Waldo was serving on riverboat SS Mindanao(PR-8) in China, patrolling the rivers when they received orders to travel from China to Philippines through rough seas. This boat was not a seaworthy vessel. On their travels in open seas it was very rough, they ran into a Japanese trawler sinking & rescued the men making these Japanese men the first WWII prisoners. The next day they arrived safely in Manila, Philippines & were told they would start patrolling the Manila Bay & tributaries around the bay on the next day.
They were sent out to Fort Hughes(Corregidor island) to patrol. While in port the SS Mindanao was hit on 2 May 1942 & damaged so bad that the men were ordered to clean the boat out of all important & salvageable items to keep the Japanese from getting it & then they sunk the boat where it sat. On 6 May 1942 all the soldiers & sailors on Corregidor were captured by the Japanese & started the 66mile trek of Bataan Death March...to Cabatuan Prison #210...
On 12 Aug 1942 - 300 American POW's arrived @ Prison Camp #10-A on 2 transport ships, survivors of the "Battle of Bataan" & Battle of Corregidor" & "Bataan Death March". They spent the next 2yrs cleaning an area 2,400 by 225yds & building a 8inch thick concrete runway 1,530 by 75yds using only hand tools, wheelbarrows & 2 small cement mixers. The prisoners were also forced to build revetments for 150 Japanese airplanes. Sick & useless prisoners were switched with healthier men out of Manila. On 22 Sep 1944 half of the prisoners were sent back to Manila.
Japanese POW Camp #10-A at Puerto Princessa,Palawan Island, Philippine Islands Massacre of Dec. 14, 1944, this camp is connected to Cabanatuan POW Camp #510
Military History of Seaman First Class(S1C) Waldo Stedam Hale
During World War II, in order to prevent the rescue of prisoners of war by the advancing allies, on 14 December 1944, the Japanese herded the remaining 150 POWs at Puerto Princessa into three covered dugouts which were then set on fire using barrels of gasoline. As prisoners tried to escape the flames they were shot down or bayoneted. Some escaped by going over a cliff that ran along one side of the dugouts, but were later hunted down and killed. Only 11 men escaped the slaughter and 139 were killed. The site of the massacre can still be visited. The massacre is the premise of the recently published book "Last Man Out: Glenn McDole, USMC, Survivor of the Palawan Massacre in World War II" by Bob Wilbanks, and the opening scenes of the 2005 Miramax movie, "The Great Raid".
To add to this info: per survivors they said: Waldo was actually trying to escape by swimming to another island along with several other prisoners, he was shot 2 times & was heard to say "I am hit" & he sank & never re-surfaced, this info was in a letter to my grandparents, he was officially declared dead 27 Aug 1945. A cup with HALE on it was found in one of the dugouts which they lived in. His title was Seaman 1st Class. His last known address was S1C Waldo S. Hale US POW, Military Prison Camp #10-A, Philippine Islands per letter sent to my grandparents 1 Sep 1944
This mass funeral & burial took place on 14 Feb 1952 @ Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO, there were 123 remains & 109 American flag draped caskets. His parents & other family members attended this service.
3 month Battle of Bataan was late Jan - Apr 1942, Japanese won & took control of all Allied Soldiers & on 9th Apr 1942 started the Bataan Death March / on 25 Mar 1942, Mindanao engaged with 9 enemy boats, on 6 Apr 1942 Mindanao(PR-8) harassed enemy artillery east of Bataan as they helped rescue some 60 American soldiers from both shore artillery & enemy aircraft, they repeatedly closed the beach to support small boats embarking the soldiers.
10 Apr 1942, when the naval situation @ Manila Bay appeared hopeless Mindanao's crew of abt 82 was ordered ashore to help defend Ft. Hughes. The same day Mindanao was hit by gunfire & stripped of all useful gear.
Waldo became a POW on 6 May 1942 @ Corregidor Island, @ mouth of Manila Bay, Battle of Corregidor, on 2 May 1942 the small river patrol gunboat ship, USS Mindanao(PR-8) that he was on was hit in the engine room by a bomb, the guys were ordered to sink the ship so the Japanese could not take it, this basically left the guys stranded & Japan won the battle & they were captured & were taken to Cabanatuan POW Camp #510 / 1 Aug 1942 the Japanese Imperial Army took POW's from Camp 510 & prisoners from Bilbid Prison in Manila, in total 346 by boat 350 miles to Puerto Princessa, Palawan Island on western perimeter of Sulu Sea. This was an air strip that needed re-built.
the USS Mindanao(PR-8) was built in Shanghai, China & active duty 1927 for 12 1/2yrs patroling the Yangtze Patrol Vessels Asiatic Fleet(16th Naval Dist), river from Hong Kong to Canton, China for United States, there was a total of 8 of these river gunboats. Waldo assigned on this ship 27 May 1941 per letter to my grandparents. On Dec 2, 1941 they were ordered to head to Philippines even though this ship was not made for sea travel, they along with USS Oahu(PR-6) & USS Luzon(PR-7), also 4th Marines Regt landed at Mariveles Naval Base, Bataan, USS Quail(AM-15)a minesweeper, went to Corregidor Island, all from China. Mindanao arrived Manila Bay 10 Dec 1941 & got thier orders to start river patrol 11 Dec 1941 of pennisula Bataan, Corregidor Island & Manila....
USS Mindanao(PR-8) recieved one battle star for WWII Service(2 Dec 1941 - 2 May 1942)
They were sent out to Fort Hughes(Corregidor island) to patrol. While in port the SS Mindanao was hit on 2 May 1942 & damaged so bad that the men were ordered to clean the boat out of all important & salvageable items to keep the Japanese from getting it & then they sunk the boat where it sat. On 6 May 1942 all the soldiers & sailors on Corregidor were captured by the Japanese & started the 66mile trek of Bataan Death March...to Cabatuan Prison #210...
On 12 Aug 1942 - 300 American POW's arrived @ Prison Camp #10-A on 2 transport ships, survivors of the "Battle of Bataan" & Battle of Corregidor" & "Bataan Death March". They spent the next 2yrs cleaning an area 2,400 by 225yds & building a 8inch thick concrete runway 1,530 by 75yds using only hand tools, wheelbarrows & 2 small cement mixers. The prisoners were also forced to build revetments for 150 Japanese airplanes. Sick & useless prisoners were switched with healthier men out of Manila. On 22 Sep 1944 half of the prisoners were sent back to Manila.
Japanese POW Camp #10-A at Puerto Princessa,Palawan Island, Philippine Islands Massacre of Dec. 14, 1944, this camp is connected to Cabanatuan POW Camp #510
Military History of Seaman First Class(S1C) Waldo Stedam Hale
During World War II, in order to prevent the rescue of prisoners of war by the advancing allies, on 14 December 1944, the Japanese herded the remaining 150 POWs at Puerto Princessa into three covered dugouts which were then set on fire using barrels of gasoline. As prisoners tried to escape the flames they were shot down or bayoneted. Some escaped by going over a cliff that ran along one side of the dugouts, but were later hunted down and killed. Only 11 men escaped the slaughter and 139 were killed. The site of the massacre can still be visited. The massacre is the premise of the recently published book "Last Man Out: Glenn McDole, USMC, Survivor of the Palawan Massacre in World War II" by Bob Wilbanks, and the opening scenes of the 2005 Miramax movie, "The Great Raid".
To add to this info: per survivors they said: Waldo was actually trying to escape by swimming to another island along with several other prisoners, he was shot 2 times & was heard to say "I am hit" & he sank & never re-surfaced, this info was in a letter to my grandparents, he was officially declared dead 27 Aug 1945. A cup with HALE on it was found in one of the dugouts which they lived in. His title was Seaman 1st Class. His last known address was S1C Waldo S. Hale US POW, Military Prison Camp #10-A, Philippine Islands per letter sent to my grandparents 1 Sep 1944
This mass funeral & burial took place on 14 Feb 1952 @ Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO, there were 123 remains & 109 American flag draped caskets. His parents & other family members attended this service.
3 month Battle of Bataan was late Jan - Apr 1942, Japanese won & took control of all Allied Soldiers & on 9th Apr 1942 started the Bataan Death March / on 25 Mar 1942, Mindanao engaged with 9 enemy boats, on 6 Apr 1942 Mindanao(PR-8) harassed enemy artillery east of Bataan as they helped rescue some 60 American soldiers from both shore artillery & enemy aircraft, they repeatedly closed the beach to support small boats embarking the soldiers.
