Rank and Name, Private Paul J. Austin.
Unit/Placed in, 59th Coast Artillery Regiment.
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.
Brazil Maru
The Brazil Maru was a Hell Ship for POW Transport.
After the “Hellship Oryoku Maru” was bombed at Fernando, Philippines (15 dec. 1944) The POWs were embarked to the “Hellships Enoura and Brazil Maru.
Although The ships had been hauling livestock, no attempt has been made to clean out the manure prior to the boarding of the prisoners, nor was any food for the prisoners loaded.
It departed on 14 January 1945 bound for Moji, Japan where it arrived on January 29. An estimated 500 prisoners died aboard Brazil Maru during the voyage from Takao to Moji.
Brazil Maru was sunk by a mine at Kobe on 12 May 1945.
Paul is born approx. on 1922 in New York.
Parents and Siblings, No Record Available.
Paul enlisted the service in New York with service number # 6983562.
Paul died as a POW aboard the Brazil Maru on 17 Jan. 1945, he is honored with a Purple Heart, POW Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.
Paul is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.
Walls of the missing.
Thanks to,
Jean Louis Vijgen, WW2-Pacific Website.
Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.
ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov
Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/
Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org
POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.
Navy Seal Memorial, http://www.navysealmemorials.com
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
