Son of Frank and Ida F Berger Abbott. He attended East High School in Des Moines, completing two years and then worked at the Des Moines Bowling Alley prior to enlisting in the Army.
PFC Abbott enlisted into the US Army on 17 February, 1941 in Des Moines, Iowa and was later sent overseas in Mar, 1941 to be assigned to the 31st Infantry Regiment in the Philippines.
The 31st Infantry Regiment was formed at Fort William McKinley, Philippine Islands on 13 August 1916 from cadre from the 8th, 13th, 15th, and 27th Infantry Regiments. The 1st Battalion was formed at Regan Barracks, the 2d at Camp McGrath, and the 3d at Fort William McKinley. It bears the distinction of being the first organization created under expansion of the US Army under the National Defense Act of 1916.
On 8 December 1941, Japanese planes attacked U.S. military installations in the Philippines. After landing in northern and southern Luzon, the Japanese pushed rapidly toward Manila, routing hastily formed Philippine Army units that had little training and few heavy weapons.
The 31st Infantry covered the withdrawal of American and Philippine forces to the Bataan Peninsula. Unfortunately, the peninsula had not been provisioned with food and medicine and no help could come in from the outside after much of the Pacific fleet was destroyed at Pearl Harbor and mid-ocean bases at Guam and Wake Island were lost. Despite starvation, disease, no supplies, obsolete weapons, and often inoperative ammunition, the peninsula's defenders fought the Japanese to a standstill for 4 months, upsetting Japan's timetable for Asia's conquest.
When MG King announced he would surrender the Bataan Defense Force on 9 April 1942, the 31st Infantry buried its colors and the cherished Shanghai Bowl to keep them out of enemy hands. Some of the 31st's survivors escaped to continue resisting. Records indicate PFC Abbott was captured on 7 May 1942 and eventually held as a prisoner of war in the Cabanatuan Prison Camp.
Most underwent brutal torture and humiliation on the Bataan Death March and nearly four years of captivity. Twenty-nine of the regiment's members earned the Distinguished Service Cross and one was recommended for the Medal of Honor, but the entire chain of command died in captivity before the medal recommendation could be formally submitted. Roughly half of the 1600 members of the 31st Infantry who surrendered at Bataan perished while prisoners of the Japanese.
Records indicate PFC Howard Abbott, died as a Prisoner of War on 24 July, 1942 in Cabanatuan Prison Camp Luzon, Manila, Philippine Islands.
PFC Abbott enlisted into the US Army on 17 February, 1941 in Des Moines, Iowa and was later sent overseas in Mar, 1941 to be assigned to the 31st Infantry Regiment in the Philippines.
The 31st Infantry Regiment was formed at Fort William McKinley, Philippine Islands on 13 August 1916 from cadre from the 8th, 13th, 15th, and 27th Infantry Regiments. The 1st Battalion was formed at Regan Barracks, the 2d at Camp McGrath, and the 3d at Fort William McKinley. It bears the distinction of being the first organization created under expansion of the US Army under the National Defense Act of 1916.
On 8 December 1941, Japanese planes attacked U.S. military installations in the Philippines. After landing in northern and southern Luzon, the Japanese pushed rapidly toward Manila, routing hastily formed Philippine Army units that had little training and few heavy weapons.
The 31st Infantry covered the withdrawal of American and Philippine forces to the Bataan Peninsula. Unfortunately, the peninsula had not been provisioned with food and medicine and no help could come in from the outside after much of the Pacific fleet was destroyed at Pearl Harbor and mid-ocean bases at Guam and Wake Island were lost. Despite starvation, disease, no supplies, obsolete weapons, and often inoperative ammunition, the peninsula's defenders fought the Japanese to a standstill for 4 months, upsetting Japan's timetable for Asia's conquest.
When MG King announced he would surrender the Bataan Defense Force on 9 April 1942, the 31st Infantry buried its colors and the cherished Shanghai Bowl to keep them out of enemy hands. Some of the 31st's survivors escaped to continue resisting. Records indicate PFC Abbott was captured on 7 May 1942 and eventually held as a prisoner of war in the Cabanatuan Prison Camp.
Most underwent brutal torture and humiliation on the Bataan Death March and nearly four years of captivity. Twenty-nine of the regiment's members earned the Distinguished Service Cross and one was recommended for the Medal of Honor, but the entire chain of command died in captivity before the medal recommendation could be formally submitted. Roughly half of the 1600 members of the 31st Infantry who surrendered at Bataan perished while prisoners of the Japanese.
Records indicate PFC Howard Abbott, died as a Prisoner of War on 24 July, 1942 in Cabanatuan Prison Camp Luzon, Manila, Philippine Islands.
Son of Frank and Ida F Berger Abbott. He attended East High School in Des Moines, completing two years and then worked at the Des Moines Bowling Alley prior to enlisting in the Army.
PFC Abbott enlisted into the US Army on 17 February, 1941 in Des Moines, Iowa and was later sent overseas in Mar, 1941 to be assigned to the 31st Infantry Regiment in the Philippines.
The 31st Infantry Regiment was formed at Fort William McKinley, Philippine Islands on 13 August 1916 from cadre from the 8th, 13th, 15th, and 27th Infantry Regiments. The 1st Battalion was formed at Regan Barracks, the 2d at Camp McGrath, and the 3d at Fort William McKinley. It bears the distinction of being the first organization created under expansion of the US Army under the National Defense Act of 1916.
On 8 December 1941, Japanese planes attacked U.S. military installations in the Philippines. After landing in northern and southern Luzon, the Japanese pushed rapidly toward Manila, routing hastily formed Philippine Army units that had little training and few heavy weapons.
The 31st Infantry covered the withdrawal of American and Philippine forces to the Bataan Peninsula. Unfortunately, the peninsula had not been provisioned with food and medicine and no help could come in from the outside after much of the Pacific fleet was destroyed at Pearl Harbor and mid-ocean bases at Guam and Wake Island were lost. Despite starvation, disease, no supplies, obsolete weapons, and often inoperative ammunition, the peninsula's defenders fought the Japanese to a standstill for 4 months, upsetting Japan's timetable for Asia's conquest.
When MG King announced he would surrender the Bataan Defense Force on 9 April 1942, the 31st Infantry buried its colors and the cherished Shanghai Bowl to keep them out of enemy hands. Some of the 31st's survivors escaped to continue resisting. Records indicate PFC Abbott was captured on 7 May 1942 and eventually held as a prisoner of war in the Cabanatuan Prison Camp.
Most underwent brutal torture and humiliation on the Bataan Death March and nearly four years of captivity. Twenty-nine of the regiment's members earned the Distinguished Service Cross and one was recommended for the Medal of Honor, but the entire chain of command died in captivity before the medal recommendation could be formally submitted. Roughly half of the 1600 members of the 31st Infantry who surrendered at Bataan perished while prisoners of the Japanese.
Records indicate PFC Howard Abbott, died as a Prisoner of War on 24 July, 1942 in Cabanatuan Prison Camp Luzon, Manila, Philippine Islands.
PFC Abbott enlisted into the US Army on 17 February, 1941 in Des Moines, Iowa and was later sent overseas in Mar, 1941 to be assigned to the 31st Infantry Regiment in the Philippines.
The 31st Infantry Regiment was formed at Fort William McKinley, Philippine Islands on 13 August 1916 from cadre from the 8th, 13th, 15th, and 27th Infantry Regiments. The 1st Battalion was formed at Regan Barracks, the 2d at Camp McGrath, and the 3d at Fort William McKinley. It bears the distinction of being the first organization created under expansion of the US Army under the National Defense Act of 1916.
On 8 December 1941, Japanese planes attacked U.S. military installations in the Philippines. After landing in northern and southern Luzon, the Japanese pushed rapidly toward Manila, routing hastily formed Philippine Army units that had little training and few heavy weapons.
The 31st Infantry covered the withdrawal of American and Philippine forces to the Bataan Peninsula. Unfortunately, the peninsula had not been provisioned with food and medicine and no help could come in from the outside after much of the Pacific fleet was destroyed at Pearl Harbor and mid-ocean bases at Guam and Wake Island were lost. Despite starvation, disease, no supplies, obsolete weapons, and often inoperative ammunition, the peninsula's defenders fought the Japanese to a standstill for 4 months, upsetting Japan's timetable for Asia's conquest.
When MG King announced he would surrender the Bataan Defense Force on 9 April 1942, the 31st Infantry buried its colors and the cherished Shanghai Bowl to keep them out of enemy hands. Some of the 31st's survivors escaped to continue resisting. Records indicate PFC Abbott was captured on 7 May 1942 and eventually held as a prisoner of war in the Cabanatuan Prison Camp.
Most underwent brutal torture and humiliation on the Bataan Death March and nearly four years of captivity. Twenty-nine of the regiment's members earned the Distinguished Service Cross and one was recommended for the Medal of Honor, but the entire chain of command died in captivity before the medal recommendation could be formally submitted. Roughly half of the 1600 members of the 31st Infantry who surrendered at Bataan perished while prisoners of the Japanese.
Records indicate PFC Howard Abbott, died as a Prisoner of War on 24 July, 1942 in Cabanatuan Prison Camp Luzon, Manila, Philippine Islands.
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