World War II Honoree

John F. White

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Lewistown, Montana

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Army September 3, 1940 at Fort Missoula, Montana. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was designated to attend the Flight Aviation Training Program. Following the completion of his aircraft schooling, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands, and based at Clark Airfield Luzon Island. Served as a member of the U.S. Far East Fifth Air Force, assigned to the 7th Material Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group a Branch of the V-Bomber Command. His unit participated in the Battle of the Philippines, the conquest of the Philippine Islands by the Imperial Japanese Army and Naval Forces (Battle Dates: December 8, 1941-May 6, 1942). He was captured 9 April in the Battle of Bataan, while retreating to the Bataan Peninsula. As a prisoner, he was subjected to participate in the Bataan Death March, incarcerated in an unknown Prisoner of War Camp, Luzon Island. On August 20, 1944 he boarded the Japanese ‘Hell Ship’ Shinyo Maru, destined for a Prisoner Camp in Japan. Reported missing in action, lost at sea September 7, 1944 when the transport was torpedoed, and sunk by the U.S. Submarine, USS Paddle off the northwest coast of Mindanao. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery, located at Fort William-McKinley, Philippine Islands. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Lewistown City Cemetery in Lewistown, Montana. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.