World War II Honoree

Wayne E. Drake

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Army March 13, 1941 at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Following his infantry training, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands, and based at Camp John Hay in Baguio City, Luzon Island. Served in Headquarters Company, 31st Infantry Regiment attached to the Philippine Army Division. His unit participated in the Battle of the Philippines, the conquest of the Philippines by the Imperial Japanese Army and Naval Forces (Battle Dates: December 8, 1941-May 6, 1942). Soldiers of the Thirty-First in the Battle of Bataan covered the withdrawal of American and Philippine forces to the Bataan Peninsula. Captured on 9 April in the Bataan Battle, while retreating to the Bataan Peninsula. As a prisoner, his captors subjected him to participate in the Bataan Death March, incarcerated at the Prisoner of War Camp #1 Cabanatuan, Luzon Island. On August 1, 1942 he died of unknown causes, with burial in the Prisoner Cemetery. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, personnel from an American Graves Registration Company disinterred his remains from the camp cemetery, and were laid to rest in the Manila American Cemetery at Fort William-McKinley, Philippine Islands. The family of this Soldier received his remains for burial, laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Lemay, Missouri on April 4, 1952 with Military Honors. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.