World War II Honoree

Kenneth R. Hatlevig

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Evansville, Wisconsin

Honored By

Dan Dudley

Relationship

Nephew

He joined the 32nd Tank Company of the Wisconsin National Guard, which was headquartered in an armory in Janesville. On November 28, 1940, the company was called to federal service as A Company, 192nd Tank Battalion. They were sent overseas as part of Operation PLUM (Philippines, Luzon, Manila). The 192nd was boarded onto the USAT General Hugh L. Scott and sailed on Monday, October 27. They arrived at Guam on Sunday, November 16. The ships arrived at Manila Bay, November 20. The battalion was stationed at Clark Field-Fort Stotsenburg. The 192nd and part of the 194th fell back to form a new defensive line on December 27 and 28. On January 28, the tank battalions were given the job of protecting the beaches. The 192nd was assigned the coastline from Paden Point to Limay along Bataan’s east coast. The company also took part in the Battle of the Pockets from January 23 to February 17. The company’s last bivouac area was about twelve kilometers north of Mariveles. On April 10, 1942, the members of A Company became Prisoners of War. The members of A Company made their way to Mariveles at the southern tip of Bataan. It was from this barrio that the tankers started what they simply called 'the march'. The Prisoners made their way north from Mariveles toward San Fernando. On June 1, 1942, the Prisoners of War formed detachments of 100 men each and were marched to Capas. There, they were put in steel boxcars and trained to Cabanatuan. The Prisoners disembarked and were marched to Cabanatuan. Nearly a month after arriving in the camp, he came down with malaria and was admitted into the camp’s hospital on June 26, 1942. He died on July 8, 1942.