World War II Honoree

Robert T. Platt

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Berrien County, Michigan

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 29 MONTHS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY FEBRUARY 20, 1941 AT DETROIT, MICHIGAN. SERVED WITH THE UNITED STATES ARMY 60TH ANTI-AIRCRAFT REGIMENT, THE HARBOR DEFENSES OF MANILA AND SUBIC BAYS. HIS REGIMENT WAS STATIONED 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 INVADING FORCES. AS A PRISONER OF WAR, HE WAS EVACUATED TO THE MAINLAND BY BARGE AND HELD CAPTIVE AT THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP CABANATUAN #1, NUEVA PROVINCE LUZON. ON OCTOBER 11, 1944 HE WAS FORCED TO BOARD THE JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’ ARISAN MARU ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PRISONERS WHOSE DESTINATION WAS A PRISONER OF WAR CAMP IN JAPAN. THE TRANSPORT WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK BY A UNITED STATES NAVY SUBMARINE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1944 AND HE WAS REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA ON THE DAY OF THE DISASTER. HE IS MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: PURPLE HEART. THE SOLDIER WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE 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.