10 Apr 1942, when the naval situation @ Manila Bay appeared hopeless Mindanao's crew of abt 82 was ordered ashore to help defend Ft. Hughes. The same day Mindanao was hit by gunfire & stripped of all useful gear.
Waldo became a POW on 6 May 1942 @ Corregidor Island, @ mouth of Manila Bay, Battle of Corregidor, on 2 May 1942 the small river patrol gunboat ship, USS Mindanao(PR-8) that he was on was hit in the engine room by a bomb, the guys were ordered to sink the ship so the Japanese could not take it, this basically left the guys stranded & Japan won the battle & they were captured & were taken to Cabanatuan POW Camp #510 / 1 Aug 1942 the Japanese Imperial Army took POW's from Camp 510 & prisoners from Bilbid Prison in Manila, in total 346 by boat 350 miles to Puerto Princessa, Palawan Island on western perimeter of Sulu Sea. This was an air strip that needed re-built.
the USS Mindanao(PR-8) was built in Shanghai, China & active duty 1927 for 12 1/2yrs patroling the Yangtze Patrol Vessels Asiatic Fleet(16th Naval Dist), river from Hong Kong to Canton, China for United States, there was a total of 8 of these river gunboats. Waldo assigned on this ship 27 May 1941 per letter to my grandparents. On Dec 2, 1941 they were ordered to head to Philippines even though this ship was not made for sea travel, they along with USS Oahu(PR-6) & USS Luzon(PR-7), also 4th Marines Regt landed at Mariveles Naval Base, Bataan, USS Quail(AM-15)a minesweeper, went to Corregidor Island, all from China. Mindanao arrived Manila Bay 10 Dec 1941 & got thier orders to start river patrol 11 Dec 1941 of pennisula Bataan, Corregidor Island & Manila....
USS Mindanao(PR-8) recieved one battle star for WWII Service(2 Dec 1941 - 2 May 1942)
Waldo was serving on riverboat SS Mindanao(PR-8) in China, patrolling the rivers when they received orders to travel from China to Philippines through rough seas. This boat was not a seaworthy vessel. On their travels in open seas it was very rough, they ran into a Japanese trawler sinking & rescued the men making these Japanese men the first WWII prisoners. The next day they arrived safely in Manila, Philippines & were told they would start patrolling the Manila Bay & tributaries around the bay on the next day.
They were sent out to Fort Hughes(Corregidor island) to patrol. While in port the SS Mindanao was hit on 2 May 1942 & damaged so bad that the men were ordered to clean the boat out of all important & salvageable items to keep the Japanese from getting it & then they sunk the boat where it sat. On 6 May 1942 all the soldiers & sailors on Corregidor were captured by the Japanese & started the 66mile trek of Bataan Death March...to Cabatuan Prison #210...
On 12 Aug 1942 - 300 American POW's arrived @ Prison Camp #10-A on 2 transport ships, survivors of the "Battle of Bataan" & Battle of Corregidor" & "Bataan Death March". They spent the next 2yrs cleaning an area 2,400 by 225yds & building a 8inch thick concrete runway 1,530 by 75yds using only hand tools, wheelbarrows & 2 small cement mixers. The prisoners were also forced to build revetments for 150 Japanese airplanes. Sick & useless prisoners were switched with healthier men out of Manila. On 22 Sep 1944 half of the prisoners were sent back to Manila.
Japanese POW Camp #10-A at Puerto Princessa,Palawan Island, Philippine Islands Massacre of Dec. 14, 1944, this camp is connected to Cabanatuan POW Camp #510
Military History of Seaman First Class(S1C) Waldo Stedam Hale
During World War II, in order to prevent the rescue of prisoners of war by the advancing allies, on 14 December 1944, the Japanese herded the remaining 150 POWs at Puerto Princessa into three covered dugouts which were then set on fire using barrels of gasoline. As prisoners tried to escape the flames they were shot down or bayoneted. Some escaped by going over a cliff that ran along one side of the dugouts, but were later hunted down and killed. Only 11 men escaped the slaughter and 139 were killed. The site of the massacre can still be visited. The massacre is the premise of the recently published book "Last Man Out: Glenn McDole, USMC, Survivor of the Palawan Massacre in World War II" by Bob Wilbanks, and the opening scenes of the 2005 Miramax movie, "The Great Raid".
