POW in Wake Island (3)

For loving my family so much, I should know more about my family story, especially now when I still have parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents who I can ask questions to and get some information. Recently, I have become really interested in my Great Great Grandpa Packard. I know that he is the father of 18 children, that he was a hard working man that stood up for his values, and was a prisoner of war during WWII on Wake Island. That's about the extent of my knowledge on him. But I want to know his character, who he was, what he thought. What was the POW camp like? How did he end up there? How did he keep his standards high in a place where his beliefs were not respected? How did he get out of the camp and eventually return home? How long was he there? How did my great grandmother even manage raising 16 of the 18 children on her own? I know that my Great Grandfather, Forrest Packard, died early because of conditions he accumulated through his stay in the camp. But I want to know about him and my Great Grandmother. I feel like as I come to know them, I will come to understand my Grandfather and my mother on a more personal and deep level.

How did my Great Grandfather, Forrest Packard, come through a 2 year prison camp with a stronger belief in God, while others came out bitter, hard, and athiest?

Forrest Packard had been working on Wake Island for the 8 months on a building project. He was scheduled to return home the beginning of January 19**. This was before he knew his stay on Wake Island would be almost 2 and a half years longer than expected. Japaneese war planes and ships attacked Pearl Harbor December 7, 19**. After taking over Pearl Harbor, they moved to the surrounding islands, one of them being Wake Island. The Japaneese were in control for the next two years and ran the prison camp my great great grandfather lived through. Prison camps were dreaded places. Disease ran rampant, food was scarce, work was heavy, abuse was prevalent. Forrest Packard was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and had been his whole life. After his imprisonment, he was more dedicated in his discipleship and more committed to living a Christ centered life. THESIS: Although he wouldn't have hand-picked the trial of going through a prison camp to learn the lessons he did, his experience with hard manual labor, loving his enemy, and spiritual experience before and after his imprisonment lead him to leave Wake Island as a more devout and steadfast disciple of Christ.

How do you know all of this about him? Is your family big into Family History or do you have journals passed down? Is this on your father or mother's side?

I think this is a great topic that is really personal and important to you. I would also look at other people's experiences to see how your great great grandpa's experience compared. 

I think you've got a really good idea to go off of.  You have a lot of questions that if they're answered, you'll have a really strong paper.  Just remember to tie it into your life and family as they've been affected by your great great grandpa today.