World War II Honoree

Frank A. Eberle

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Platte, Iowa

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 30 MONTHS. SERVED WITH A-COMPANY, 803RD ENGINEER AVIATION BATTALION, 5TH FAR EAST AIR FORCE. WHILE FIGHTING WITH THE PROVISIONAL INFANTRY COMPANY AND RETREATING TO THE BATAAN PENINSULA, HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES APRIL 9, 1942 DURING THE INVASION OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AND WAS HELD CAPTIVE AT THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #4 O’DONNELL, TARLAC LUZON AND 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 WHOSE DESTINATION WAS A PRISONER OF WAR CAMP IN JAPAN WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK BY A U.S. NAVY SUBMARINE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1944. HE WAS REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA ON THE DAY OF THE DISASTER AND MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, PHILIPPINES. IN HIS MEMORY AND HONOR, A MEMORIAL HEADSTONE HAS BEEN PLACED AT THE WEST FAIRVIEW CEMETERY, LENOX, IOWA. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: PURPLE HEART. THE AIRMAN WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY. HIS UNIT WAS AWARDED THE 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.