World War II Honoree

Benjamin Teofilo Muller

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

El Paso, Texas

Honored By

Bobby Joe Moon

Relationship

Friend

STAFF SERGEANT. JOINED THE ARMY ON NOVEMBER 23, 1942 AND WAS SENT TO ARMY AIR FORCE RADIO OPERATOR SCHOOL IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA. RODE TRAIN TO HUNTER FIELD (SAVANNAH, GEORGIA) TO JOIN THE 92ND AIRDROME SQUADRON. LATER JOINED THE 500TH BOMB SQUADRON, 345TH BOMB GROUP, AS A B-25 RADIO OPERATOR AND GUNNER, BASED AT SAN MARCELINO ON LUZON IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. SHOT DOWN ON APRIL 3, 1945 IN THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER AND HELD CAPTIVE BY THE JAPANESE ON HAINAN ISLAND, OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF CHINA FOR 5 1/2 MONTHS UNTIL THE END OF WWII. HELD CAPTIVE IN SMALL, CAGE-LIKE ENCLOSURES IN A NAVY BASE AT THE TOWN OF SANYA, ALSO KNOWN AS SAMAH. RESCUED BY THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES (OSS) LED BY LATER MAJOR GENERAL JOHN SINGLAUB ON AUGUST 27, 1945. AWARDED PURPLE HEART FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED IN BURNING AIRCRAFT.