World War II Honoree

Mark M. Wohlfeld

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pennsylvania

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

A SURVIVOR OF THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH HE LED 8 PRISONERS IN A SUCCESSFUL BREAKOUT FROM DAVAO PENAL COLONY ON MINDANAO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS IN THE SPRING OF 1944. WHILE ON A WORK DETAIL HE ATTACKED THE NEAREST GUARD AND RAN FOR HIS LIFE. THE ANGERED AND STUNNED GUARD TOOK AIM AND FIRED AT HIM GRAZING HIM IN HIS SIDE. IN SPITE OF HIS WOUND HE ATTACKED AGAIN AND HELD THE GUARDS FACE IN THE MUD AND WATER UNTIL HE STOPPED MOVING. HE GOT SEPARATED FROM THE OTHER ESCAPEES AND STUMBLED THROUGH THE JUNGLE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS DODGING JAPANESE PATROLS THAT WERE LOOKING FOR THEM. AFTER 4 DAYS HE WAS ABLE TO GET HIS BEARINGS AND DISCOVERED THAT HE HAD TRAVELED ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE. HE CAME UPON SOME FILIPINO FISHERMEN WHO AIDED HIM THROUGH THE JUNGLE TO A FILIPINO GUERILLA CAMP. HE CONTINUED FIGHTING WITH THE GUERILLAS UNTIL HE WAS INFORMED THAT U.S. TROOPS HAD LANDED ON LEYTE. WITH A SMALL OUTRIGGER AND CREW, HE MADE A 14-DAY JOURNEY TO DINAGAT ISLAND, LEYTE, TO REJOIN THE AMERICAN FORCES. AS AN ESCAPED POW HE HAD EARNED THE RIGHT TO GO HOME BUT INSTEAD IN DECEMBER, 1944 REFUSED REPATRIATION AND A PROMOTION, TO REMAIN IN COMBAT. HE JOINED THE 1ST CALVARY DIVISION, FIGHTING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. AMONG HIS MEDALS IS A PURPLE HEART.