Austrey, Benjamin Franklin

Rank and Name, Chief Torpedoman Benjamin Franklin Autrey.

Unit/Placed in, USS Canopus (AS-9) Submarine Tender, United States Navy.

USS Canopus AS-9

The submarine tender USS Canopus (AS-9) received severe damage when hit by heavy bombers on December 29, 1941. She lost six of her crew in the attack, with another six wounded. She was later scuttled off Manila Bay rather than face capture by the enemy. Her crew was used in the defense of Bataan and Corregidor. A large number of her crew died in the Philippine Islands, during transport to POW camps in Japan, or in the camps themselves

Camp no record

The Imperial Japanese began their Invasion in the Philippines on 8 Dec 1941.

The US Forces resorted to fighting together among Filipino forces when compelled to surrender on 9 Apr 1942.

Ctm. Autrey became a POW and was imprisoned at Pow Camp no record, he survived the Bataan Death March.

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 Shark with three torpedoes, on 24 October, 1944. There were 1800 POWs aboard – nine 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.

Benjamin is born approx. on 1911 in Georgia.

Father, James C. Autrey.

Mother, Lucy E. (Dockens) Autrey.

Sister(s), Vivian V. Minginetta J. Jennie G and Eady B. Autrey.

Brother(s), James M. and Louis D. Autrey.

Spouse, Anisia A. Autrey.

Benjamin enlisted the service in Georgia with service number # 201776.

Benjamin was KIA as a POW when the Arisan Maru was Torpedoed, he tried to escape and the Japanese guards shot him on Oct 24, 1944, he is honored with a Purple Heart, POW Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Expeditionary Medal, American Campaign Medal, Navy & Marine Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

Benjamin 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