Sgt. LeRoy C. Anderson was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky for his basic training. Because he was from Wisconsin, he was assigned to A Company, 192nd Tank Battalion after men had been transferred to Hq Company. The company had been a Wisconsin National Guard tank company.
He was sent to the Philippine Islands where he fought in some of the first tank battles of WWII involving American tanks. In February 1942, LeRoy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for Heroism. He was the first soldier who was drafted into the Army to receive the medal in WWII.
When Bataan surrendered to the Japanese, he became a Prisoner of War. He took part in the death march from Mariveles to San Fernando. He was held at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan POW Camps.
On October 10, 1944, he was boarded onto the Arisan Maru. A Japanese "Hell Ship". The POWs were held in the holds for eleven days until the ship sailed for Formosa. On October 24, 1944, in the late afternoon, the ship was hit by two torpedos from an American submarine. The Japanese refused to rescue the POWs as the ship sank. Of the 1803 POWs on the ship, only nine survived the sinking.
For more information, go to:
Proviso East High School Bataan Commemorative Research Project
He was sent to the Philippine Islands where he fought in some of the first tank battles of WWII involving American tanks. In February 1942, LeRoy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for Heroism. He was the first soldier who was drafted into the Army to receive the medal in WWII.
When Bataan surrendered to the Japanese, he became a Prisoner of War. He took part in the death march from Mariveles to San Fernando. He was held at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan POW Camps.
On October 10, 1944, he was boarded onto the Arisan Maru. A Japanese "Hell Ship". The POWs were held in the holds for eleven days until the ship sailed for Formosa. On October 24, 1944, in the late afternoon, the ship was hit by two torpedos from an American submarine. The Japanese refused to rescue the POWs as the ship sank. Of the 1803 POWs on the ship, only nine survived the sinking.
For more information, go to:
Proviso East High School Bataan Commemorative Research Project
Sgt. LeRoy C. Anderson was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky for his basic training. Because he was from Wisconsin, he was assigned to A Company, 192nd Tank Battalion after men had been transferred to Hq Company. The company had been a Wisconsin National Guard tank company.
He was sent to the Philippine Islands where he fought in some of the first tank battles of WWII involving American tanks. In February 1942, LeRoy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for Heroism. He was the first soldier who was drafted into the Army to receive the medal in WWII.
When Bataan surrendered to the Japanese, he became a Prisoner of War. He took part in the death march from Mariveles to San Fernando. He was held at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan POW Camps.
On October 10, 1944, he was boarded onto the Arisan Maru. A Japanese "Hell Ship". The POWs were held in the holds for eleven days until the ship sailed for Formosa. On October 24, 1944, in the late afternoon, the ship was hit by two torpedos from an American submarine. The Japanese refused to rescue the POWs as the ship sank. Of the 1803 POWs on the ship, only nine survived the sinking.
For more information, go to:
Proviso East High School Bataan Commemorative Research Project
He was sent to the Philippine Islands where he fought in some of the first tank battles of WWII involving American tanks. In February 1942, LeRoy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for Heroism. He was the first soldier who was drafted into the Army to receive the medal in WWII.
When Bataan surrendered to the Japanese, he became a Prisoner of War. He took part in the death march from Mariveles to San Fernando. He was held at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan POW Camps.
On October 10, 1944, he was boarded onto the Arisan Maru. A Japanese "Hell Ship". The POWs were held in the holds for eleven days until the ship sailed for Formosa. On October 24, 1944, in the late afternoon, the ship was hit by two torpedos from an American submarine. The Japanese refused to rescue the POWs as the ship sank. Of the 1803 POWs on the ship, only nine survived the sinking.
For more information, go to:
Proviso East High School Bataan Commemorative Research Project
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Wisconsin.
Family Members
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