World War II Honoree

Victor A. Falk

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Saginaw, Michigan

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Army October 2, 1939 at Kalamazoo, Michigan. Following his infantry training, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands, and based at Fort Mills on Corregidor Island AKA: the Rock. Served in Kilo Battery, a Branch of the 59th Coastal Artillery Anti-Aircraft Regiment, the Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. His unit participated in the Battle of Corregidor against the Imperial Japanese forces (Battle Dates: May 5-6, 1942). Captured on the second day of the invasion, when his Commander General Wainwright capitulated to the enemy. As a prisoner, he was transferred to the Prisoner of War Camp #4 O’Donnell, Luzon Island. On October 11, 1944 he boarded the Japanese ‘Hell Ship’ Arisan Maru, destined for Japan. Reported Missing in Action, lost at sea Tuesday, October 24, 1944 when the transport was torpedoed and sunk by a U.S. Submarine. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery at Fort William-McKinley, Philippine Islands. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Roselawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Saginaw, Michigan. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.