American Scene

ILLINOIS

Oldest survivor of Bataan Death March dies at 105

NASHVILLE — A World War II veteran recognized as the oldest living survivor of the Bataan Death March has died at age 105 in an Illinois nursing home.

His biographer, Kevin Moore, says Albert Brown was recognized as the oldest survivor of the deadly 65-mile trek at an annual survivors’ convention in 2007. His granddaughter says he died Sunday.

Japanese soldiers forced Mr. Brown and 78,000 other prisoners of war to march through the Philippines to a prisoner of war camp in 1942. As many as 11,000 died.

But Mr. Brown survived. When the war ended, he moved to California and rented properties to the era’s biggest Hollywood stars.

Mr. Moore said Monday that Mr. Brown’s story of endurance and hope has as much relevance for today’s wounded warriors as it did for World War II veterans.

NEW JERSEY

Man, 65, jailed for sex assault on Continental jet

NEWARK — A New Jersey man who fondled a sleeping female passenger on a flight from Hong Kong to Newark will spend a year in prison.

Ramesh Advani of Berkeley Heights was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Newark.

Prosecutors say Advani, 65, was seated next to the victim on an overnight Continental Airlines flight in May 2010. Advani admitted he reached under a blanket covering the woman and assaulted her. She awoke and alerted the flight crew, and Advani was detained when the plane landed.

Advani had pleaded guilty in April to a charge of abusive sexual contact.

He also has been fined $10,000 and must serve five years of supervised release once he’s freed.

NEW YORK

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