World War II Honoree

Joe C. East

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Elizabeth City County, Virginia

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: MAJOR. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 32 MONTHS. SERVED WITH THE U.S. ARMY, 91ST COASTAL ARTILLERY ANTIAIRCRAFT REGIMENT, THE HARBOR DEFENSES OF MANILA AND SUBIC BAYS. HE WAS STATIONED ON THE ISLAND OF CORREGIDOR ‘THE ROCK’, LOCATED ACROSS THE BAY FROM MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND WAS 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 THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP CABANATUAN, LUZON, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ON DECEMBER 13, 1944 HE BOARDED A JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’ ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PRISONERS AND TRANSPORTED TO CAMP MOJI ‘HOSPITAL’ FUKUOKA #4, KYUSHU, ISLAND, JAPAN. HE DIED JANUARY 15, 1945 AND IS MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY, FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. AWARDS, DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: BRONZE STAR, AWARDED FOR BRAVERY, ACT OF MERIT AND MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT. HIS UNIT WAS AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 2 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AND A PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES.