Awards: Bronze Star, Purple Heart
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Suggested edit: Service No. (ASN): 06273044
Contributor: James Durham (46994633) on 03/18/2021
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31st Infantry Regiment - Martin Johnson was one of 1619 American Prisoners of War boarded onto the Oryoku Maru at Manila. The ship sailed on December 14, 1944, and arrived at Subic Bay, the same day, to pick up Japanese personnel. While there, it was attacked by American fighter planes from the U.S.S. Hornet. When dusk came, they broke off the attack. The next morning, December 15th, the planes returned and continued the attack. The Japanese abandoned the ship but left the POWs in the holds. Bullets ricocheted into the POWs. The POWs were ordered to abandon ship. When the pilots of the planes saw the large number of men climbing from the holds, they broke off the attack. The POWs swam to shore. As they did, the Japanese shot at them with machine guns. Martin Johnson died during the attack.
Left by Jim O on 6 Nov 2014.
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Mrs. Abernathy lost her son, Corp. Martin L. Johnson, Service # 6273044, who was with 1619 prisoners aboard the unmarked Japanese Prisoner of War Ship named Oryoku Maru that was strafed and bombed by American aircraft. He died during this attack and his remains were never recovered. He is memorialized on The Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines...
Left by Veterans Researcher on 5 Jun 2015.
************************************************************************************************
Suggested edit: Service No. (ASN): 06273044
Contributor: James Durham (46994633) on 03/18/2021
************************************************************************************************
31st Infantry Regiment - Martin Johnson was one of 1619 American Prisoners of War boarded onto the Oryoku Maru at Manila. The ship sailed on December 14, 1944, and arrived at Subic Bay, the same day, to pick up Japanese personnel. While there, it was attacked by American fighter planes from the U.S.S. Hornet. When dusk came, they broke off the attack. The next morning, December 15th, the planes returned and continued the attack. The Japanese abandoned the ship but left the POWs in the holds. Bullets ricocheted into the POWs. The POWs were ordered to abandon ship. When the pilots of the planes saw the large number of men climbing from the holds, they broke off the attack. The POWs swam to shore. As they did, the Japanese shot at them with machine guns. Martin Johnson died during the attack.
Left by Jim O on 6 Nov 2014.
*************************************************************************************************
Mrs. Abernathy lost her son, Corp. Martin L. Johnson, Service # 6273044, who was with 1619 prisoners aboard the unmarked Japanese Prisoner of War Ship named Oryoku Maru that was strafed and bombed by American aircraft. He died during this attack and his remains were never recovered. He is memorialized on The Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines...
Left by Veterans Researcher on 5 Jun 2015.
Awards: Bronze Star, Purple Heart
************************************************************************************************
Suggested edit: Service No. (ASN): 06273044
Contributor: James Durham (46994633) on 03/18/2021
************************************************************************************************
31st Infantry Regiment - Martin Johnson was one of 1619 American Prisoners of War boarded onto the Oryoku Maru at Manila. The ship sailed on December 14, 1944, and arrived at Subic Bay, the same day, to pick up Japanese personnel. While there, it was attacked by American fighter planes from the U.S.S. Hornet. When dusk came, they broke off the attack. The next morning, December 15th, the planes returned and continued the attack. The Japanese abandoned the ship but left the POWs in the holds. Bullets ricocheted into the POWs. The POWs were ordered to abandon ship. When the pilots of the planes saw the large number of men climbing from the holds, they broke off the attack. The POWs swam to shore. As they did, the Japanese shot at them with machine guns. Martin Johnson died during the attack.
Left by Jim O on 6 Nov 2014.
*************************************************************************************************
Mrs. Abernathy lost her son, Corp. Martin L. Johnson, Service # 6273044, who was with 1619 prisoners aboard the unmarked Japanese Prisoner of War Ship named Oryoku Maru that was strafed and bombed by American aircraft. He died during this attack and his remains were never recovered. He is memorialized on The Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines...
Left by Veterans Researcher on 5 Jun 2015.
************************************************************************************************
Suggested edit: Service No. (ASN): 06273044
Contributor: James Durham (46994633) on 03/18/2021
************************************************************************************************
31st Infantry Regiment - Martin Johnson was one of 1619 American Prisoners of War boarded onto the Oryoku Maru at Manila. The ship sailed on December 14, 1944, and arrived at Subic Bay, the same day, to pick up Japanese personnel. While there, it was attacked by American fighter planes from the U.S.S. Hornet. When dusk came, they broke off the attack. The next morning, December 15th, the planes returned and continued the attack. The Japanese abandoned the ship but left the POWs in the holds. Bullets ricocheted into the POWs. The POWs were ordered to abandon ship. When the pilots of the planes saw the large number of men climbing from the holds, they broke off the attack. The POWs swam to shore. As they did, the Japanese shot at them with machine guns. Martin Johnson died during the attack.
Left by Jim O on 6 Nov 2014.
*************************************************************************************************
Mrs. Abernathy lost her son, Corp. Martin L. Johnson, Service # 6273044, who was with 1619 prisoners aboard the unmarked Japanese Prisoner of War Ship named Oryoku Maru that was strafed and bombed by American aircraft. He died during this attack and his remains were never recovered. He is memorialized on The Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines...
Left by Veterans Researcher on 5 Jun 2015.
Inscription
31st Infantry Regiment
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Texas.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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