World War II Honoree

Ross E. Watkins

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Shawnee, Oklahoma

Honored By

Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma

Relationship

Friend

ROSS WAS PART OF THE 93RD BOMB SQUAD, 19TH BOMB GROUP, AT CLARK FIELD IN THE PHILIPPINES WHEN THE ALLIES SURRENDERED TO THE JAPANESE ON MAY 7, 1942. AFTER 2-1/2 YEARS IMPRISONED IN THE PHILIPPINES, ROSS AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER PRISONERS OF WAR WERE TRANSPORTED, MOSTLY TO THE JAPANESE MAINLAND, AS THE ALLIED ARMIES ADVANCED ACROSS THE PACIFIC. THE PRISONERS WERE TRANSFERRED IN WHAT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS HELLSHIPS; UNMARKED JAPANESE TRANSPORTS. UNSUSPECTING U.S. SUBMARINES OFTEN ATTACKED THE SHIPS AND THIS HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 24, 1944 TO THE ARISAN MARU, THE SHIP WHERE ROSS AND 1,800 PRISONERS WERE HELD; ONLY NINE SURVIVED.