World War II Honoree

Ralph Edward Phipps

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Snyder, Texas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 2 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS JUNE 24, 1940 AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED ON WAKE ISLAND LOCATED IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS AS A RIFLEMAN, ASSIGNED TO THE MARINE DETACHMENT, FIRST DEFENSE BATTALION, FLEET MARINE FORCE. HE WAS CAPTURED DECEMBER 23, 1941 DURING THE BATTLE OF WAKE (8-23 DECEMBER 1941) WHEN THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES INVADED THE ISLAND. IN JANUARY OF 1942, THE CAPTURED MARINES WERE FORCED ABOARD THE JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’, NITTA MARU AND TRANSPORTED TO YOKOHAMA AND SHANGHAI. HE WAS HELD IN CAPTIVITY AT THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP IN KIANGWAN, CHINA, WHERE HE DIED SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 1944 OF A PULMONARY DISEASE AND WAS BURIED IN A JAPANESE BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY IN TEXAS, WITH INTERMENT NOVEMBER 4, 1947 IN THE FORT BLISS NATIONAL CEMETERY, EL PASO, TEXAS. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: PURPLE HEART, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, MARINE CORPS GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. THE PURPLE HEART WAS AWARDED TO THE MARINE FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.