World War II Honoree

Francisco B. Arbillon

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Iloilo, Philippine Islands

Honored By

Commodore Ramon A. Alcaraz (Ret)

Relationship

Comrade Subordinate

AN ENGINEMAN ON Q-112, ONE OF THE THREE BRITISH-MADE TORPEDO BOATS OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY ON THE U.S. ARMED FORCES IN THE FAR EAST, HE SAW ACTION PATROLLING BATAAN COAST IN ITS 148-DAY HEROIC DEFENSE. ON JANUARY 17,1942 Q-112 WITH Q-111 SHOT DOWN THREE JAPANESE ZEROS DURING AN AIR-SEA ENCOUNTER WITH NINE ENEMY PLANES EAST OF BATAAN. AS A RESULT ALL MEMBERS OF THE CREW OF Q-112 WERE AWARDED THE SILVER STAR BY GENERAL MACARTHUR FOR GALLANTRY IN ACTION. AFTER BATAAN SURRENDERED, HE WAS TAKEN POW AND CONCENTRATED IN MALOLOS AND CAPAS POW CAMPS. RELEASED FIVE MONTHS LATER AS A SICK POW, HE JOINED THE GUERILLAS AFTER RECOVERING FROM SICKNESS AND CONTINUED TO FIGHT THE ENEMY UNTIL LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES IN EARLY 1945.