Sgt. John W. Thompson

Born: June 1915 - South Dakota     - family moved to Iowa before 1920 Parents: Arthur W. & Mary M. Thompson Siblings: 1 brother Hometwon: Sioux City, Iowa     - moved to Missouri Enlisted: Missouri National Guard Inducted:     - U.S. Army         - 10 February 1941 - Saint Joseph, Missouri Training:     - Fort Lewis, Washington Unit: 194th Tank Battalion     - member of B Company     - transferred to Hq Company 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         - Shinjuku             - designation given by Army if camp was unknown Hell Ship:     - Unknown Liberated:     - September 1945 Discharged: 1 February 1946

 

 

 

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