World War II Honoree

Harold B. Myers, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Fargo, North Dakota

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. BATAAN JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 41 MONTHS. SERVED WITH THE U.S. 4TH MARINE REGIMENT, HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION ON THE ISLAND OF CORREGIDOR ‘THE ROCK’, LOCATED ACROSS THE BAY FROM MANILA, PHILIPPINES. CAPTURED MAY 6, 1942 WHEN GENERAL WAINWRIGHT WAS FORCED TO SURRENDER CORREGIDOR TO THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES. WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE MAINLAND BY BARGE, INCARCERATED AT AN UNKNOWN PRISONER OF WAR CAMP ON LUZON. LATER HE WAS SHIPPED TO JAPAN ON A JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’, INTERNED AT THE FUKUOKA PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #1 KASKII (PINE TREE CAMP), KYUSHU, ISLAND WHERE HE WORKED AS A FORCED LABORER UNTIL HIS LIBERATION IN SEPTEMBER 1945. HE AND THE 4TH MARINE REGIMENT WAS AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 1 OAK LEAF CLUSTER AND PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES.