World War II Honoree

John Thomas White

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Natchez, Mississippi

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Platoon Sergeant. A United States Marine, who served with the Fourth Marine Regiment in the Philippine Islands, Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations, stationed at Fort Mills on the Island of Corregidor. He served as an Infantry Leader assigned to India Company, Third Battalion a subordinate unit of the Fourth Marine Regiment. His unit participated in the Battle of Corregidor, the invasion of the island by the Japanese Imperial Army and Naval forces (Battle Dates: May 5-6, 1942). The invaders captured him on the second day of the assault, when General Wainwright, Commander of allied forces capitulated to the enemy. His captors transferred him to the mainland after his detainment of two weeks on Corregidor, incarcerated at a Civilian Prisoner of War Camp near Manila. On December 13, 1944, he boarded a ‘Hell Ship’, an unmarked merchant vessel, the Japanese Oryoku Maru along with hundreds of other Prisoners, destined for Japan via Formosa. While anchored in the Harbor of Subic Bay, the transport came under attack and sunk December 15, 1944 by U.S. Navy Fighters from the Aircraft Carrier, USS Hornet. The survivors of the Oryoku attack were loaded on two other ‘Hell Ships’ the Enoura Maru and the Brazil Maru on Christmas day. Reported as missing in action, lost at sea Sunday, December 31, 1944 when his transport arrived in the Formosa harbor. In remembrance of the Brave, his name is recorded in the Tablets of the Missing, memorialized at the American Cemetery located at Fort Bonifacio in Manila, Philippine Islands. This Marine, an American Patriot, awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, who so gallantly gave his life in the defense of his country.