World War II Honoree

John H. Ray

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Fulton, Georgia

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: STAFF SERGEANT. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 42 MONTHS. SERVED WITH THE U.S. ARMY, G BATTERY, 59TH COASTAL ARTILLERY ANTI-AIRCRAFT REGIMENT, THE HARBOR DEFENSES OF MANILA AND SUBIC BAY. STATIONED ON THE ISLAND OF CORREGIDOR ‘THE ROCK’, LOCATED ACROSS THE BAY FROM MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. CAPTURED MAY 6, 1942 WHEN GENERAL WAINWRIGHT WAS FORCED TO SURRENDER CORREGIDOR TO THE JAPANESE INVADING FORCES. TRANSFERRED TO THE MAINLAND BY BARGE AND WAS HELD CAPTIVE AT AN UNKNOWN PRISONER OF WAR CAMP ON LUZON. EVENTUALLY TRANSPORTED TO JAPAN ON A JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’ ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PRISONERS AND INTERNED AT THE OSAKA MAIN PRISONER OF WAR CAMP CHIKKO, OSAKA, JAPAN. DURING HIS INTERNMENT AT OSAKA, HE WAS USED AS A FORCED LABORER UNTIL HIS LIBERATION. REPATRIATED BACK TO U.S. MILITARY CONTROL OCTOBER 10, 1945.