World War II Honoree

Rufus R. Choate

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Abilene, Texas

Honored By

G. H. King

Relationship

Friend

JOINED TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD IN 1938. TURNED 18 AND GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE 36TH DIVISION WAS ACTIVATED ON 25 NOVEMBER 1940. HAD BECOME COMPANY CLERK OF E BATTERY, 2ND BATTALION, 131ST FIELD ARTILLERY. UNIT ENCAMPED AT FAIR PARK IN ABILENE, TEXAS UNTIL CAMP BOWIE AT BROWNWOOD, TEXAS WAS READY TO OCCUPY IN JANUARY 1941. AFTER BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP BOWIE AND SUMMER MANEUVERS IN LOUISIANA, 2ND BATTALION WAS DETACHED FROM 36TH DIVISION AND ORDERED TO THE PHILLIPINE ISLANDS. SAILED FROM SAN FRANCISCO ABOARD U.S. ARMY TRANSPORT REPUBLIC ON 21 NOVEMBER, 1941. JOINED PENSACOLA CONVOY IN HAWAII AND WAS ENROUTE TO MANILA WHEN JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR ON 7 DECEMBER 1941, CONVOY DIVERTED TO BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA WHERE HE SPENT CHRISTMAS CAMPED AT ASCOT RACE TRACK. ORDERED TO SOERABAJA, JAVA ABOARD THE DUTCH SHIP BLOEMFONTEIN. ARRIVING ON 11 JANUARY 1942, 2ND BATTALION WAS ASSIGNED TO SINGOSARI AIR FIELD NEAR MALANG, JAVA. AS JAPANESE INVASION BECAME IMMINENT, THE REST OF 2ND BATTALION WAS DEPLOYED WEST TO MEET INVADERS; E BATTERY WAS DETACHED TO SUPPORT DEPARTURE OF BOMBERS AND TAKE UP DEFENSIVE POSITIONS AROUND SOERABAJA. TAKEN PRISONER 10 MARCH 1942 WHEN DUTCH CAPITULATED AND HELD IN SOERABAJA PRISONS UNTIL OCTOBER 1942 WHEN MOVED TO BATAVIA WHERE HE BOARDED THE 'HELL SHIP' TOKO MARU BOUND FOR SINGAPORE. AFTER LAYOVER IN CHANGRI PRISON, BOARDED JAPANESE FREIGHTER KAMAKURA MARU FOR NAGASAKI. HELD ON OPEN DECK UNTIL ARRIVAL IN NAGASAKI ON 7 DECEMBER 1942. ASSIGNED TO FUKUOKA #2 PRISON CAMP AS SLAVE LABOR IN KAWANAMI SHIPYARDS FOR TWO YEARS. THE PRESS CALLED 2ND BATTALION 'THE LOST BATTALION' AS FATE WAS UNKNOWN FOR MONTHS. HIS FAMILY RECEIVED FIRST DIRECT WORD FROM HIM IN MARCH 1944. IN JUNE 1945, AS BOMBINGS INCREASED AND U.S. INVASION OF JAPAN BECAME LIKELY, PRISONERS RELOCATED TO FUKUOKA PRISON #6 NEAR ORIO TO WORK IN COAL MINES. LIBERATED MID-SEPTEMBER 1945 AFTER 42 MONTHS IN CAPTIVITY, EVACUATED BY SHIP TO OKINAWA, AIR TO PHILLIPINE ISLANDS, SHIP TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON AND TRAIN TO BROOKS ARMY CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL IN SAN ANTONIO. WAS DISCHARGED MAY 1946 AT RANK OF SERGEANT. RECEIVED PRESIDENTIAL DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE WITH TWO OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE STAR, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH FOREIGN SERVICE CLASP AND PHILLIPINE DEFENSE RIBBON WITH ONE BRONZE STAR. HE WORE THE U.S. ARMY PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS PATCH. ALSO WORE THE 36TH DIVISION PATCH ALTHOUGH THAT DIVISION LESS 'LOST BATTALION' SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS.