that involved a lot of in depth field research.

I must have some details wrong, all my googling isn't getting me very far. Anyone know the name of this figure?
posted by brownbat to Society & Culture (5 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Sounds similar to the legend of John Frum, although that wasn't in India.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 12:13 PM on July 23, 2008


Best answer: Herman Perry.
posted by mdonley at 12:15 PM on July 23, 2008 [2 favorites]


Now the Hell Will Start. It was Burma, not India, which might have impaired your Googling.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 12:16 PM on July 23, 2008


Slate.com slideshow on Perry.
posted by steef at 12:18 PM on July 23, 2008


Response by poster: Ah, I must have heard "China Burma India Theater" and just caught the last two words.

Thanks all, the book title was a nice bonus, USR.
posted by brownbat at 7:17 PM on July 23, 2008


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