World War II Honoree

Loren B. Wildermuth

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Columbia, Missouri

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Army July 7, 1941 with induction at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Following his completion of medical training, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands. Served as a Medical Corpsman with the Sixteenth Naval District, Cavite U.S. Naval Base, assigned to the Naval Hospital Canacao. Friday, January 2, 1942 when the Japanese Imperial Forces invaded Luzon, he was evacuated to Corregidor Island AKA: the Rock, where he linked up with the Fourth Marine Regiment. When his Commander General Wainwright capitulated to the enemy, he was captured and detained at the Prisoner of War Camp #1 Cabanatuan, Luzon Island. Wednesday, October 11, 1944 he boarded the Japanese ‘Hell Ship’ Arisan Maru, destined for Japan. Reported Missing in Action or buried at sea Tuesday, October 24, 1944 when the transport was torpedoed, and sunk in the Bashi Channel, South China Sea 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 and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila Philippine Islands. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Cedar Grove Cemetery Salem, Missouri. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.