World War II Honoree

William F. Harris

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Lexington, Kentucky

Honored By

An Awed American

LIEUTENANT, SERVING IN THE SOUTH WEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE AT THE AMERICAN SURRENDER OF THE ISLAND BASTION, CORREGIDOR, IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ON MAY 6, 1942. ESCAPED BY SWIMMING 8 1/2 HOURS ACROSS MANILA BAY REACHING THE BATAAN PENINSULA WHERE HE JOINED A BAND OF FILIPINO GUERRILLAS FIGHTING THE JAPANESE. ATTEMPTED TO JOIN THE 1942 MARINE CORPS INVASION OF GAUDALCANAL ISLAND BUT WAS TURNED BACK OVER TO THE JAPANESE BY INDONESIAN CIVILIANS DURING HIS CROSSING. DISCOVERING HIS FATHER WAS A MARINE CORPS GENERAL, THE JAPANESE SENT HIM TO THE PRISONER OF WAR INTERROGATION CENTER, OFUNA CAMP IN KAMAKURA, JAPAN WHERE HE ENDURED STARVATION, SEVERE BEATINGS, AND TORTURE UNTIL THE JAPANESE SURRENDER. LIBERATED ON AUGUST 21, 1945 BY AMERICAN FORCES. SELECTED TO STAND ON THE DECK OF THE USS MISSOURI IN TOKYO BAY AS JAPAN ACCEPTED TERMS OF ITS SURRENDER ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945.