World War II Honoree

William V. Baits

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fort Worth, Texas

Honored By

Billy D. Wade

Relationship

Brother-in-law

SERVED AS COMPANY CLERK WITH THE 21ST FIGHTER PURSUIT SQUADRON IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. SURVIVOR OF THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH. HE OBSERVED MANY ATROCITIES WHILE HELD PRISONER. HE WAS ALSO HELD AT CAMP O'DONNELL, WHERE HE CONTRACTED DIPHTHERIA. HE BECAME SO SICK THAT DOCTORS COULD NOT LOCATE A PULSE AND DECLARED HIM TO BE DEAD. HE WAS CARRIED OUT TO AWAIT BURIAL ALONG WITH 1,500 OTHER AMERICAN BODIES THAT WERE TOSSED INTO SHALLOW GRAVES. THE NEXT MORNING HOWEVER, HE REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS AND WALKED BACK INTO THE HOSPITAL. HE WAS SHIPPED BY TRAIN TO YOKOHAMA ON SEPTEMBER 12, 1945 WITH OTHER SURVIVING PRISONERS AND JOINED THE LIBERATING AMERICAN FORCES. AFTER BEING HELD A POW FOR 3 1/2 YEARS, HE SPENT 8 YEARS IN AND OUT OF HOSPITALS. RECEIVED THE BRONZE STAR, POW MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, PRESIDENTIAL CITATION, PHILIPPINE ISLAND DEFENSE RIBBON, AMERICAN DEFENSE RIBBON, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION AND THE PURPLE HEART.