OWENS, Westley H, Master Sergeant, 28th Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces, Service# R-303680, Enl: Colorado, d. 24-Oct-1944
POW casualty of the Japanese hell ship Arisan Maru
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARISAN MARU - THE GREATEST LOSS OF AMERICAN LIFE IN MARITIME HISTORY
On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from American submarine USS Shark (not knowing the Japanese freighter was carrying US POW) in the South China Sea, 200 miles N.W. of Luzon Island, Philippines. Arisan Maru was carrying 1782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan.
After 2 Japanese destroyers attacked and sank USS Shark they returned to Arisan Maru to look for survivors. No POWs were killed by the torpedo strikes and nearly all were able to leave the ship's holds but the Japanese did not rescue any of the POW that day, only Japanese. Japanese destroyers even deliberately pulled away from the men struggling in the water to reach them. 1777 POW died.
Only 9 of the prisoners aboard survived the event. Five escaped and made their way to China in one of the ship's two lifeboats. They were reunited with U.S. Forces and returned to the United States. The four others were later recaptured by Imperial Japanese naval vessels, where one died shortly after reaching land.
This makes Arisa Maru the greatest loss of American life in maritime history.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pvt. Westley Homer Owens, 20th Engineers, Medical, survived the torpedoing & sinking of the troopship "Tuscania" on 5 February 1918 in the North Channel between Scotland & Ireland by German submarine UB-77.
He returned from World War I aboard the "Santa Paula" in May 1919 as a private 1st class, Medical Detachment, 6th Battalion, 20th Engineers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Suggested edit: Westley Homer Owens was born Owen Westley Job, the son of Irving Wallace Job and Anna Laura Smith (Job). Irving was born 18 June 1856 in Wisconsin and died 5 August 1941 in Toppenish, Yakima County, Washington. Anna was born 21 April 1866 in Wisconsin and died 17 February 1952 Napa County, California. According to her obituary, Anna is buried in Toppenish, Yakima County WA.
Owen Job was the youngest of five children:
Wallace Edgar Job, 1885 Nebraska - 1888 Wyoming. Find A Grave 51208591
Ethel Mae Job Wood (Mrs. Oliver Wood), 1886 Nebraska - 1982 Colorado. Find A Grave 28233761
Charles Roy Job, 1887 Wyoming - 1967 California. Find A Grave 3409475
Edward Ward / Ward Edward Job, 1889 Wyoming -
Alice Mary Job Whiteley (Mrs. Joe Victor Whiteley), 1893 Wyoming - 1982 California. Find A Grave 143299620
Owen registered for the World War I draft on 5 June 1917 as Westley Homer Owens, a resident of Tuolumne, California. His military serial number was 303680. Records are found of him in the U.S. Army in the 1920s and 1930s also.
On 6 November 1926, Wesley Owens married Elizabeth Veva Burget, also known as Veva, which is frequently misspelled as Vera. She was the daughter of Charles Norton Burget (Find A Grave 63652692) and Jennie Young Burget (Find A Grave 63652652).
They had two daughters:
Jeanne Elizabeth Owens (1927 California - 2017 Oregon), later Mrs. Arthur Gordon Hobbs. Her Find A Grave: 183783996
Janice Laura Owens (1928 California - 2001 Oregon), later Mrs. Robert Jay Boden.
Veva petitioned for a divorce, which was granted 6 July 1935 in Wasco County, Oregon. Veva married on 7 March 1942 in Wasco County, Oregon, to William Clarence Wegener (1899-1991).
It is tragically ironic that Westley survived the torpedoing and sinking of his World War I troopship in 1918 to die as a result of the torpedoing and sinking of the World War II ship "Arisan Maru" on which he was a Japanese prisoner-of-war. This was one of the "hell ships" that housed American prisoners in crowded, overheated, unsanitary conditions. This time, the torpedo came not from a German U-boat but from a U.S. Navy submarine, which sunk the "Arisan Maru." There were 1,781 (or 1,782 or 1, 783) prisoners aboard and nearly all escaped the torpedo strike itself. But when the Americans fled the ship into the water, the Japanese forces did not rescue them, and all but seven or nine men died. It is the greatest U.S. loss of life at sea.
