Sgt. Winfield James Thompson

Born: 5 October 1914 - South Dakota Parents: Jacob & Jennie Thompson Siblings: 4 sisters, 3 brothers     - member of Sioux Tribe Home: Veblen County, South Dakota Enlisted:     - U.S. Army         - Unknown 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 Pow Camps:     - Philippines:         - 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          - Cabanatuan     - Japan:         - Fukuoka #23             - POWs worked in coal mine Hell Ship:     - Nissyo Maru         - Sailed: Manila - 17 July 1944         - Arrived: Takao, Formosa - 19 July 1944         - Sailed: 28 July 1944         - Arrived: Moji, Japan - 3 August 1944             - POWs arrived at Fukuoka #23 - 5 August 1944 Liberated:     - September 1945 Discharged: 3 May 1946 Married:     - Virginia Redday         - 20 October 1946 Children:     - 5 daughters, 2 sons Died:     - 6 November 2009         - killed in a car accicent with friend         - Fargo, North Dakota

 

 

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