Carlos T. Turrieta
Service # 20842534
Entered Service From: New Mexico
Rank: Private, U.S. Army
Unit: "C" Battery, 200th Coast Artillery Regiment (anti-aircraft)
Date of Death: 12 September 1942, from dysentery in the Japanese POW Camp 1, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon, Philippines 15-121.
Buried: Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas.
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Son of Jose De La Luz Homobono Trujillo (13 November 1869 Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico – 01 June 1954 • Fresno, Fresno County, California) and Salome Turrieta (July 1885 • Rodey, Doña Ana County, New Mexico – 05 February 1921 • Doña Ana County, New Mexico).
After the death of his mother in 1921, he appears to have gone to live with his grandmother, Mrs. Gregoria Balleyos Turrieta on his mother's side. She is listed in a number of places as his mother/grandmother.
As a result he took his mother's maiden name as his last name and made his father's name his middle name, Carlos Trujillo Turrieta. At least that is what all his military records show. But there were other time where his last name was Trujillo.
1930 United States Federal Census (21 April 1930): Deming, Luna County, New Mexico (sheet 18B, family 459, N. 1st Street) – Charles Turrieta (12 New Mexico). He was living with his grandmother, widow, Gregoria Turrieta (60 New Mexico). In this census he is called her son.
1940 United States Federal Census (10 April 1940): Deming (Ward A), Luna County, New Mexico (sheet 8A, household 149, 111 W. 1st Street) – Charlie Turrieta (20 New Mexico, truck helper, wholesale produce company). He was living with his grandmother, widow, Gregoria Turrieta (75 New Mexico). They had lived in the same house in 1935.
Carlos T. Turrieta was inducted as a Private in the 200th Coast Artillery, New Mexico National Guard on 31 August 1941 at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Shortly before Christmas 1940, the 200th Coast Artillery also known as the "New Mexico Anti-Aircraft Brigade" was federalized. They were sworn in on 06 January 1941, for one year of active duty training.
U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records show that Carlos T. Turrieta (1918 New Mexico), a resident of Luna County, New Mexico, enlisted as a Private (S/N 20842534) in the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps on 06 January 1941 at the Deming Army Air Field, New Mexico. He was single, had completed 8th grade and had been working as a truck driver. He had been in the New Mexico National Guard.
TURRIETA - TORRES
Miss Adela Torres, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pete Torres of Deming, and Charles Turrieta, son of Mrs. G. B. Turrieta of Deming, will be united in marriage, Sunday morning at St. Ann's Church with Rev. J. Fernandez officiating. Attendants will be Miss Rosie Dominguez, maid of honor, Earnest Fresques, best man and Hilaria Vega, Jose Padilla, Margaret Padilla, Jose Chavez, Aurora Sakelares, Lumina Torres, Adela Sainz, Tacha Chaires and Amelia Flores. Source: Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 02 May 1941, page 1.
Carlos Turrietta Trujillo and Adela Swartz Torres, both of Deming, were married on 04 May 1941 in Deming, New Mexico. She was the daughter of Agapito Torres and Adela Swartz Torres. Adela was named after her mother.
Private Turrieta was assigned to Battery C, 200th Coast Artillery Regiment. The 200th Coast Artillery Regiment was primarily made of members of the New Mexico National Guard. They trained at Fort Bliss, Texas. They became the premier anti-aircraft unit in the Army. In August 1941, the 200th Coast Artillery was given notice that it had been selected for an overseas assignment of great importance and the regiment moved to the San Francisco, California.
With the clouds of war looming, the 77 officers and 1732 enlisted men from the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment were deployed to the Philippine Islands in September 1941 (though they were not sure where they were going until after they sailed). On 09 September 1941, Second Battalion loaded onto the USS President Coolidge for their trip (First Battalion had left earlier on 30 August aboard the USS President Pierce). The voyage aboard the Coolidge was comfortable, with good food and a five-piece band. When the Regiment reached the Philippines they immediately moved to Fort Stotsenburg, 75 miles north of Manila. The regiment was placed into strategic positions around Clark Field. They were equipped with 12 3-inch guns, .50-caliber machine guns, and 60-inch Sperry searchlights. Over the coming months, they would train under simulated war conditions due to the international unrest already apparent. By December things would change drastically.
"HAWAII BOMBED–WAR!" On 07 December 1941 Japan attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. Ten hours later, 08 December 1941 (Manila time), Japanese bombers attacked Clark Field. It was the 200th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) — the original full Regiment — who is credited as being the "First to Fire" on 08 December 1941. By nightfall, the field was a wreck, with burning aircraft and debris everywhere. That evening, the 515th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) was formed from the ranks of the 200th (one-third of the 200th). They headed south for the defense of the capital city, Manila.
The 515th and 200th could not do much damage as their powder train fuses only had a range of 20,000 feet and the Japanese bombers were flying at 23,000 feet. The main Japanese invasion forces landed 22 December 1941 and the decision was made to withdraw the forces into Bataan. The 515th CA (AA) moved from Manila 25 December 1941 to establish Anti-Aircraft defenses for the bridges on the withdrawal route to Bataan. The 200th covered the retreat of the Northern Luzon Force into Bataan and the 515th for the South Luzon Force. They were able to hold the Japanese air and ground attacks back, thus saving the bridges – and the North and South Luzon Forces found a clear, safe passage to the Bataan peninsula. On Bataan, it established the AA defenses for the Cabcaban airfield and other airfields on Bataan. Fil-American forces were ordered to hold Bataan while reinforcements of men and material could be sent to the Philippines – reinforcements that never came.
The Battle for Bataan began on 06 January 1942, and almost immediately the defenders were cut to half rations, and very soon, to 1/4 rations. About four weeks later, they were living on 1/8 rations, that is, when food was available to them. Towards the end, it was changed to 1/16th of their rations...Quite often, they would go several days with no food, unless they could catch something in the jungle." Source: Federico Baldassarre letter
Unfortunately, dengue fever, malaria, scurvy, beriberi and dysentery began to take its toll on many of the soldiers. Inadequate amounts of medicine available only amplified the severity of what would have been very treatable afflictions. The average American soldier lost 15-25 pounds and malaria was as high as 35 percent among front line units. During the first week of March 1942, soldiers were issued quarter rations. It was becoming apparent that supplies and support were not going to come. Ammunition was in short supply. Around the latter part of March, Gen. King and his staff assessed the fighting capabilities of his forces, in view of an impending major assault planned by Gen. Homma. Gen. King and his staff determined the Fil-American forces, in Bataan, could only fight at 30% of their efficiency.
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Deming Men Safe, Word From Islands
Deming, N.M., men serving in the Philippine Islands are all well, Carlos Turrieta, an enlisted man wrote his wife, Feb. 12.
Mrs. Turrieta, now living in El Paso with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Harry Overman, received the letter this week.
The former Deming man has never seen a recent addition to his family, a son born March 3 in William Beaumont General Hospital. The boy is named Douglas, after General MacArthur, hero of the Philippine campaign. Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Saturday, 04 April 1942, page 5.
His wife gave birth to his son, Charles Douglas Ramo Trujillo, born 03 March 1942, in El Paso, Texas. Sadly Charles only lived 4 months and 2 days. He died on 05 July 1942. Interesting that on his son's birth and death certificate, his name was listed as Carlos Turrieta Trujillo, as was his son's – Trujillo. On his son's tombstone it is Turrieta.
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It was also during this time that Japanese forces brought in significant reinforcements. The Japanese 4th Division had arrived from Shanghai. The 21st Regiment (part of the 21st Division) had been diverted in route to Indo-China. Finally, several thousand replacements arrived to revitalize the 16th Division and the 65th Brigade. Japanese air attacks became progressively worse. The Japanese set up artillery across Manila Bay and fired accurately with the help of highflying aerial observers.
The month of April 1942 marked the beginning of the end for Bataan's defenders. On Good Friday, 03 April 1942, General Homma, with the addition of fresh troops, began an all-out offensive on Bataan. By the evening of 08 April, the situation was clearly hopeless. With ammunition, rations and supplies practically exhausted and most of his best units destroyed, Major General Edward P. King, commander of the forces on Bataan, was convinced his troops could not physically resist any more and decided to surrender to prevent further loss of life.
