World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Eugene A. Gammon
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Livermore, Colorado
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
Rank: Boatswain. Inducted into the United States Navy December 16, 1938 at Denver, Colorado. Served as a Boatswain's Mate aboard the USS Canopus AS-9 Submarine Tender. Assigned to the Submarine Squadron-20, located at Cavite Navy Yard in Manila Bay, Philippine Islands. His ship had been severely damaged from enemy bomb strikes during the Invasion of the Philippine Islands (Battle Dates: December 8, 1941-May 6, 1942) by the Japanese Imperial Forces. On April 9, 1942 the Submarine Tender was scuttled and sunk by his crew. Evacuated to the Island of Corregidor, ‘The Rock’ located across the bay from Manila and linked up with the Fourth Marine Regiment, 4th Battalion. Experienced combat in the Battle of Corregidor (Battle Dates: May 5-6, 1942) and captured by the Japanese on the second day of the invasion, when Commander General Wainwright capitulated to the enemy forces on May 6, 1942. He was eventually evacuated to the Manila area and held captive at the Prisoner of War Camp #1 Cabanatuan Nueva Province Tarlac Luzon for Twenty-Nine months. On October 11, 1944, he boarded a ‘Hell Ship’ an unmarked merchant vessel, the Japanese, Arisan Maru along with 1,781 other American prisoners destined for a Prisoner of War Camp in Japan. Reported as Missing in Action; lost at Sea Tuesday, October 24, 1944 when a United States Submarine attacked, torpedoed and sunk the transport during a typhoon. He is memorialized in the Tablets of the Missing at the American Cemetery and Memorial, located at Fort Bonifacio in Manila Philippine Islands. His family placed a memorial headstone at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado in his Memory and Honor. Decorations and Citations: Recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart posthumously. The Bronze Star, awarded for Bravery, Act of Merit and Meritorious Service in Combat. This Seaman, an American Patriot awarded the Purple Heart, who so gallantly gave his life for his country.