World War II Honoree

Ernest Lawrence Christensen

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

White River, South Dakota

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Pharmacist's Mate 3rd Class. Served as a Medical Corpsman assigned to the United States Canacao Naval Hospital, an element of the Sixteenth Naval District in the Philippine Islands. On January 2, 1942 when the Japanese Imperial Forces invaded Luzon, he was evacuated to the Bataan Peninsula and then to Corregidor, where he linked up with the 4th Battalion, a subordinated unit of the 4th Marine Regiment. The Japanese captured him in the Battle of Corregidor (Battle Dates: May 5-6, 1942) on the second day of the invasion when his Commander, General Wainwright capitulated to the enemy. After two weeks in captivity, he was transferred to the Manila area and held captive in the Prisoner of War Camp #3, the Old Bilibid Prison Rizal Manila for 29 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. Decoration: This Seaman, an American Patriot, awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, who so gallantly gave his life for his country.