World War II Honoree

Russell Cirrito

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Brooklyn, New York

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 30 MONTHS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY APRIL 29, 1940 AT MORENO POINT, FLORIDA. SERVED WITH CHARLIE COMPANY, 72ND INFANTRY REGIMENT, A SUBORDINATE UNIT TO THE 71ST DIVISION PHILIPPINE ARMY. WHILE FIGHTING AND RETREATING TO THE BATAAN PENINSULA, HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES APRIL 9, 1942 DURING THE INVASION OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AND WAS HELD CAPTIVE AT THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #2 DAVAO TARLAC, LUZON. ON AUGUST 20, 1944 HE BOARDED THE JAPANESE ‘HELL SHIP’ SHINYO MARU ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PRISONERS WHOSE DESTINATION WAS A PRISONER OF WAR CAMP IN JAPAN. ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1944 HE WAS REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA WHEN THE TRANSPORT WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK BY THE SUBMARINE, USS PADDLE NEAR LILEY, SINDANGAN PROVINCE, MINDANAO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE TABLETS OF THE MISSING AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL, LOCATED AT FORT BONIFACIO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. A MEMORIAL MARKER AT THE LONG ISLAND NATIONAL CEMETERY FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK IS A CENOTAPH, AS HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED. DECORATION AND CITATION: BRONZE STAR AND THE PURPLE HEART. THE LIEUTENANT WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR FOR BRAVERY, ACT OF MERIT AND MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN COMBAT. THIS AMERICAN PATRIOT WAS ALSO AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, WHO SO GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.