To add to this info: per survivors they said: Waldo was actually trying to escape by swimming to another island along with several other prisoners, he was shot 2 times & was heard to say "I am hit" & he sank & never re-surfaced, this info was in a letter to my grandparents, he was officially declared dead 27 Aug 1945. A cup with HALE on it was found in one of the dugouts which they lived in. His title was Seaman 1st Class. His last known address was S1C Waldo S. Hale US POW, Military Prison Camp #10-A, Philippine Islands per letter sent to my grandparents 1 Sep 1944
This mass funeral & burial took place on 14 Feb 1952 @ Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO, there were 123 remains & 109 American flag draped caskets. His parents & other family members attended this service.
3 month Battle of Bataan was late Jan - Apr 1942, Japanese won & took control of all Allied Soldiers & on 9th Apr 1942 started the Bataan Death March / on 25 Mar 1942, Mindanao engaged with 9 enemy boats, on 6 Apr 1942 Mindanao(PR-8) harassed enemy artillery east of Bataan as they helped rescue some 60 American soldiers from both shore artillery & enemy aircraft, they repeatedly closed the beach to support small boats embarking the soldiers.
10 Apr 1942, when the naval situation @ Manila Bay appeared hopeless Mindanao's crew of abt 82 was ordered ashore to help defend Ft. Hughes. The same day Mindanao was hit by gunfire & stripped of all useful gear.
Waldo became a POW on 6 May 1942 @ Corregidor Island, @ mouth of Manila Bay, Battle of Corregidor, on 2 May 1942 the small river patrol gunboat ship, USS Mindanao(PR-8) that he was on was hit in the engine room by a bomb, the guys were ordered to sink the ship so the Japanese could not take it, this basically left the guys stranded & Japan won the battle & they were captured & were taken to Cabanatuan POW Camp #510 / 1 Aug 1942 the Japanese Imperial Army took POW's from Camp 510 & prisoners from Bilbid Prison in Manila, in total 346 by boat 350 miles to Puerto Princessa, Palawan Island on western perimeter of Sulu Sea. This was an air strip that needed re-built.
the USS Mindanao(PR-8) was built in Shanghai, China & active duty 1927 for 12 1/2yrs patroling the Yangtze Patrol Vessels Asiatic Fleet(16th Naval Dist), river from Hong Kong to Canton, China for United States, there was a total of 8 of these river gunboats. Waldo assigned on this ship 27 May 1941 per letter to my grandparents. On Dec 2, 1941 they were ordered to head to Philippines even though this ship was not made for sea travel, they along with USS Oahu(PR-6) & USS Luzon(PR-7), also 4th Marines Regt landed at Mariveles Naval Base, Bataan, USS Quail(AM-15)a minesweeper, went to Corregidor Island, all from China. Mindanao arrived Manila Bay 10 Dec 1941 & got thier orders to start river patrol 11 Dec 1941 of pennisula Bataan, Corregidor Island & Manila....
USS Mindanao(PR-8) recieved one battle star for WWII Service(2 Dec 1941 - 2 May 1942)
They were sent out to Fort Hughes(Corregidor island) to patrol. While in port the SS Mindanao was hit on 2 May 1942 & damaged so bad that the men were ordered to clean the boat out of all important & salvageable items to keep the Japanese from getting it & then they sunk the boat where it sat. On 6 May 1942 all the soldiers & sailors on Corregidor were captured by the Japanese & started the 66mile trek of Bataan Death March...to Cabatuan Prison #210...
On 12 Aug 1942 - 300 American POW's arrived @ Prison Camp #10-A on 2 transport ships, survivors of the "Battle of Bataan" & Battle of Corregidor" & "Bataan Death March". They spent the next 2yrs cleaning an area 2,400 by 225yds & building a 8inch thick concrete runway 1,530 by 75yds using only hand tools, wheelbarrows & 2 small cement mixers. The prisoners were also forced to build revetments for 150 Japanese airplanes. Sick & useless prisoners were switched with healthier men out of Manila. On 22 Sep 1944 half of the prisoners were sent back to Manila.
