World War II Honoree

Heraclio S. Arispe

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Corpus Christi, Texas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Army February 15, 1941 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas City, with recruit and advanced combat training at Camp Hulen Palacios, Texas. Following infantry training, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands, and based at Fort Mills Location: Corregidor Island AKA: the Rock. He served with Easy Company an element of the 60th Coastal Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, the Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays, which participated in the Battle of Corregidor (Battle Dates: May 5-6, 1942). When his Commander General Wainwright capitulated to the enemy, he was captured on the second day of the invasion. As a prisoner, he was transferred to the City of Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island, and detained at the Prisoner of War Camp. The Palawan Massacre took his life December 14, 1944, with burial in the Prisoner cemetery. In the post-war era personnel from a Graves Registration Company, disinterred his remains from the camp cemetery, and were laid to rest in the United States Armed Forces Cemetery Location: Leyte #1 Tacloban, Philippine Islands. His family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Lemay, Missouri, with Interment February 14, 1952. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.