World War II Honoree

Arthur W. Wermuth

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

William Stegall, VFW 1837 Dallas, TX

AS A CAPTAIN, SERVED IN THE U.S. 57TH INFANTRY PHILIPPINE SCOUTS; KNOWN AS THE 'ONE MAN ARMY OF BATAAN' AND CREDITED WITH KILLING OVER 100 JAPANESE. CAPTURED IN PHILIPPINES HOSPITAL APRIL 9, 1942 WHILE UNCONSCIOUS SENT TO BILIBID PRISON IN MANILA. AS A POW WAS CONFINED TO THE CABANATUAN PRISON FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST 30, 1942. SENT TO LIPA, BANTAGAS FROM SEPTEMBER 1942 - JANUARY 1943 THEN SENT TO BILIBID (2ND INTERNMENT) FROM JANUARY 1943 THROUGH JULY 1943; TRANSFERRED TO CABANATUAN FROM JULY 1943 THROUGH OCTOBER 1944 AND SENT TO JAPAN'S HOMELAND FOR CONFINEMENT AT FUKUOKA, CAMP 22 FROM JANUARY 1945 THROUGH APRIL 1945. BY JAPANESE PRISON SHIP, INTERNED AT MUKDEN MANCHURIA UNTIL HIS FINAL RELEASE AND LIBERATION BY RUSSIAN TROOPS IN AUGUST 1945. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH SERVICE CLASP, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER RIBBON WITH BRONZE SERVICE STAR, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, PHILIPPINE DEFENSE MEDAL AND PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION. U.S. ARMY SERIAL NUMBER: 0 346666.