World War II Honoree

Martin G. Binder

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CHIEF BOATSWAIN’S MATE. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 41 MONTHS. SERVED AS A BOATSWAIN’S MATE ON THE MINESWEEPER, USS PIGEON, ASR-6, ASSIGNED TO THE SUBMARINE SQUADRON-20 STATIONED IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE AND HIS CREW WHERE ON SHORE WHEN A JAPANESE DIVE-BOMBER, BOMBED AND SANK THEIR SHIP AND WAS CAPTURED MAY 4, 1942 DURING THE INVASION OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE WAS HELD CAPTIVE AT THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #1 CABANATUAN, TARLAC LUZON. ON OCTOBER 11, 1944 HE BOARDED THE JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’ THE ARISAN MARU ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PRISONERS DESTINED FOR JAPAN, WHICH WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK OCTOBER 24, 1944 BY A U.S. SUBMARINE. HE SURVIVED THE CATASTROPHE AND WAS TRANSPORTED ONTO JAPAN, WHERE HE WAS INCARCERATED AT THE TOKYO PRISONER OF WAR CAMP SHINJUKU, TOKYO BAY. HE WAS REPATRIATED AND RETURNED BACK TO U.S. MILITARY CONTROL SEPTEMBER 15, 1945.