Sgt. Pierce Herring Wade

Born: 4 February 1919 - Lexington, Kentucky Parents: William H. & Estell Wade Siblings: 1 sister, 2 brothers Hometown: Hahira, Georgia Occupation: embalmer Enlisted:     - 7 January 1940 - Fort McPherson, East Point, Georgia         - U.S. Army Training:     - Fort Knox, Kentucky Unit:     - 19th Ordnance Battalion         - A Company deactivated and reactivated as 17th Ordnance Company Overseas Duty:     - Philippine Islands Engagements:     - Battle of Luzon         - 8 December 1942 - 6 January 1942     - Battle of Bataan         - 7 January 1942 - 9 April 1942 Prisoner of War:     - 9 April 1942         - Death March             - POWs start march at Mariveles at the southern tip of Bataan             - POWs ran past Japanese artillery that was firing at Corregidor             - Corregidor returned fire         - San Fernanado             - POWs packed into small wooden boxcars used to haul sugarcane             - each car could hold eight horses or 40 men             - Japanese packed 100 POWs into each boxcar             - POWs who died remained standing         - Capas             - POWs leave boxcars             - dead fall to floors of cars             - POWs walked the last ten miles to Camp O'Donnell POW Camps:     - Philippine Islands         - Camp O'Donnell             - escaped from camp and fought as a guerilla             - Zambales Guerrila Force             - promoted to 1st Lieutenant             - 10 July 1942 - Caligaman, Bataan                 - With most of his men suffering from malaria, dysentery, and beriberi,                   Wade and another soldier slipped into the Japanese Hospital at Caligaman, Bataan,                   and raided the hospital for sulfa, quinine, various medical supplies, including                   syringes, and other medical supplies.  The men were discovered by the Japanese and                   fought their way out of the barrio killing many Japanese.  These supplies saved the                   lives of many of his men.     - Provincial Jail - Zambales         - He was recaptured by Japanese and tortured.     - Cabanatuan     - Bilibid Prison     - Santo Thomas University - Japan     - Fukuoka Base Camp         - exact camp not known Hell Ship:     - Unknown Liberated:     - September 1945 Medals:     - Silver Star - for hospital raid  Rank:     - reduced in rank to Master Sergeant Military Career:     - remained in military     - rose in rank to Captain Residence:     - Madison, Florida Died:     - 13 February 1999 - Lake City, Florida Buried:     - Mount Horeb Church Cemetery - Pinetta, Florida

 

 

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