Contributor: 48898746
POW casualty of the Japanese hell ship Arisan Maru
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARISAN MARU - THE GREATEST LOSS OF AMERICAN LIFE IN MARITIME HISTORY
On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from American submarine USS Shark (not knowing the Japanese freighter was carrying US POW) in the South China Sea, 200 miles N.W. of Luzon Island, Philippines. Arisan Maru was carrying 1782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan.
After 2 Japanese destroyers attacked and sank USS Shark they returned to Arisan Maru to look for survivors. No POWs were killed by the torpedo strikes and nearly all were able to leave the ship's holds but the Japanese did not rescue any of the POW that day, only Japanese. Japanese destroyers even deliberately pulled away from the men struggling in the water to reach them. 1777 POW died.
Only 9 of the prisoners aboard survived the event. Five escaped and made their way to China in one of the ship's two lifeboats. They were reunited with U.S. Forces and returned to the United States. The four others were later recaptured by Imperial Japanese naval vessels, where one died shortly after reaching land.
This makes Arisa Maru the greatest loss of American life in maritime history.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pvt. Westley Homer Owens, 20th Engineers, Medical, survived the torpedoing & sinking of the troopship "Tuscania" on 5 February 1918 in the North Channel between Scotland & Ireland by German submarine UB-77.
He returned from World War I aboard the "Santa Paula" in May 1919 as a private 1st class, Medical Detachment, 6th Battalion, 20th Engineers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Suggested edit: Westley Homer Owens was born Owen Westley Job, the son of Irving Wallace Job and Anna Laura Smith (Job). Irving was born 18 June 1856 in Wisconsin and died 5 August 1941 in Toppenish, Yakima County, Washington. Anna was born 21 April 1866 in Wisconsin and died 17 February 1952 Napa County, California. According to her obituary, Anna is buried in Toppenish, Yakima County WA.
Owen Job was the youngest of five children:
Wallace Edgar Job, 1885 Nebraska - 1888 Wyoming. Find A Grave 51208591
Ethel Mae Job Wood (Mrs. Oliver Wood), 1886 Nebraska - 1982 Colorado. Find A Grave 28233761
Charles Roy Job, 1887 Wyoming - 1967 California. Find A Grave 3409475
Edward Ward / Ward Edward Job, 1889 Wyoming -
Alice Mary Job Whiteley (Mrs. Joe Victor Whiteley), 1893 Wyoming - 1982 California. Find A Grave 143299620
Owen registered for the World War I draft on 5 June 1917 as Westley Homer Owens, a resident of Tuolumne, California. His military serial number was 303680. Records are found of him in the U.S. Army in the 1920s and 1930s also.
On 6 November 1926, Wesley Owens married Elizabeth Veva Burget, also known as Veva, which is frequently misspelled as Vera. She was the daughter of Charles Norton Burget (Find A Grave 63652692) and Jennie Young Burget (Find A Grave 63652652).
They had two daughters:
Jeanne Elizabeth Owens (1927 California - 2017 Oregon), later Mrs. Arthur Gordon Hobbs. Her Find A Grave: 183783996
Janice Laura Owens (1928 California - 2001 Oregon), later Mrs. Robert Jay Boden.
Veva petitioned for a divorce, which was granted 6 July 1935 in Wasco County, Oregon. Veva married on 7 March 1942 in Wasco County, Oregon, to William Clarence Wegener (1899-1991).
It is tragically ironic that Westley survived the torpedoing and sinking of his World War I troopship in 1918 to die as a result of the torpedoing and sinking of the World War II ship "Arisan Maru" on which he was a Japanese prisoner-of-war. This was one of the "hell ships" that housed American prisoners in crowded, overheated, unsanitary conditions. This time, the torpedo came not from a German U-boat but from a U.S. Navy submarine, which sunk the "Arisan Maru." There were 1,781 (or 1,782 or 1, 783) prisoners aboard and nearly all escaped the torpedo strike itself. But when the Americans fled the ship into the water, the Japanese forces did not rescue them, and all but seven or nine men died. It is the greatest U.S. loss of life at sea.
Contributor: 48898746
OWENS, Westley H, Master Sergeant, 28th Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces, Service# R-303680, Enl: Colorado, d. 24-Oct-1944
POW casualty of the Japanese hell ship Arisan Maru
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARISAN MARU - THE GREATEST LOSS OF AMERICAN LIFE IN MARITIME HISTORY
On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from American submarine USS Shark (not knowing the Japanese freighter was carrying US POW) in the South China Sea, 200 miles N.W. of Luzon Island, Philippines. Arisan Maru was carrying 1782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan.
After 2 Japanese destroyers attacked and sank USS Shark they returned to Arisan Maru to look for survivors. No POWs were killed by the torpedo strikes and nearly all were able to leave the ship's holds but the Japanese did not rescue any of the POW that day, only Japanese. Japanese destroyers even deliberately pulled away from the men struggling in the water to reach them. 1777 POW died.
Only 9 of the prisoners aboard survived the event. Five escaped and made their way to China in one of the ship's two lifeboats. They were reunited with U.S. Forces and returned to the United States. The four others were later recaptured by Imperial Japanese naval vessels, where one died shortly after reaching land.
This makes Arisa Maru the greatest loss of American life in maritime history.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pvt. Westley Homer Owens, 20th Engineers, Medical, survived the torpedoing & sinking of the troopship "Tuscania" on 5 February 1918 in the North Channel between Scotland & Ireland by German submarine UB-77.
He returned from World War I aboard the "Santa Paula" in May 1919 as a private 1st class, Medical Detachment, 6th Battalion, 20th Engineers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Suggested edit: Westley Homer Owens was born Owen Westley Job, the son of Irving Wallace Job and Anna Laura Smith (Job). Irving was born 18 June 1856 in Wisconsin and died 5 August 1941 in Toppenish, Yakima County, Washington. Anna was born 21 April 1866 in Wisconsin and died 17 February 1952 Napa County, California. According to her obituary, Anna is buried in Toppenish, Yakima County WA.
Owen Job was the youngest of five children:
Wallace Edgar Job, 1885 Nebraska - 1888 Wyoming. Find A Grave 51208591
Ethel Mae Job Wood (Mrs. Oliver Wood), 1886 Nebraska - 1982 Colorado. Find A Grave 28233761
Charles Roy Job, 1887 Wyoming - 1967 California. Find A Grave 3409475
Edward Ward / Ward Edward Job, 1889 Wyoming -
Alice Mary Job Whiteley (Mrs. Joe Victor Whiteley), 1893 Wyoming - 1982 California. Find A Grave 143299620
Owen registered for the World War I draft on 5 June 1917 as Westley Homer Owens, a resident of Tuolumne, California. His military serial number was 303680. Records are found of him in the U.S. Army in the 1920s and 1930s also.
On 6 November 1926, Wesley Owens married Elizabeth Veva Burget, also known as Veva, which is frequently misspelled as Vera. She was the daughter of Charles Norton Burget (Find A Grave 63652692) and Jennie Young Burget (Find A Grave 63652652).
They had two daughters:
Jeanne Elizabeth Owens (1927 California - 2017 Oregon), later Mrs. Arthur Gordon Hobbs. Her Find A Grave: 183783996
Janice Laura Owens (1928 California - 2001 Oregon), later Mrs. Robert Jay Boden.
Veva petitioned for a divorce, which was granted 6 July 1935 in Wasco County, Oregon. Veva married on 7 March 1942 in Wasco County, Oregon, to William Clarence Wegener (1899-1991).
It is tragically ironic that Westley survived the torpedoing and sinking of his World War I troopship in 1918 to die as a result of the torpedoing and sinking of the World War II ship "Arisan Maru" on which he was a Japanese prisoner-of-war. This was one of the "hell ships" that housed American prisoners in crowded, overheated, unsanitary conditions. This time, the torpedo came not from a German U-boat but from a U.S. Navy submarine, which sunk the "Arisan Maru." There were 1,781 (or 1,782 or 1, 783) prisoners aboard and nearly all escaped the torpedo strike itself. But when the Americans fled the ship into the water, the Japanese forces did not rescue them, and all but seven or nine men died. It is the greatest U.S. loss of life at sea.
