Pfc. Joseph L. Smith Jr.


Born: 1915 - Emmett, North Dakota

Parents: Joseph L. Smith Sr. & Barbara Smith

    - grew up in Baer Township, Hettinger County, North Dakota

Siblings: 2 sisters, 4 brothers

Home: McLean County, North Dakota

Inducted: 

    - U. S. Army

        - 1941

Training: 

    - Fort Lewis, Washington

Unit: 

    - 194th Tank Battalion

Overseas Duty: 

    - Philippine Islands

Engagements: 

    - Battle of Luzon

    - Battle of Bataan

Prisoner of War: 

    - 9 April 1942

        - Death March

            - Mariveles - POWs start march at southern tip of Bataan
            - POWs ran past Japanesee artillery firing at Corregidor
                - Americans on Corregidor returned fire
            - San Fernando - POWs put into small wooden boxcars
                - each boxcar could hold eight horses or forty men
                - 100 POWs packed into each car
                - POWs who died remained standing
            - Capas - dead fell to floor as living left boxcars
            - POWs walked last ten miles to Camp O'Donnell

Death:

    - 15 April 1942

        - bayoneted on death march

Memorial:

    - Tablets of the Missing - American Military Cemetery - Manila, Philippine Islands


 
 

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