World War II Honoree

Weston 'Wess' D. Balfour

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Orange, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: TECHNICIAN 5TH GRADE. BATAAN JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR. SERVED WITH THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES FAR EAST COMMAND, 5TH AIR FORCE, 693RD ORDNANCE COMPANY ‘AVIATION PURSUIT’, 24TH PURSUIT GROUP STATIONED AT NICHOLS FIELD, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ASSIGNED TO THE PROVISIONAL INFANTRY COMPANY AND ENGAGED IN COMBAT DURING THE DEFENSE OF LUZON AND RETREATING TO THE BATAAN PENINSULA, THE JAPANESE INVADING FORCES CAPTURED HIM APRIL 9, 1942 DURING THE INVASION OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE WAS FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AND INCARCERATED 31 MONTHS AT THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #4 O’DONNELL AND PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #2 CABANATUAN. HE WAS KILLED OCTOBER 7, 1944 WHILE EN ROUTE TO JAPAN ON THE SHINYO MARU, A JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’, WHICH WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK BY THE SUBMARINE, USS PADDLE. LATER HE WAS DECLARED MISSING IN ACTION AND MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY, FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. DECORATIONS: PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION AND THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL. HIS UNIT WAS AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION AND THE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES.