Categorie: 1945

Rank/Name, Colonel John Porter Adams.

Unit/placed, POW & MP Det. HQ USMC Wash. DC., United States Marine Corps.

He took command over the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines,when the Japanese forces attacked, but was taken Prisoner by the Japanese on the Philipinne Islands on May 8, 1942 and died on board the Hellship Enoura Maru on Jan. 9, 1945.

John was born  on July 19, 1893 in New Bloomfield, Perry County, Pennsylvania.

Father, John R. Adams, Mother, Mary E. (Owens) Adams.

Wife, Edna P. (De Sanchez) Adams, Son, John P. Adams Jr.

John entered  the service from Pennsylvania with service number # 0-000004.

John P. Adams died on board the Hellship Enoura Maru when it was torpedoed and Sunk, on Jan. 9, 1945, and he is honored with the Purple Heart.

Thanks to http://www.powtaiwan.org/archives_detail.php?THE-STORY-OF-THE-BOMBING-OF-THE-ENOURA-MARU-17   Jean Louis Vijgen, ABMC,  https://abmc.gov Info P.O.W.

Wes Injerd, Dwight Rider: http://www.mansell.com/pow-index.html

NavyLog, http://navylog.navymemorial.org Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, Sean Conjenos, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/

Familysearch.com, https://www.familysearch.org Navy Marines Info Geoffrey Roecker, https://missingmarines.com/ Medals Info, http://www.honorstates.org Website, https://hendrikswebdesign.nl/

Navy Cross

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Colonel John Porter Adams United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving as District Marine Officer, SIXTEENTH Naval District, Cavite (P.I.) Navy Yard, during the bombardment and occupation of the Philippine Islands by enemy Japanese forces beginning on 10 December 1941. Courageous and untiring under repeated and sustained hostile bombing and strafing attacks, Lieutenant Colonel Adams rendered valiant service during the gallant stand by our forces against a prolonged and determined siege by the Japanese. His inspiring leadership, outstanding fortitude and unwavering devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Rank and Name, . First Lieutenant David C. Affleck

Unit/Placed, Quartermaster Corps, United States Army.

From the time of his capture, in May 1942, his place of internment was Cabanatuan Prison in the Philippines.

The next stop was a Camp in Japan, transportation with the “Hellship“ Oryko Maru,  First Lieutenant Affleck and 1,760 other American prisoners aboard.

The next two days American planes battered the ship and she Sunk at Subic Bay, after the attack he went a board the “HellShip“ Enoura Maru and headed for Japan . Again the Ship was Bombed  by the US Air Force , but escaped from further damage to Takao Dockside.

David was born in, 1907 Hamilton County, Ohio.

Father, William W. Affleck.

Mother, Nettie M. Affleck.

David enlisted the service in Ohio with service number # O-890052.

David was KIA on board the  “HellShip“ Enoura Maru, when it was Bombed by the US Air Force in Takao Harbor on Jan. 9, 1945, First Lieutenant David C. Affleck is honored with a Purple Heart and a POW Medal.

David is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial 
Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.
Tablets Of The Missing.

Thanks to Jean Louis Vijgen, ABMC,  https://abmc.gov Info P.O.W.

Wes Injerd, Dwight Rider: http://www.mansell.com/pow-index.html

NavyLog, http://navylog.navymemorial.org Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, Sean Conjenos, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/

Familysearch.com, https://www.familysearch.org Navy Marines Info Geoffrey Roecker, https://missingmarines.com/ Medals Info, http://www.honorstates.org Website, https://hendrikswebdesign.nl/

“Each day an attempt was made to clear each barracks of the dying. They were removed to “zero” ward, laid on the bare floor entirely naked. These patients usually were profoundly emaciated, in fact, little better than skeletons with a feeble spark of life. Heroic corpsmen and doctors did what they could to alleviate the indescribable conditions.  They tied grass onto sticks and attempted to cleanse the floors.  They used the same method of cleansing the body.  Occasionally a big puddle of rainwater would provide enough water to wash the floor. At this time the use of the regular water supply system was strictly forbidden by the Japanese.  The few laymen who saw these conditions were utterly horrified.  Even the Japanese doctors would not enter these wards and the Japanese staff at Headquarters gave it a wide berth. “. 

Report courtesy of Jim Burnett, nephew to Camp 17 POW Billy Alvin Ayers #195