Hope, grit, and an unwavering determination to survive. These qualities defined Gunnery Sergeant Art Ponder’s remarkable service during World War II, where he overcame the unthinkable as a prisoner of war under Japanese captivity.
When Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, Ponder didn’t hesitate. He immediately joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, stating it was simply “time to defend my country.” Born in Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, to Amos and Nona Phillips Ponder, he had enlisted at Barksdale Field on October 31, 1939, at just 18 years old, serving with the 27th Bomb Group, 16th Bomb Squadron until March 1946.
From Instructor to Prisoner
Ponder’s military journey took him through basic training at Camp Polk, Armor School in Denver, and eventually Gunnery School in Laredo, Texas. His exceptional grasp of the material quickly earned him a position as an instructor – a role that initially kept him from his desired deployment overseas.
“I went through Gunnery School in Laredo and as soon as I finished, they made me an instructor and that is where I was stuck for awhile because they wouldn’t let us go overseas or anything like that because we were short on instructors,” Ponder recalled. “I had students that went over and flew their 25 missions and returned and we made instructors out of them. It was aggravating that we couldn’t go.”
Eventually, Ponder would get his chance to serve abroad. He was stationed in the Philippines when Pearl Harbor was attacked, and his unit was ordered to an airfield on the Bataan Peninsula where they repaired aircraft. What followed would test the limits of human endurance.
Surviving the Unthinkable
Captured by Japanese forces, Ponder became one of thousands of American prisoners of war subjected to brutal conditions. How did he survive when so many others perished? The answer, according to Ponder himself, lay in his mental fortitude.
“Your mental attitude toward how you handle situations has a lot to do with your success,” he emphasized. “Regardless of what others do, grit your teeth and do what needs to be done.”
This philosophy carried him through the darkest days of captivity. While many fellow soldiers lost hope and subsequently their lives, Ponder refused to surrender mentally. “Just never give up,” he insisted. “Determination is the attitude you had to have, knowing you could survive whatever!”
The physical toll was immense, yet somehow Ponder emerged relatively unscathed. “When I got out, I didn’t have a scratch anywhere. That’s a miracle!” he shared.
Legacy of Resilience
Ponder’s story has been highlighted by the Texas Veterans Land Board, chaired by Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., who made history herself as the first Republican elected to the Texas State Senate from Travis County and later became the state’s first female Land Commissioner in 2022.
His testimony serves as a powerful reminder of the Greatest Generation’s sacrifices and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit. For today’s military personnel and civilians alike, Ponder’s message transcends his wartime experience.
“Hope makes a difference. If you don’t have hope, you’re gone. Having hope can get you through anything,” he stated – words that resonate far beyond the battlefield.
In an era when challenges often seem insurmountable, Art Ponder’s legacy offers a timeless lesson: with the right mindset, we can endure far more than we believe possible. “I was ready for anything they had,” he once said of his military service – but perhaps he was speaking about life itself.