Contributor: 48898746
POW casualty of the Japanese hell ship Arisan Maru
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARISAN MARU - THE GREATEST LOSS OF AMERICAN LIFE IN MARITIME HISTORY
On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from American submarine USS Shark (not knowing the Japanese freighter was carrying US POW) in the South China Sea, 200 miles N.W. of Luzon Island, Philippines. Arisan Maru was carrying 1782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan.
After 2 Japanese destroyers attacked and sank USS Shark they returned to Arisan Maru to look for survivors. No POWs were killed by the torpedo strikes and nearly all were able to leave the ship's holds but the Japanese did not rescue any of the POW that day, only Japanese. Japanese destroyers even deliberately pulled away from the men struggling in the water to reach them. 1777 POW died.
Only 9 of the prisoners aboard survived the event. Five escaped and made their way to China in one of the ship's two lifeboats. They were reunited with U.S. Forces and returned to the United States. The four others were later recaptured by Imperial Japanese naval vessels, where one died shortly after reaching land.
This makes Arisa Maru the greatest loss of American life in maritime history.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pvt. Westley Homer Owens, 20th Engineers, Medical, survived the torpedoing & sinking of the troopship "Tuscania" on 5 February 1918 in the North Channel between Scotland & Ireland by German submarine UB-77.
He returned from World War I aboard the "Santa Paula" in May 1919 as a private 1st class, Medical Detachment, 6th Battalion, 20th Engineers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Suggested edit: Westley Homer Owens was born Owen Westley Job, the son of Irving Wallace Job and Anna Laura Smith (Job). Irving was born 18 June 1856 in Wisconsin and died 5 August 1941 in Toppenish, Yakima County, Washington. Anna was born 21 April 1866 in Wisconsin and died 17 February 1952 Napa County, California. According to her obituary, Anna is buried in Toppenish, Yakima County WA.
Owen Job was the youngest of five children:
Wallace Edgar Job, 1885 Nebraska - 1888 Wyoming. Find A Grave 51208591
Ethel Mae Job Wood (Mrs. Oliver Wood), 1886 Nebraska - 1982 Colorado. Find A Grave 28233761
Charles Roy Job, 1887 Wyoming - 1967 California. Find A Grave 3409475
Edward Ward / Ward Edward Job, 1889 Wyoming -
Alice Mary Job Whiteley (Mrs. Joe Victor Whiteley), 1893 Wyoming - 1982 California. Find A Grave 143299620
Owen registered for the World War I draft on 5 June 1917 as Westley Homer Owens, a resident of Tuolumne, California. His military serial number was 303680. Records are found of him in the U.S. Army in the 1920s and 1930s also.
On 6 November 1926, Wesley Owens married Elizabeth Veva Burget, also known as Veva, which is frequently misspelled as Vera. She was the daughter of Charles Norton Burget (Find A Grave 63652692) and Jennie Young Burget (Find A Grave 63652652).
They had two daughters:
Jeanne Elizabeth Owens (1927 California - 2017 Oregon), later Mrs. Arthur Gordon Hobbs. Her Find A Grave: 183783996
Janice Laura Owens (1928 California - 2001 Oregon), later Mrs. Robert Jay Boden.
Veva petitioned for a divorce, which was granted 6 July 1935 in Wasco County, Oregon. Veva married on 7 March 1942 in Wasco County, Oregon, to William Clarence Wegener (1899-1991).
It is tragically ironic that Westley survived the torpedoing and sinking of his World War I troopship in 1918 to die as a result of the torpedoing and sinking of the World War II ship "Arisan Maru" on which he was a Japanese prisoner-of-war. This was one of the "hell ships" that housed American prisoners in crowded, overheated, unsanitary conditions. This time, the torpedo came not from a German U-boat but from a U.S. Navy submarine, which sunk the "Arisan Maru." There were 1,781 (or 1,782 or 1, 783) prisoners aboard and nearly all escaped the torpedo strike itself. But when the Americans fled the ship into the water, the Japanese forces did not rescue them, and all but seven or nine men died. It is the greatest U.S. loss of life at sea.
Contributor: 48898746
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OWENS WESTLEY H - M SGT - 28 BOMB SQ 19 BOMB GP (H) - COLO
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