On the 8th, orders were issued to the men of the 200th and 515th for the destruction of all surplus equipment and form an infantry line in the vicinity of Cabcaben Air Field. For them this marked the end as an anti-aircraft unit. By then the two units had been credited with 86 enemy planes shot down.
On 09 April 1942, Maj. Gen. King surrendered the Luzon Force to the Japanese. The 200th and 515th were surrendered to the enemy at Cabcaben Air Field.
After hearing of the surrender, General Wainwright on Corregidor sent a cable to President Roosevelt, stating "I have done all that could have been done to hold Bataan, but starved men without air support and with inadequate field artillery support cannot endure the terrific aerial and artillery bombardment that my troops were subjected to."
Private Carlos T. Turrieta, along with 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese, were subjected to the infamous Bataan Death March. When the Fil-American soldiers began the march, they were in terrible physical condition. For 6 to 9 days (depending on their starting point) they were forced to walk the roughly sixty-five miles to San Fernando, enduring abuse by Japanese guards and seeing the deaths of thousands of fellow soldiers. At San Fernando, the Japanese stuffed about 100 men into steel-sided boxcars for the twenty-five-mile trip to Capas. The scorching hot boxcars were packed so tight that the men could not even sit down. When the train arrived at Capas the POW's were offloaded and marched the final nine miles to Camp O'Donnell.
Many Local Service Men Listed As Missing In Philippines
The War Department in the past three weeks has notified many nearest kin here of soldiers who are listed as missing in the Philippines. The form letters state that the soldiers who were in the Philippines at the fall of Bataan and Corregidor will be carried as missing until further information came be obtained and until the Japanese prisoner is released.
With notification of the nearest of kin, the War Department also gives the American Red Cross the names of the soldiers. The list sent mrs. Warren McCan, Luna County Red Cross chairman includes the following Luna County men, who have been listed as missing: ... Carlos T. Turrieta ... Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 05 June 1942, page 1.
Surviving the brutal treatment by the Japanese at Camp O'Donnell (about 1500 American and 22,000 Filipino prisoners of war died in just three months) PVT Turrieta was transferred to the Cabanatuan POW Camp No. 1, approximately 8 kilometers east of the town by the same name.
In early June of 1942, prisoners from Camp O'Donnell began to stream into Camp No. 1, joining the men from Corregidor and increasing the number of prisoners to over 7,300 men. Most of the POWs were assigned to work details and farm labor.
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Hero's Son To Be Honored In Death By Fort Bliss
The U.S. Army can't do much now for Pvt. Carlos Trujillo, lost with the fall of Bataan, but it can for the son that he never saw.
The child, named both for his father and Gen. Douglas MacArthur, died in William Beaumont General Hospital Sunday of pneumonia, four months after his birth.
Tuesday the baby, Charles Douglas Ramon Trujillo will be buried with full military honors in Deming, N. M., home of his mother and father.
A rife squad will be sent from Fort Bliss to form a guard of honor and fire a salute over the baby's grave.
Private Trujillo, member of New Mexico's heroic 200th Coast Artillery, had to leave before his son was born. He left happy in the knowledge that he was to have a child and hoped it would be a boy.
Mrs. Trujillo, who left with her son's body for Deming Monday night, said that the infant's death is more tragic to her since Private Trujillo's unfortunate capture or death made it impossible for her to let him know that the baby had been born.
Private and Mrs. Trujillo were born and reared in Deming, where he joined the New Mexico National Guard.
Private Trujillo came to Fort Bliss, where he was in training for 15 months and was with one of the first groups of soldiers to leave the U.S. for the Philippines.
The last time Mrs. Trujillo heard from her husband was on Feb. 12.
The baby was born in Beaumont Hospital March 3 and his mother was going to name him Charles Ramon. Her attending doctor suggested that she call him Charles Douglas Ramon after Gen. Douglas MacArthur, under whom her husband was fighting.
Mrs. Trujillo has been employed in the Fort Bliss Post Exchange No. 14. Because she was employed she sent her baby to Deming to be cared for by her mother. When she learned the baby was ill she sent for him immediately.
