Rank and Name, Second Lieutenant Fabian Arsenault.
Unit/Placed in, 51st Infantry Regiment (Philippine Scouts).
Second Lieutenant Fab Arsenault entered the U.S. Army from Massachusetts and served with the 51st Infantry Regiment (Philippine Scouts) during the defense of the Philippines. He was taken as a POW to POW Camp Cabanatuan and was later on transport to Japan, he was interned at Camp Cabanatuan until December 1944.
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.
Oryoku Maru
About 1619 prisoners of War onboard the Oryoku Maru at Manila. The ship sailed on December 13, 1944, for Japan and first arrived at Subic Bay. After arriving there, the same day, it was bombed by American planes from the USS Hornet, while it was picking up Japanese personnel. As dusk came, the planes broke off the attack. The planes returned and resumed the attack. On Dec. 15, 1944 and the ship was sinking.
The Japanese abandoned ship. They then ordered the POWs to abandon ship during the air raid on the ship. When the American pilots saw the large number of men climbing from the ship’s holds, they stopped their attack. As the POWs swam to shore, the POWs were shot at by Japanese soldiers with machine guns.
Brazil Maru
After the Bombing on the Oryoku Maru the POW were put aboard two other ships, the Enoura Maru and the Brazil Maru, to continue on the trip to POW camps in Japan.
Meantime 2nd Lt. Fab Arsenault died from the previous Bombardments aboard the ship on 20 January 1945.
Fabian is born approx. on 24 Augustus, 1918 in Canada.
Parents and Siblings, No Record Available.
Fab enlisted the service in Massachusetts with service number # 0-890170.
Fabian died of his wounds sustained during the Bombing of the Oryoku Maru on 20 January, 1945, he is honored with a Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.
Fabian is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.
Walls of the missing.
Thanks to, https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000001CWRQrEAP
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/
Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org
Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/
Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com
