World War II Honoree

Virgil L. Hinkle

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Shelbyville, Indiana

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private. Inducted into the United States Army February 4, 1941 at Fort Benjamin, Indiana, 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 Kilo Battery an element of the 60th Coastal Anti-Aircraft Artillery 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). 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 and detained at the Prisoner of War Camp #1 Cabanatuan, Luzon Island. Wednesday, December 13, 1944 he boarded the Japanese ‘Hell Ship’ Oryoku Maru, destined for Japan via Formosa. On the Fifteenth of December the transport was sunk by USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier Fighters, while moored in the Manila Harbor. He survived the attack, and transported to Taiwan, Formosa abroad the Enoura Maru. Tuesday, January 9, 1945 he was reported missing-in-action, when the transport came under attack and sunk by USS Hornet Fighters. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.