Anderson, Alton Lydell

Rank and Name, Private First Class Alton Lyndell Anderson.

Unit/Placed in, 7^th Material Squadron, 5^th Air Base Group.

Camp Cabanatuan

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.

Arisan Maru

The Arisan Maru was a Hell Ships (former Cargo, used for Transport POW’s to other Camps) sunk on Nov. 24, 1944.

The Arisan Maru, sailed from Manila on October 11, 1944 for Japan. This ship was sunk by the American submarine, USS Snook (Shark?) with three torpedoes, east of Hong Kong, on November 24, 1944. There were 1800 POWs aboard – 1793 died. Eight men survived this sinking. Two days later, five of the survivors were rescued by a Chinese fishing junk. The Chinese helped them reach American Air Corps forces. Other survivors were recaptured by a Japanese destroyer and taken to Formosa.

This Hell Ship sank in the South China Sea making it the worst naval disaster in the history of the United States.

Alton is born approx. on Feb. 21, 1919 in Haskell, Texas.

Father, Dayton Andersen.

Mother, Alpha (Powers) Andersen.

Sister(s), Mary R. Zelma, and Geneva M. Andersen.

Brother(s), Howell R. Vernay D. Othello D. and Revere H. Anderson.

Alton enlisted the service in Texas with service number # 19038412.

Alton was KIA when escaping from the Arisan Maru he was shot by the Japanese Guards on Nov. 24, 1944, he is honored with a POW Medal, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

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

Walls of the missing.

He also has a Memorial Grave at Willow Cemetery, Haskell, Haskell County, Texas, USA.

Thanks to,

Jean Louis Vijgen, WW2-Pacific Website.

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

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

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

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

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

Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/