World War II Honoree

Frank H. Wilson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

St. Louis County, Minnesota

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CORPORAL. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 31 MONTHS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY DECEMBER 27, 1941 AT MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. SERVED WITH THE 59TH COASTAL ARTILLERY REGIMENT ON THE ISLAND OF CORREGIDOR ‘THE ROCK’, LOCATED ACROSS THE BAY FROM MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE WAS CAPTURED MAY 6, 1942 WHEN GENERAL WAINWRIGHT WAS FORCED TO SURRENDER CORREGIDOR TO THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES. TRANSFERRED TO THE MAINLAND BY BARGE, INCARCERATED AT THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #3 BILIBID PRISON RIZAL, MANILA, PHILIPPINES. ON DECEMBER 13, 1944 HE BOARDED THE JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’ ORYOKU MARU ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PRISONERS DESTINED FOR JAPAN VIA FORMOSA. WHILE ANCHORED IN THE SUBIC BAY HARBOR, IT WAS ATTACKED AND SUNK DECEMBER 15, 1944 BY U.S. NAVAL AIRCRAFT FIGHTERS FROM THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER, USS HORNET. HE SURVIVED THE ATTACK AND WAS LATER TRANSFERRED THE ENOURA MARU ANOTHER ‘HELL SHIP’ ON CHRISTMAS DAY. HE WAS BURIED AT SEA WHEN HE DIED JANUARY 9, 1945 WHILE EN-ROUTE TO JAPAN AND IS MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY, FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY. HIS UNIT WAS AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 2 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AND THE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES.