World War II Honoree

Virgil Wallace

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New Mexico

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1941. STATIONED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT FORT BLISS AT EL PASO, TEXAS. HIS REGIMENT DEPARTED THE SAN FRANCISCO PORT OF EMBARKATION ON SEPTEMBER 3, 1941 AND ARRIVED IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ON NOVEMBER 20, 1941. SERVED AS A FUZE SETTER IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 200TH COAST ARTILLERY REGIMENT (ANTIAIRCRAFT). STATIONED AT FORT STOTSENBURG-CLARK FIELD IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AS PART OF THE PHILIPPINE COAST ARTILLERY COMMAND AT THE TIME OF THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. PARTICIPATED IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS CAMPAIGN. SURVIVED THE JAPANESE INVASION OF LUZON AND THE 3-MONTH BATTLE OF BATAAN UNTIL APRIL 9, 1942 WHEN HE AND SOME 12,000 AMERICAN AND 64,000 FILIPINO TROOPS WERE SURRENDERED TO JAPANESE FORCES. HIS ORDEAL BEGAN ON APRIL 10, 1942 IN WHAT WOULD BECOME KNOWN AS THE ‘BATAAN DEATH MARCH.’ THAT MORNING, THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS OF WAR (POW) WERE ASSEMBLED, SEARCHED AND STRIPPED OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS. ATROCITIES BEGAN THAT DAY AND WERE TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT HIS IMPRISONMENT. THE PRISONERS WERE MARCHED SOME 60 MILES THROUGH SCORCHING HEAT ON JUNGLE TRAILS WITH LIMITED FOOD AND WATER OR REST TO CAMP O’DONNELL , WEST OF CAPAS. THOSE WHO FELL BEHIND WERE BEATEN OR KILLED AND THE STRONGER WERE NOT PERMITTED TO HELP THEIR FELLOW PRISONERS; THEY DID SO AT GREAT PERSONAL RISK. ON APRIL 12, 1942, DURING THE MARCH, PRISONERS WERE FORCED TO SIT IN THE BLAZING SUN FOR HOURS WITHOUT WATER. MANY BECAME DELIRIOUS AND SOME DIED FROM THE CONDITIONS AND SOME AT THE HANDS OF THEIR CAPTORS. HE WAS FORTUNATE TO SURVIVE THE HEAT, DISEASE AND BRUTALITY OF THE ‘DEATH MARCH’ AND REACH THE PRISON CAMP. SOME 5,200 FELLOW AMERICANS AND 20,000 OTHER PRISONERS DIED ON THE MARCH. ARRIVAL AT THE CAMP BEGAN A NEW PHASE OF HIS YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT. THE BARBARIC TREATMENT OF PRISONERS CONTINUED AND HE WAS ROUTINELY FORCED TO LIVE AND WORK IN INHUMANE CONDITIONS, AND DEPRIVED OF FOOD AND WATER AND MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE DEATH RATE AT THE CAMPS WAS AS HIGH AS 550 MEN PER DAY WITH SOME 22,000 DYING IN THE FIRST 2 MONTHS. REPATRIATED AND RETURNED TO THE STATES FOR TREATMENT OF MALARIA, OTHER DISEASES AND MALNUTRITION. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART WITH BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL WITH ‘FOREIGN SERVICE’ CLASP, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE DEFENSE MEDAL WITH BRONZE SERVICE STAR FOR SERVICE IN DEFENSE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND BATAAN. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.