He arrived in El Paso Saturday and was taken to William Beaumont Hospital, where he was put under an oxygen tent. Doctors were unable, however, to save the life of Private Trujillo's son.
His body was sent to Deming Monday night by Barry Hagedon Funeral Home.
Besides his parents, the baby is survived by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Agapito Torres, of Deming. Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 07 July 1942, page 1.
Infant Son Of Man Lost On Bataan Buried
Funeral services were held in Deming, N. M., today for the four-month-old son of a former Ft. Bliss soldier who was lost with his regiment on Bataan.
The child, son of Pvt. and Mrs. Carlos Trujillo, died at William Beaumont General Hospital of pneumonia. The baby was named Charles Douglas Ramo Trujillo, for Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was Private Trujillo's commander on Bataan.
Private Trujillo served with the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment of New Mexico.
Mrs. Trujillo last heard from her husband Feb. 12. Private Trujillo knew that he was to become a father, but never learned that the baby actually was born. Source: El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 07 July 1942, page 12.
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Because of the poor health of the men from O'Donnell, the death rate at Camp #1 soared. Private Carlos T. Turrieta (S/N 20842534), age 24, 200th Coast Artillery, died at 04:10 p.m. on 12 September 1942, of dysentery in Barracks No. 3, Cabanatuan Prison Camp hospital. Home address: 304 West 1st st., Deming, New Mexico; Next of Kin: mother, Mrs. G. B. Turrieta, same address. He had no belongings. Carlos was one of ten men to die that day, the 1,670th prisoner to die since the camp opened. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, 2,764 Americans had died at Cabanatuan in 2½ years. 90% of the POW deaths in Cabanatuan were men who were captured on Bataan. He was buried in a communal grave No. 430 in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs who died during that day.
PRISONERS OF JAPANESE
Names of additional New Mexico boys who are prisoners of the Japanese were reported this week to their families by the War Department. Those reported were Privates ... and Carlos T. Turrieta. Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 05 February 1943, page 4.
Sadly he was already dead by then. Four months later in June 1943 his family received word that Private Carlos T. Turrieta had died in a Japanese Prison Camp.
Prisoner Dies
Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta, who was a member of the 200th Coast Artillery, died on *June 11th in the Philippines where he was a prisoner of the Japanese, his wife was notified. Mrs. Turrieta is a dental assistant at the Station Hospital at the Deming Air Base
*he died 12 September 1942
Source: El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 29 June 1943, page 8.
"His name was included in a list of 17 New Mexicans who died in the camps, the Associated Press reported.
"Out of a total of 13,274 Army personnel now listed as prisoners of the Japanese, the War Department said it now had been notified by the Japanese through the International Red Cross of the deaths of 600 American soldiers in prison camps since the fall of Bataan and Corregidor. Other New Mexicans listed as dead were ..." Source: The Albuquerque Tribune (Albuquerque, New Mexico), Saturday, 03 July 1943, page 2.
REQUIEM MASS
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta with the sympathy of Mrs. Carlos T. Turrieta, at St, Ann's Church, Sunday, July 11th at 9:30 A. M. Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 09 July 1943, page 4.
After the war, all the remains in the Cabanatuan Prison cemetery that could be found were disinterred (between December 1945 - February 1946) and brought to 7747 USAF Cemetery, Manila #2, Philippine Islands. The deceased in Manila #2 (over 11,000 American soldiers) rested there until their removal to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum in the summer of 1948. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (*sister, Georgia Sarah Trujillo Oberman), Private Carlos T. Turrieta remains were brought back to the U.S.
*his wife had remarried by then
Bodies of 15 War Victims Returned
Bodies of 15 Southwesterners who died in World War II have been returned to the United States from the Pacific area aboard the U.S. Army Transport Pvt. John R. Towle.
Names of those being returned and their next of kin are as follows: ... Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta, Mrs. Harry Overman, 2304 Federal Street, El Paso; ... Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Friday, 17 June 1949, page 17.
On 25 July 1949, Private Carlos Trujillo Turrieta was buried in his final resting place in Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas – Plot E. Grave 9400.
