Camp O'Donnell Burial Detail
Camp O'Donnell Burial Detail
bigpigeon.us webpage WW II  - Japan  > Japan Lashes Out > The Philippines Lost, updated by RAC 4 Aug '19.  This webpage is incomplete.
Overview - The Fall of the Philippines
Fall of the Philippines, 1941-42.

The Fall of the Phillipines was arguably the worst military defeat in American history, resulting in something like 53,000 prisoners of war, of whom 20,000 were American, 12,000 Filipino Scouts (Filipino members of the United States Army), and 21,000 members of the Filipino Commonwealth Army, many of whom were ill-trained reservists. After the main force of over 30,000 surrendered to the Japanese on Bataan Peninsula in April 1942, the Filipino and American captives were transferred under brutal conditions to Camp O'Donnell, with thousands dying en route. Later many of the American captives were sent to prison camps near Cabanatuan, where they continued to die by the hundreds.
Central Luzon
Central Luzon
In October 1944, the United States Army returned to the Philippines, landing first on the island of Leyte.
Sources for the WW II - The Philippines Lost webpage
  • The webpage header photo, Camp O'Donnell Burial Detail, is courtesy of the National Archives.
  • The Central Luzon map is courtesy of American Experience.
Pottawattamie County, Iowa WW II Deaths - The Philippines Lost (updated 4 Aug '19)
World Wars > WW II > Pott. Co. Deaths has parental and spousal information​. 
  • Bach, Paul L., US Army; 43rd Inf. Regt., Philippine Scouts; d. 21 Nov '42, Cabanatuan prison camp, Luzon.
  • Blizzard, Howard L., US Army; Signal Air Warning Co.; d. 9 Jan '45 on hell ship Enoura Maru, Takao Harbor, Formosa.
  • Bostedt, Glen Charles, USAAF; 3rd Pursuit Sqdn.; d. 11 Oct '42, Cabanatuan camp, Luzon.
  • Bostedt, John Bernard, USAAF; 3rd Pursuit Sqdn.; d. 7 Jul '42 in a prison camp, Luzon.
  • Bostedt, Joseph William, USAAF; 3rd Pursuit Sqdn.; d. 20 Sep '42, Cabanatuan camp,  Luzon.
  • Brown, Ralph R., USAAF; 27th Bomb. Gp.; d. 11 May '42, Camp O'Donnell, Luzon.
  • Cavanaugh, James B., US Army; Hq,. 2nd Philippine Corps; d. 10 Feb '43, Karenko, Formosa.
  • Collett, Albert H., USAAF; 93rd Bomb. Gp.; d. unknown in a prison camp, Luzon.
  • Dammrow, Stanley A., USAAF; V Interceptor Command; d. 23 Nov '42 in a prison camp, Luzon.
  • Hartje, Lamar H., US Navy; submarine tender USS Canopus; d. 11 Jun '42 in a prison camp, Luzon.
  • McCauley, Leon H., US Army Quartermaster Corps; d. 9 Jul '42, Camp O'Donnell, Luzon.
  • Newman, Shelby F., US Army; 11th Philippine Army Regt., 11th Philippine Army Div.; d. 15 Dec '44, Subic Bay, Luzon. 
  • Nugent, Donald G., US Army; 75th Ordnance Co.; d. 7 Sep '44, hell ship Shiniyo Maru sunk off Mindinao by USS Paddle.
  • Pierce, Robert C., USAAF; 19th Bomb. Gp.; d. 22 Nov '42 in a prison camp, Luzon.
  • Wilson, John R., USAAF; 24th Pursuit Gp.; d. 22 Jul '42, Cabanatuan prison camp, Luzon.

Of special note:
  • All fifteen known Pottawattamie County WW II deaths related to the Fall of the Philippines occurred among prisoners of war.
  • The Bostedt brothers, Glen, John and Joseph, were residents of rural Council Bluffs, Iowa when WW II began. John and Joseph were twins and were still teenagers when they died.
  • Shelby F. Newman from Avoca, Iowa was a captain in the 11th Philippine Army Regiment, 11th Philippine Army Division. He died 15 Dec '44 while attempting to escape from the disabled hell ship Oryoku Maru in Subic Bay. The Oryoku Maru was carrying POWs en route to the Japanese home islands when it was attacked by American aircraft. (Subic Bay is the smaller bay to the left of the Bataan Peninsula in the above map.)