Steel(e), Herbert – ww2 Pacific

Rank and Name, Sergeant Herbert Steel(e).

Unit/Placed in, 194th Tank Battalion, United States Army.

Camp O’Donnell

(After the war it became an Army Training Base)

Camp O’Donnell was the destination of the Filipino and American soldiers who surrendered after the Battle of Bataan on April 9, 1942. The Japanese took approximately 70,000 prisoners: 60,000 Filipinos and 9,000 Americans. The prisoners were forced to undertake the Bataan Death March of approximately 145 kilometres (90 mi) to arrive at Camp O’Donnell. Many soldiers died during the march and the survivors arrived at Camp O’Donnell in extremely poor condition.

The first Filipino and American POWS arrived at Camp O’Donnell on April 11, 1942 and the last on June 4, 1942, many died at Camp O’Donnell from starvation, disease and the brutal treatment received at the hands of the captors during the few months it was open.

Camp Cabanatuan (Pangatian) (former HQ 91st Philippine army Division)

After the Japanese occupation in 1942, the camp was converted by the Imperial Japanese Army into the Cabanatuan POW Camp. At its height, 8,000 prisoners were detained at this location. The prisoners also included some civilians including one British and one Norwegian citizen. This POW Camp detained prisoners until liberated during the night of January 30, 1945.

The rectangular camp spanned roughly 25 acres and was 800 yards deep by 600 yards wide, divided by a road in the center. The camp consisted of a barracks for Japanese guards, barracks for prisoners, a hospital and water tower enclosed by barbed wire with guard towers.

Herbert is born on 12 March 1919 in Mercer, Kentucky.

Father, Thomas Edgar Steel(e).

Mother, Miranda (Watts) Steel(e).

Sister(s), Ella Mae Steel(e).

Herbert enlisted the service in Kentucky with service number # 20523464.

Herbert died as a POW from Diseases in Camp Cabanatuan on 14 June 1942, he is honored with a POW Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

Herbert is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Walls of the missing.

Herbert is also Mentioned at Cabanatuan Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Thanks to, Wikipedia

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano