World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Ben D. Waldron
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Citrus Heights, California
Honored By
Ben D. Waldron
STATIONED ON CORREGIDOR ISLAND. CAPTURED ON MAY 6, 1942 AND HELD AS A PRISONER OF WAR UNDER THE JAPANESE FOR 3 1/2 YEARS. SAW ACTION ON CORREGIDOR. WAS ONE OF THE FIRST AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO FIGHT THE JAPANESE IN A HAND TO HAND BATTLE. HE FIRED AN ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN FOR 5 MONTHS. SPENT 2 YEARS IN THE PHILIPPINES AND WAS THEN SHIPPED TO JAPAN. THE TRIP TOOK 62 DAYS AND MOST PRISONERS DIED EN ROUTE. SENT TO A PRISON CAMP IN JAPAN. HEARD ABOUT THE ATOMIC BOMBS ON AUGUST 19, 1945. LEFT THE JAPANESE PRISON CAMP ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1945 AND WAS DISCHARGED ON OCTOBER 6, 1945.