World War II Honoree

Robert Lee Hale

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Turner, Kansas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 30 MONTHS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS JANUARY 27, 1940 AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED WITH M-COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, 4TH MARINE REGIMENT STATIONED AT THE CAVITE NAVY YARD IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. WHILE FIGHTING IN THE DEFENSE OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND IN RETREAT TO THE BATAAN PENINSULA DURING THE INVASION OF THE ISLANDS (DECEMBER 8, 1941) BY THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES, HE WAS CAPTURED THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1942. HE WAS FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AND HELD CAPTIVE AT THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP CABANATUAN, NUEVA PROVINCE, TARLAC, 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 MARINE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY. HIS REGIMENT WAS AWARDED A NAVY PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 1 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER AND THE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR EXCEPTIONAL VALOR AND HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES.