World War II Honoree

Orville F. Casteel

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Missouri

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CORPORAL. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 42 MONTHS. SERVED WITH THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES FAR EAST COMMAND, 5TH AIR FORCE, V-BOMBER COMMAND, 20TH AIR BASE GROUP, 27TH MATERIAL SQUADRON, STATIONED AT CLARK FIELD, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. WHILE 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. FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AND HELD CAPTIVE AT CLARK AIR FIELD. HE WAS SHIPPED TO JAPAN JULY 17, 1944 ABOARD THE JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’, NISSYO MARU #2 AND INTERNED AT THE FUKUOKA PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #1 KASHII ‘PINE TREE CAMP’, KYUSHU ISLAND WHERE HE WORKED AS A FORCED LABORER UNTIL HIS LIBERATION. REPATRIATED BACK TO U.S. MILITARY CONTROL OCTOBER 15, 1945. HE WAS AWARDED ALONG WITH HIS UNIT A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION AND THE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES.