Pvt. Eugene L. Davidson


Born: 17 February 1919 - Stella, Washington

Parents: Leroy & Minnie Davidson

Siblings: 4 sisters, 1 brother

Hometown: Monroe, Washington

Inducted:

    - U. S. Army

        - 1 April 1941 - Portland, Oregon

Training: 

    - Fort Lewis, Washington

Units: 

    - 194th Tank Battalion

Overseas Duty: 

    - Philippine Islands

Engagements: 

    - Battle of Luzon

    - Battle of Bataan

Prisoner of War: 

    - 9 April 1942

        - Death March

            - started march at Mariveles on southern tip of Bataan
            - POWs ran past Japanese artillery firing at Corregidor
            - San Fernando - POWs put into small wooden boxcars
                - 100 POWs packed into each boxcar
                    - those who died remain standing
            - Capas - living left cars - dead fell out of boxcars
            - POWs walked last ten miles to Camp O'Donnell

POW Camps:

    - Philippine Islands:

        - Camp O'Donnell

            - unfinished Filipino training base
            - Japanese put camp into use as POW Camp
            - only one water spigot for entire camp
            - as many as 50 POWs died each day
            - Japanese opened new POW camp to lower death rate
 
 

            - Gene worked the burial detail 

        - Cabanatuan #1

        - Bilibid Prison

    - Formosa

        - Karenko

        - Shirakawa

Hell Ships:

    - Nagara Maru

        - Sailed: Manila - 12 August 1942

        - Arrived: Takao, Formosa - 14 August 1942

             - POWs transferred to another ship

    - Suzaya Maru

        - Sailed: 15 August 1942

        - Arrive: Krenko, Formosa - 17 August 1942

Liberated: September 1945

Married: Della Wilmont

    - died 1973 from cancer

Children: 2 daughters, 1 son

Married: Helen Barley - 1975

Step-children: 2 stepdaughters, 1 stepson

Occupation: mailman, drilled wells

Died: 7 August 2010 - Portland. Oregon

Buried:

    - Willamette National Cemetery - Happy Valley, Oregon

        - Section:  COL-5   Row:  158   Site:  E   


 

 

 

 

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