John Baptist Crasta was born in 1910 in the village of Kinnigoli, near the town of Mangalore in Southwestern India. He joined the British Indian Army (later the Indian Army) in 1933, serving in Quetta, Karachi, Singapore, New Britain (involuntarily), Bangalore, Jammu & Kashmir (war service), Bombay, Panagar, Calcutta, and Bareilly, and winning the Indian Independence Medal, the 1939-1945 War Service Medal, The George VI 1939-1945 Star, the George VI Pacific Star, and the Jammu & Kashmir Medal. He was appointed as a Viceroy's Commissioned Officer in 1946, and a Junior Commissioned Officer in 1948. He married Christine in 1947, and together they had three sons and one daughter. "Eaten by the Japanese" was first published with a publication date of 1998 by his son, Richard Crasta, who was by then an internationally published author. The memoir was formally presented to the public and also to his surprised father as an act of gratitude on the occasion of the latter's 50th wedding anniversary on December 27, 1997. Until his death in October 1999 at the age of 89, John Baptist Crasta lived a simple life in a quiet Mangalore locality, having bicycled to work every day until he was 75. Richard Crasta, minor co-author, wrote three essays and compiled notes, interviewing a few veterans of the British Indian Army. He has also published 12 other books.