Japanese POW Camp #10-A at Puerto Princessa,Palawan Island, Philippine Islands Massacre of Dec. 14, 1944, this camp is connected to Cabanatuan POW Camp #510
Military History of Seaman First Class(S1C) Waldo Stedam Hale
During World War II, in order to prevent the rescue of prisoners of war by the advancing allies, on 14 December 1944, the Japanese herded the remaining 150 POWs at Puerto Princessa into three covered dugouts which were then set on fire using barrels of gasoline. As prisoners tried to escape the flames they were shot down or bayoneted. Some escaped by going over a cliff that ran along one side of the dugouts, but were later hunted down and killed. Only 11 men escaped the slaughter and 139 were killed. The site of the massacre can still be visited. The massacre is the premise of the recently published book "Last Man Out: Glenn McDole, USMC, Survivor of the Palawan Massacre in World War II" by Bob Wilbanks, and the opening scenes of the 2005 Miramax movie, "The Great Raid".
To add to this info: per survivors they said: Waldo was actually trying to escape by swimming to another island along with several other prisoners, he was shot 2 times & was heard to say "I am hit" & he sank & never re-surfaced, this info was in a letter to my grandparents, he was officially declared dead 27 Aug 1945. A cup with HALE on it was found in one of the dugouts which they lived in. His title was Seaman 1st Class. His last known address was S1C Waldo S. Hale US POW, Military Prison Camp #10-A, Philippine Islands per letter sent to my grandparents 1 Sep 1944
This mass funeral & burial took place on 14 Feb 1952 @ Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO, there were 123 remains & 109 American flag draped caskets. His parents & other family members attended this service.
3 month Battle of Bataan was late Jan - Apr 1942, Japanese won & took control of all Allied Soldiers & on 9th Apr 1942 started the Bataan Death March / on 25 Mar 1942, Mindanao engaged with 9 enemy boats, on 6 Apr 1942 Mindanao(PR-8) harassed enemy artillery east of Bataan as they helped rescue some 60 American soldiers from both shore artillery & enemy aircraft, they repeatedly closed the beach to support small boats embarking the soldiers.
10 Apr 1942, when the naval situation @ Manila Bay appeared hopeless Mindanao's crew of abt 82 was ordered ashore to help defend Ft. Hughes. The same day Mindanao was hit by gunfire & stripped of all useful gear.
Waldo became a POW on 6 May 1942 @ Corregidor Island, @ mouth of Manila Bay, Battle of Corregidor, on 2 May 1942 the small river patrol gunboat ship, USS Mindanao(PR-8) that he was on was hit in the engine room by a bomb, the guys were ordered to sink the ship so the Japanese could not take it, this basically left the guys stranded & Japan won the battle & they were captured & were taken to Cabanatuan POW Camp #510 / 1 Aug 1942 the Japanese Imperial Army took POW's from Camp 510 & prisoners from Bilbid Prison in Manila, in total 346 by boat 350 miles to Puerto Princessa, Palawan Island on western perimeter of Sulu Sea. This was an air strip that needed re-built.
the USS Mindanao(PR-8) was built in Shanghai, China & active duty 1927 for 12 1/2yrs patroling the Yangtze Patrol Vessels Asiatic Fleet(16th Naval Dist), river from Hong Kong to Canton, China for United States, there was a total of 8 of these river gunboats. Waldo assigned on this ship 27 May 1941 per letter to my grandparents. On Dec 2, 1941 they were ordered to head to Philippines even though this ship was not made for sea travel, they along with USS Oahu(PR-6) & USS Luzon(PR-7), also 4th Marines Regt landed at Mariveles Naval Base, Bataan, USS Quail(AM-15)a minesweeper, went to Corregidor Island, all from China. Mindanao arrived Manila Bay 10 Dec 1941 & got thier orders to start river patrol 11 Dec 1941 of pennisula Bataan, Corregidor Island & Manila....
USS Mindanao(PR-8) recieved one battle star for WWII Service(2 Dec 1941 - 2 May 1942)
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