He also has a cenotaph in the Mountain View Cemetery, Deming, Luna County, New Mexico.
Of the 1,809 men of 200th & 515th Coast Artillery, 829 did not make it home.
His widow, Adela Torres Turrieta married Clyde John Jones in 1944. They were married for 65 years and had two daughters.
Adela Torres Jones (07 April 1921 • Tyrone, Grant County, New Mexico – 12 June 2009 • Pelzer, Anderson County, South Carolina).
Service # 20842534
Entered Service From: New Mexico
Rank: Private, U.S. Army
Unit: "C" Battery, 200th Coast Artillery Regiment (anti-aircraft)
Date of Death: 12 September 1942, from dysentery in the Japanese POW Camp 1, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon, Philippines 15-121.
Buried: Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas.
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Son of Jose De La Luz Homobono Trujillo (13 November 1869 Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico – 01 June 1954 • Fresno, Fresno County, California) and Salome Turrieta (July 1885 • Rodey, Doña Ana County, New Mexico – 05 February 1921 • Doña Ana County, New Mexico).
After the death of his mother in 1921, he appears to have gone to live with his grandmother, Mrs. Gregoria Balleyos Turrieta on his mother's side. She is listed in a number of places as his mother/grandmother.
As a result he took his mother's maiden name as his last name and made his father's name his middle name, Carlos Trujillo Turrieta. At least that is what all his military records show. But there were other time where his last name was Trujillo.
1930 United States Federal Census (21 April 1930): Deming, Luna County, New Mexico (sheet 18B, family 459, N. 1st Street) – Charles Turrieta (12 New Mexico). He was living with his grandmother, widow, Gregoria Turrieta (60 New Mexico). In this census he is called her son.
1940 United States Federal Census (10 April 1940): Deming (Ward A), Luna County, New Mexico (sheet 8A, household 149, 111 W. 1st Street) – Charlie Turrieta (20 New Mexico, truck helper, wholesale produce company). He was living with his grandmother, widow, Gregoria Turrieta (75 New Mexico). They had lived in the same house in 1935.
Carlos T. Turrieta was inducted as a Private in the 200th Coast Artillery, New Mexico National Guard on 31 August 1941 at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Shortly before Christmas 1940, the 200th Coast Artillery also known as the "New Mexico Anti-Aircraft Brigade" was federalized. They were sworn in on 06 January 1941, for one year of active duty training.
U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records show that Carlos T. Turrieta (1918 New Mexico), a resident of Luna County, New Mexico, enlisted as a Private (S/N 20842534) in the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps on 06 January 1941 at the Deming Army Air Field, New Mexico. He was single, had completed 8th grade and had been working as a truck driver. He had been in the New Mexico National Guard.
TURRIETA - TORRES
Miss Adela Torres, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pete Torres of Deming, and Charles Turrieta, son of Mrs. G. B. Turrieta of Deming, will be united in marriage, Sunday morning at St. Ann's Church with Rev. J. Fernandez officiating. Attendants will be Miss Rosie Dominguez, maid of honor, Earnest Fresques, best man and Hilaria Vega, Jose Padilla, Margaret Padilla, Jose Chavez, Aurora Sakelares, Lumina Torres, Adela Sainz, Tacha Chaires and Amelia Flores. Source: Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 02 May 1941, page 1.
Carlos Turrietta Trujillo and Adela Swartz Torres, both of Deming, were married on 04 May 1941 in Deming, New Mexico. She was the daughter of Agapito Torres and Adela Swartz Torres. Adela was named after her mother.
Private Turrieta was assigned to Battery C, 200th Coast Artillery Regiment. The 200th Coast Artillery Regiment was primarily made of members of the New Mexico National Guard. They trained at Fort Bliss, Texas. They became the premier anti-aircraft unit in the Army. In August 1941, the 200th Coast Artillery was given notice that it had been selected for an overseas assignment of great importance and the regiment moved to the San Francisco, California.
