World War II Honoree

William Yakowchyk

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Elmwood Park, Illinois

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Corporal. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps January 15, 1940 at Chicago, Illinois, with recruit training assigned to the Third Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California for combat training. Following the completion of his infantry training, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands and based at Fort Mills Location: Corregidor Island AKA: the Rock. Assigned to Service Company, First Battalion and Fourth Marine Regiment. 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 #3 Old Bilibid Prison Rizal, Manila. On October 11, 1944 he boarded the Japanese ‘Hell Ship’ Arisan Maru, destination Japan. Reported Missing in Action or buried 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 Manila American Cemetery Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.