Keegan

T/5 Harold P. Keegan was the son of Raymond & Mary Keegan. He was born March 22, 1922, in Hanover, Wisconsin and was the second of the couple's three sons. He also lived in Plymouth, Wisconsin. He attended grade school in Hanover and graduated from St. Mary's School in Janesville. He would later live at 31 South Main Street in Janesville. He was a member of the graduating Class of 1940 from Janesville High School.

After graduation, he joined the Wisconsin National Guard's 32nd Battalion Tank Company in Janesville. His reason for doing this is that he knew that it was only a matter of time before he was drafted into the regular army. Like many young men of his day, he wanted to fulfill his military obligation and get on with his life.

In November of 1940, Harold's tank company was called to federal service as a Company A, 192nd Tank Battalion. In January, 1941, Harold was transferred to Headquarters Company as a maintenance clerk when it was formed from members of the letter companies of the 192nd.

After training at Ft. Knox, Harold went with the battalion on maneuvers in Louisiana. Upon completion of the maneuvers, Harold and the rest of the battalion learned they were not being released from federal service but being sent overseas for additional training.

From Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, Harold left the United States for the Philippine Islands in late October, 1941. Arriving in Manila on Thanksgiving Day, 1941, the battalion was rushed to Fort Stotsenburg. For the next two weeks, the battalion prepared for maneuvers.

On December 8, 1941, Harold survived the Japanese attack on Clark Field. Over the next four months the only word that his parents received was a letter dated January 16, 1942. In it he stated that except for one really heavy air raid things were not that bad. On April 9, 1942, after four months of constant bombing and strafing, Harold and the other defenders of Bataan were surrendered to the Japanese .

Harold with his battalion started the Death March at Mariveles at the southern tip of Bataan. After the march, Harold was held at Camp O'Donnell.

When work details were formed, Harold volunteered to to go out one. Like many other prisoners, Harold realized that staying in the camp could result in his death. While working on a detail to rebuild runways at Clark Field, Harold became ill with dysentery. He was returned to Camp O'Donnell. It was there that Harold died on June 5, 1942. He was 20 years old.

After the war, at the request of his family, Harold's remains were returned to Janesville, Wisconsin. He was reburied at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery on February 7, 1949.