With the clouds of war looming, the 77 officers and 1732 enlisted men from the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment were deployed to the Philippine Islands in September 1941 (though they were not sure where they were going until after they sailed). On 09 September 1941, Second Battalion loaded onto the USS President Coolidge for their trip (First Battalion had left earlier on 30 August aboard the USS President Pierce). The voyage aboard the Coolidge was comfortable, with good food and a five-piece band. When the Regiment reached the Philippines they immediately moved to Fort Stotsenburg, 75 miles north of Manila. The regiment was placed into strategic positions around Clark Field. They were equipped with 12 3-inch guns, .50-caliber machine guns, and 60-inch Sperry searchlights. Over the coming months, they would train under simulated war conditions due to the international unrest already apparent. By December things would change drastically.
"HAWAII BOMBED–WAR!" On 07 December 1941 Japan attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. Ten hours later, 08 December 1941 (Manila time), Japanese bombers attacked Clark Field. It was the 200th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) — the original full Regiment — who is credited as being the "First to Fire" on 08 December 1941. By nightfall, the field was a wreck, with burning aircraft and debris everywhere. That evening, the 515th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) was formed from the ranks of the 200th (one-third of the 200th). They headed south for the defense of the capital city, Manila.
The 515th and 200th could not do much damage as their powder train fuses only had a range of 20,000 feet and the Japanese bombers were flying at 23,000 feet. The main Japanese invasion forces landed 22 December 1941 and the decision was made to withdraw the forces into Bataan. The 515th CA (AA) moved from Manila 25 December 1941 to establish Anti-Aircraft defenses for the bridges on the withdrawal route to Bataan. The 200th covered the retreat of the Northern Luzon Force into Bataan and the 515th for the South Luzon Force. They were able to hold the Japanese air and ground attacks back, thus saving the bridges – and the North and South Luzon Forces found a clear, safe passage to the Bataan peninsula. On Bataan, it established the AA defenses for the Cabcaban airfield and other airfields on Bataan. Fil-American forces were ordered to hold Bataan while reinforcements of men and material could be sent to the Philippines – reinforcements that never came.
The Battle for Bataan began on 06 January 1942, and almost immediately the defenders were cut to half rations, and very soon, to 1/4 rations. About four weeks later, they were living on 1/8 rations, that is, when food was available to them. Towards the end, it was changed to 1/16th of their rations...Quite often, they would go several days with no food, unless they could catch something in the jungle." Source: Federico Baldassarre letter
Unfortunately, dengue fever, malaria, scurvy, beriberi and dysentery began to take its toll on many of the soldiers. Inadequate amounts of medicine available only amplified the severity of what would have been very treatable afflictions. The average American soldier lost 15-25 pounds and malaria was as high as 35 percent among front line units. During the first week of March 1942, soldiers were issued quarter rations. It was becoming apparent that supplies and support were not going to come. Ammunition was in short supply. Around the latter part of March, Gen. King and his staff assessed the fighting capabilities of his forces, in view of an impending major assault planned by Gen. Homma. Gen. King and his staff determined the Fil-American forces, in Bataan, could only fight at 30% of their efficiency.
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Deming Men Safe, Word From Islands
Deming, N.M., men serving in the Philippine Islands are all well, Carlos Turrieta, an enlisted man wrote his wife, Feb. 12.
Mrs. Turrieta, now living in El Paso with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Harry Overman, received the letter this week.
The former Deming man has never seen a recent addition to his family, a son born March 3 in William Beaumont General Hospital. The boy is named Douglas, after General MacArthur, hero of the Philippine campaign. Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Saturday, 04 April 1942, page 5.
His wife gave birth to his son, Charles Douglas Ramo Trujillo, born 03 March 1942, in El Paso, Texas. Sadly Charles only lived 4 months and 2 days. He died on 05 July 1942. Interesting that on his son's birth and death certificate, his name was listed as Carlos Turrieta Trujillo, as was his son's – Trujillo. On his son's tombstone it is Turrieta.
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It was also during this time that Japanese forces brought in significant reinforcements. The Japanese 4th Division had arrived from Shanghai. The 21st Regiment (part of the 21st Division) had been diverted in route to Indo-China. Finally, several thousand replacements arrived to revitalize the 16th Division and the 65th Brigade. Japanese air attacks became progressively worse. The Japanese set up artillery across Manila Bay and fired accurately with the help of highflying aerial observers.
