Armand Smith was a member of the 194th Tank Battalion. He fought on Bataan and became a Prisoner of War on April 9, 1942. He took part in the death march and was held as a POW at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan until 1944.
When American forces landed in the Philippines, the Japanese attempted to move large numbers of POWs to Japan to prevent them from being liberated. Smith was sent to the Port Area of Manila and boarded onto the Arisan Maru. The ship sailed on October 10th to Palawan Island. There, it hid in a cove from American planes. It returned to Manila on October 21st. It sailed again and part of a convoy.
Around dinner time on October 24th, the POWs on deck noticed the Japanese run to the bow of the ship. A torpedo passed in front. The Japanese ran to the stern of the ship. A torpedo passed behind the ship. Suddenly the ship shook. It was hit amidships by two torpedoes. The Japanese abandoned ship after forcing the POWs on deck back into the holds.
The POWs escaped the holds. Those who could not swim raided the ship's food locker and ate their last meals. Others swam to nearby Japanese ships but were clubbed and pushed away, by Japanese sailors, with poles.
The ship remained afloat for two hours before splitting in two and sinking. The POWs who had managed to make it to an abandoned life boat heard cries for help in the dark. There were no paddles to move the boat. Finally there was silence.
Of the 1803 POWs who had boarded the ship at Manila, only nine survived its sinking. Only eight of these POWs survived the war.
When American forces landed in the Philippines, the Japanese attempted to move large numbers of POWs to Japan to prevent them from being liberated. Smith was sent to the Port Area of Manila and boarded onto the Arisan Maru. The ship sailed on October 10th to Palawan Island. There, it hid in a cove from American planes. It returned to Manila on October 21st. It sailed again and part of a convoy.
Around dinner time on October 24th, the POWs on deck noticed the Japanese run to the bow of the ship. A torpedo passed in front. The Japanese ran to the stern of the ship. A torpedo passed behind the ship. Suddenly the ship shook. It was hit amidships by two torpedoes. The Japanese abandoned ship after forcing the POWs on deck back into the holds.
The POWs escaped the holds. Those who could not swim raided the ship's food locker and ate their last meals. Others swam to nearby Japanese ships but were clubbed and pushed away, by Japanese sailors, with poles.
The ship remained afloat for two hours before splitting in two and sinking. The POWs who had managed to make it to an abandoned life boat heard cries for help in the dark. There were no paddles to move the boat. Finally there was silence.
Of the 1803 POWs who had boarded the ship at Manila, only nine survived its sinking. Only eight of these POWs survived the war.
Armand Smith was a member of the 194th Tank Battalion. He fought on Bataan and became a Prisoner of War on April 9, 1942. He took part in the death march and was held as a POW at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan until 1944.
When American forces landed in the Philippines, the Japanese attempted to move large numbers of POWs to Japan to prevent them from being liberated. Smith was sent to the Port Area of Manila and boarded onto the Arisan Maru. The ship sailed on October 10th to Palawan Island. There, it hid in a cove from American planes. It returned to Manila on October 21st. It sailed again and part of a convoy.
Around dinner time on October 24th, the POWs on deck noticed the Japanese run to the bow of the ship. A torpedo passed in front. The Japanese ran to the stern of the ship. A torpedo passed behind the ship. Suddenly the ship shook. It was hit amidships by two torpedoes. The Japanese abandoned ship after forcing the POWs on deck back into the holds.
The POWs escaped the holds. Those who could not swim raided the ship's food locker and ate their last meals. Others swam to nearby Japanese ships but were clubbed and pushed away, by Japanese sailors, with poles.
The ship remained afloat for two hours before splitting in two and sinking. The POWs who had managed to make it to an abandoned life boat heard cries for help in the dark. There were no paddles to move the boat. Finally there was silence.
Of the 1803 POWs who had boarded the ship at Manila, only nine survived its sinking. Only eight of these POWs survived the war.
When American forces landed in the Philippines, the Japanese attempted to move large numbers of POWs to Japan to prevent them from being liberated. Smith was sent to the Port Area of Manila and boarded onto the Arisan Maru. The ship sailed on October 10th to Palawan Island. There, it hid in a cove from American planes. It returned to Manila on October 21st. It sailed again and part of a convoy.
Around dinner time on October 24th, the POWs on deck noticed the Japanese run to the bow of the ship. A torpedo passed in front. The Japanese ran to the stern of the ship. A torpedo passed behind the ship. Suddenly the ship shook. It was hit amidships by two torpedoes. The Japanese abandoned ship after forcing the POWs on deck back into the holds.
The POWs escaped the holds. Those who could not swim raided the ship's food locker and ate their last meals. Others swam to nearby Japanese ships but were clubbed and pushed away, by Japanese sailors, with poles.
The ship remained afloat for two hours before splitting in two and sinking. The POWs who had managed to make it to an abandoned life boat heard cries for help in the dark. There were no paddles to move the boat. Finally there was silence.
Of the 1803 POWs who had boarded the ship at Manila, only nine survived its sinking. Only eight of these POWs survived the war.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from California.
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