Manogue

Pfc. James L. Manogue was born in 1914 in Johnstown, Wisconsin. With his brother, he was raised in Milton, Wisconsin. He was one of the four children of James & Ellen Manogue. He went to school in Milton and attended Milton Union High School. He left school to help his father on the family farm.

In Janesville, Jim joined the 32nd Tank Company of the Wisconsin National Guard about a month before the company was called to federal duty in the fall of 1940. Arriving at Fort Knox, Kentucky, the company's name was changed to A Company, 192nd Tank Battalion. He and the other members of the battalion trained for nearly a year in tank tactics and how to use the other equipment assigned to a tank company.

In the late summer of 1941, the 192nd Tank Battalion took part in maneuvers in Louisiana. After the maneuvers, Jim and the other members of the battalion learned that they were being sent overseas for further training.

Jim received a ten day pass home to say his goodbyes. He returned to Camp Polk, Louisiana and from there left for the west coast. At San Francisco, Jim and the other men were transported to Angel Island. After receiving physicals, they were loaded onto transports and sailed for the Philippine Islands.

Arriving at Manila, the battalion was rushed to Fort Stotsenburg. There they were assigned to tents along the main road between the fort and Clark Airfield. For the next two weeks, they worked to prepare their equipment for use.

The morning of December 8, 1941, Capt Walter Write informed his company of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The tankers took their position around the perimeter of the airfield. Around noon, planes appeared above the airfield and began bombing.

Like the other members of A Company, Jim could not do much to fight the Japanese since he did not have the correct firearms. After the attack, Jim saw the devastation of the attack.

For the next four months, Jim and the other members of A Company fought to slow the Japanese conquest of the Philippines. On April 9, 1942, Jim and most of the company became Prisoners Of War.

Jim took part in the death march With Jim on the march, was Phil Parish of A Company. At Cabcaban, Jim and the other POWs had to run in front of Japanese artillery that was firing at Corregidor. Corregidor had begun to zero in on the Japanese guns about the time Jim and Phil got there. The POWs were forced to run past the guns as shells exploded around them.

At Lamao, Jim and the other POWs were held in a pen where other POWs had already been held. They were forced to sleep in the waste of these previous occupants. Since many of the men were sick, they added to the mess.

About this time, the POWs received food. Jim, Phil and another prisoner combined their rice and other food they had. The three men had the best meal that they had had in days.

The prisoners were forced to march into the night. In one barrio, they could not see but could smell the bodies of the dead. The smell made the POWs sick.

At San Fernando, Jim was forced into a boxcar. The prisoners were packed in so tightly that those who died remained standing until the living disembarked at Capas. Jim and Phil then walked the last few miles to Camp O'Donnell.

As a Prisoner Of War at Camp O'Donnell. It is not known if he went out on a work detail while there. But it appears that Jim was considered too ill to be transferred to Cabanatuan when the new camp opened.

On January 30, 1945, Sgt. Dale Lawton was liberated from Cabanatuan. When he returned home to Janesville, he informed the Manogue family that Jim had died while a POW. This was the first word that the family had received which confirmed a letter that the family had previously received about Jim's death.

The following is a letter written by Chaplain Frank L.Tiffany to the Manogue family The letter was written at Camp O'Donnell. It was not found until three years after it had been written.

Dear Mr. Manogue:

It was my pleasure to have known Pvt. James Manogue of the 192nd Tank Battalion, but my very sad duty to write of his decease. You undoubtedly would have long ago have received the official notice through military channels, but I just felt like adding this more personal word. The information given to me and I did not think to ask James before his decease, does not state the relationship of the next of kin to the deceased, but if it be father, uncle or what, I am sure the memory of James will be fully sacred.

Along with my assignment of hospital chaplain, I also went out with General Weaver's tank battalions as part-time duty so became, spiritually at least, close to the men of the units. When our hospital of above name ( General Hospital No.1, Camp O'Donnell, P. I.) came here July 3, I soon became acquainted with James Manogue. At first, he seemed to revive greatly. Previously to our coming the hospital facilities were inadequate. But about a month before he died, we began to see that his chances of ultimate recovery were slight. Believe me, I did everything I possibly could personally in the way of getting him extra food, a toothbrush, etc. to help him along. But the ravages of the disease and malnutrition had run to far. His diagnosis was beriberi. The Catholic chaplain, who will undoubtedly write to you, saw to his last rites according to his church. He was buried in the cemetery, a beautiful location, plot P, row 7, grave 10. I should have said that after our coming here to our hospital, the patients were given every possible medical and professional aid.

Please be assured, Mr. Manogue, that not only my own but the sincere sympathies of every remaining member of the 192nd, including General Weaver, as well as the hospital attendants who knew James personally, go out to you and to every member of the family and friends of this young soldier. May God abundantly bless and comfort you in this, your hour of sorrow.

My church is the Prresbyterian, U.S.A. If there is any service I can render you after the war, just ask any minister of that church for my location, and I will be glad to hear from you. I have been through Wisconsin in many times and know what a beautiful state it is. Jay W. Tiffany, is an engineer on the Hiawatha from Minneapolis to La Crosse, Wis., and he tells me much of the country. My last location before being called to active duty was Sandpoint, Idaho.

Sincerely yours,

Frank L. Tiffany

Chaplain (Captain U.S. Army)

After the war, the remains of Pfc. James L. Manogue were reburied at the American Military Cemetery outside of Manila.

Chaplain Frank L. Tiffany never had the opportunity to fulfill his promise to meet with the members of the Manogue family. He died when the Arisan Maru was sunk by an American submarine on October 24, 1944.

Pfc. James L. Manogue was reported to have died on October 1, 1942, from beriberi at Camp O'Donnell POW Camp.