The month of April 1942 marked the beginning of the end for Bataan's defenders. On Good Friday, 03 April 1942, General Homma, with the addition of fresh troops, began an all-out offensive on Bataan. By the evening of 08 April, the situation was clearly hopeless. With ammunition, rations and supplies practically exhausted and most of his best units destroyed, Major General Edward P. King, commander of the forces on Bataan, was convinced his troops could not physically resist any more and decided to surrender to prevent further loss of life.
On the 8th, orders were issued to the men of the 200th and 515th for the destruction of all surplus equipment and form an infantry line in the vicinity of Cabcaben Air Field. For them this marked the end as an anti-aircraft unit. By then the two units had been credited with 86 enemy planes shot down.
On 09 April 1942, Maj. Gen. King surrendered the Luzon Force to the Japanese. The 200th and 515th were surrendered to the enemy at Cabcaben Air Field.
After hearing of the surrender, General Wainwright on Corregidor sent a cable to President Roosevelt, stating "I have done all that could have been done to hold Bataan, but starved men without air support and with inadequate field artillery support cannot endure the terrific aerial and artillery bombardment that my troops were subjected to."
Private Carlos T. Turrieta, along with 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese, were subjected to the infamous Bataan Death March. When the Fil-American soldiers began the march, they were in terrible physical condition. For 6 to 9 days (depending on their starting point) they were forced to walk the roughly sixty-five miles to San Fernando, enduring abuse by Japanese guards and seeing the deaths of thousands of fellow soldiers. At San Fernando, the Japanese stuffed about 100 men into steel-sided boxcars for the twenty-five-mile trip to Capas. The scorching hot boxcars were packed so tight that the men could not even sit down. When the train arrived at Capas the POW's were offloaded and marched the final nine miles to Camp O'Donnell.
Many Local Service Men Listed As Missing In Philippines
The War Department in the past three weeks has notified many nearest kin here of soldiers who are listed as missing in the Philippines. The form letters state that the soldiers who were in the Philippines at the fall of Bataan and Corregidor will be carried as missing until further information came be obtained and until the Japanese prisoner is released.
With notification of the nearest of kin, the War Department also gives the American Red Cross the names of the soldiers. The list sent mrs. Warren McCan, Luna County Red Cross chairman includes the following Luna County men, who have been listed as missing: ... Carlos T. Turrieta ... Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 05 June 1942, page 1.
Surviving the brutal treatment by the Japanese at Camp O'Donnell (about 1500 American and 22,000 Filipino prisoners of war died in just three months) PVT Turrieta was transferred to the Cabanatuan POW Camp No. 1, approximately 8 kilometers east of the town by the same name.
In early June of 1942, prisoners from Camp O'Donnell began to stream into Camp No. 1, joining the men from Corregidor and increasing the number of prisoners to over 7,300 men. Most of the POWs were assigned to work details and farm labor.
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Hero's Son To Be Honored In Death By Fort Bliss
The U.S. Army can't do much now for Pvt. Carlos Trujillo, lost with the fall of Bataan, but it can for the son that he never saw.
The child, named both for his father and Gen. Douglas MacArthur, died in William Beaumont General Hospital Sunday of pneumonia, four months after his birth.
Tuesday the baby, Charles Douglas Ramon Trujillo will be buried with full military honors in Deming, N. M., home of his mother and father.
A rife squad will be sent from Fort Bliss to form a guard of honor and fire a salute over the baby's grave.
Private Trujillo, member of New Mexico's heroic 200th Coast Artillery, had to leave before his son was born. He left happy in the knowledge that he was to have a child and hoped it would be a boy.
Mrs. Trujillo, who left with her son's body for Deming Monday night, said that the infant's death is more tragic to her since Private Trujillo's unfortunate capture or death made it impossible for her to let him know that the baby had been born.
Private and Mrs. Trujillo were born and reared in Deming, where he joined the New Mexico National Guard.
Private Trujillo came to Fort Bliss, where he was in training for 15 months and was with one of the first groups of soldiers to leave the U.S. for the Philippines.
