U.S. Air Force World War II, Korea, Vietnam. He was a former POW (1941 - 1945); a survivor of the Bataan Death March; founder of the Tahoma National Cemetery Support Group.
Captain Francis W. Agnes, USAF (Retired) was a native of Haynes, Adams County, North Dakota and resident of Everett, Snohomish County, Washington.
Francis was an aircraft mechanic for P-26 Peashooters, P-35 gunnery trainers, and P-40 Warhawks. He was posted to the Philippines on December 8, 1941 when Imperial Japanese began their invasion and bombed and strafed Clark Field. Francis fought with the infantry in the retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. On 9 Apr 1942, American and Filipino forces were compelled to surrender. He survived the Bataan Death March and subsequent internments at Camps O'Donnell and Cabanatuan. While at Camp Cabanatuan, he worked mostly on the hospital side of the camp. He also worked kitchen detail and when he was well enough he was on wood cutting details. From Cabanatuan he was transported on the hell ship Oka Maru to Hiro-Hata, Japan; where he was used as slave labor. His labor included working in the steel mills, unloading ships and working in the coal yards. After his liberation in 1945, Francis became active in numerous veterans organizations. In 1990 and 1991 he was the National Commander of American Ex-POWs. After retirement, he worked for the benefit of veterans establishing a Color Guard for veteran funerals, as well as helping them to receive just compensation for their disabilities.
Services were held at Generational Hope Christian Center, 26060 SE 216th Street, Maple Valley on February 14, 2003. Interment was at Tahoma National Cemetery with full military honors.
(Extracted from The Quan, Mar-Apr 2003, Volume 57, #5)
Captain Francis W. Agnes, USAF (Retired) was a native of Haynes, Adams County, North Dakota and resident of Everett, Snohomish County, Washington.
Francis was an aircraft mechanic for P-26 Peashooters, P-35 gunnery trainers, and P-40 Warhawks. He was posted to the Philippines on December 8, 1941 when Imperial Japanese began their invasion and bombed and strafed Clark Field. Francis fought with the infantry in the retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. On 9 Apr 1942, American and Filipino forces were compelled to surrender. He survived the Bataan Death March and subsequent internments at Camps O'Donnell and Cabanatuan. While at Camp Cabanatuan, he worked mostly on the hospital side of the camp. He also worked kitchen detail and when he was well enough he was on wood cutting details. From Cabanatuan he was transported on the hell ship Oka Maru to Hiro-Hata, Japan; where he was used as slave labor. His labor included working in the steel mills, unloading ships and working in the coal yards. After his liberation in 1945, Francis became active in numerous veterans organizations. In 1990 and 1991 he was the National Commander of American Ex-POWs. After retirement, he worked for the benefit of veterans establishing a Color Guard for veteran funerals, as well as helping them to receive just compensation for their disabilities.
Services were held at Generational Hope Christian Center, 26060 SE 216th Street, Maple Valley on February 14, 2003. Interment was at Tahoma National Cemetery with full military honors.
(Extracted from The Quan, Mar-Apr 2003, Volume 57, #5)
U.S. Air Force World War II, Korea, Vietnam. He was a former POW (1941 - 1945); a survivor of the Bataan Death March; founder of the Tahoma National Cemetery Support Group.
Captain Francis W. Agnes, USAF (Retired) was a native of Haynes, Adams County, North Dakota and resident of Everett, Snohomish County, Washington.
Francis was an aircraft mechanic for P-26 Peashooters, P-35 gunnery trainers, and P-40 Warhawks. He was posted to the Philippines on December 8, 1941 when Imperial Japanese began their invasion and bombed and strafed Clark Field. Francis fought with the infantry in the retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. On 9 Apr 1942, American and Filipino forces were compelled to surrender. He survived the Bataan Death March and subsequent internments at Camps O'Donnell and Cabanatuan. While at Camp Cabanatuan, he worked mostly on the hospital side of the camp. He also worked kitchen detail and when he was well enough he was on wood cutting details. From Cabanatuan he was transported on the hell ship Oka Maru to Hiro-Hata, Japan; where he was used as slave labor. His labor included working in the steel mills, unloading ships and working in the coal yards. After his liberation in 1945, Francis became active in numerous veterans organizations. In 1990 and 1991 he was the National Commander of American Ex-POWs. After retirement, he worked for the benefit of veterans establishing a Color Guard for veteran funerals, as well as helping them to receive just compensation for their disabilities.
Services were held at Generational Hope Christian Center, 26060 SE 216th Street, Maple Valley on February 14, 2003. Interment was at Tahoma National Cemetery with full military honors.
(Extracted from The Quan, Mar-Apr 2003, Volume 57, #5)
Captain Francis W. Agnes, USAF (Retired) was a native of Haynes, Adams County, North Dakota and resident of Everett, Snohomish County, Washington.
Francis was an aircraft mechanic for P-26 Peashooters, P-35 gunnery trainers, and P-40 Warhawks. He was posted to the Philippines on December 8, 1941 when Imperial Japanese began their invasion and bombed and strafed Clark Field. Francis fought with the infantry in the retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. On 9 Apr 1942, American and Filipino forces were compelled to surrender. He survived the Bataan Death March and subsequent internments at Camps O'Donnell and Cabanatuan. While at Camp Cabanatuan, he worked mostly on the hospital side of the camp. He also worked kitchen detail and when he was well enough he was on wood cutting details. From Cabanatuan he was transported on the hell ship Oka Maru to Hiro-Hata, Japan; where he was used as slave labor. His labor included working in the steel mills, unloading ships and working in the coal yards. After his liberation in 1945, Francis became active in numerous veterans organizations. In 1990 and 1991 he was the National Commander of American Ex-POWs. After retirement, he worked for the benefit of veterans establishing a Color Guard for veteran funerals, as well as helping them to receive just compensation for their disabilities.
Services were held at Generational Hope Christian Center, 26060 SE 216th Street, Maple Valley on February 14, 2003. Interment was at Tahoma National Cemetery with full military honors.
(Extracted from The Quan, Mar-Apr 2003, Volume 57, #5)
Inscription
CAPT
US AIR FORCE
WWII KO VN
BSM POWM EX-POW
BELOVED HUSBAND
FATHER GRANDPA
Gravesite Details
Internent 2/14/2003
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