The last time Mrs. Trujillo heard from her husband was on Feb. 12.
The baby was born in Beaumont Hospital March 3 and his mother was going to name him Charles Ramon. Her attending doctor suggested that she call him Charles Douglas Ramon after Gen. Douglas MacArthur, under whom her husband was fighting.
Mrs. Trujillo has been employed in the Fort Bliss Post Exchange No. 14. Because she was employed she sent her baby to Deming to be cared for by her mother. When she learned the baby was ill she sent for him immediately.
He arrived in El Paso Saturday and was taken to William Beaumont Hospital, where he was put under an oxygen tent. Doctors were unable, however, to save the life of Private Trujillo's son.
His body was sent to Deming Monday night by Barry Hagedon Funeral Home.
Besides his parents, the baby is survived by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Agapito Torres, of Deming. Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 07 July 1942, page 1.
Infant Son Of Man Lost On Bataan Buried
Funeral services were held in Deming, N. M., today for the four-month-old son of a former Ft. Bliss soldier who was lost with his regiment on Bataan.
The child, son of Pvt. and Mrs. Carlos Trujillo, died at William Beaumont General Hospital of pneumonia. The baby was named Charles Douglas Ramo Trujillo, for Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was Private Trujillo's commander on Bataan.
Private Trujillo served with the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment of New Mexico.
Mrs. Trujillo last heard from her husband Feb. 12. Private Trujillo knew that he was to become a father, but never learned that the baby actually was born. Source: El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 07 July 1942, page 12.
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Because of the poor health of the men from O'Donnell, the death rate at Camp #1 soared. Private Carlos T. Turrieta (S/N 20842534), age 24, 200th Coast Artillery, died at 04:10 p.m. on 12 September 1942, of dysentery in Barracks No. 3, Cabanatuan Prison Camp hospital. Home address: 304 West 1st st., Deming, New Mexico; Next of Kin: mother, Mrs. G. B. Turrieta, same address. He had no belongings. Carlos was one of ten men to die that day, the 1,670th prisoner to die since the camp opened. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, 2,764 Americans had died at Cabanatuan in 2½ years. 90% of the POW deaths in Cabanatuan were men who were captured on Bataan. He was buried in a communal grave No. 430 in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs who died during that day.
PRISONERS OF JAPANESE
Names of additional New Mexico boys who are prisoners of the Japanese were reported this week to their families by the War Department. Those reported were Privates ... and Carlos T. Turrieta. Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 05 February 1943, page 4.
Sadly he was already dead by then. Four months later in June 1943 his family received word that Private Carlos T. Turrieta had died in a Japanese Prison Camp.
Prisoner Dies
Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta, who was a member of the 200th Coast Artillery, died on *June 11th in the Philippines where he was a prisoner of the Japanese, his wife was notified. Mrs. Turrieta is a dental assistant at the Station Hospital at the Deming Air Base
*he died 12 September 1942
Source: El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 29 June 1943, page 8.
"His name was included in a list of 17 New Mexicans who died in the camps, the Associated Press reported.
"Out of a total of 13,274 Army personnel now listed as prisoners of the Japanese, the War Department said it now had been notified by the Japanese through the International Red Cross of the deaths of 600 American soldiers in prison camps since the fall of Bataan and Corregidor. Other New Mexicans listed as dead were ..." Source: The Albuquerque Tribune (Albuquerque, New Mexico), Saturday, 03 July 1943, page 2.
REQUIEM MASS
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta with the sympathy of Mrs. Carlos T. Turrieta, at St, Ann's Church, Sunday, July 11th at 9:30 A. M. Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 09 July 1943, page 4.
After the war, all the remains in the Cabanatuan Prison cemetery that could be found were disinterred (between December 1945 - February 1946) and brought to 7747 USAF Cemetery, Manila #2, Philippine Islands. The deceased in Manila #2 (over 11,000 American soldiers) rested there until their removal to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum in the summer of 1948. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (*sister, Georgia Sarah Trujillo Oberman), Private Carlos T. Turrieta remains were brought back to the U.S.
*his wife had remarried by then
Bodies of 15 War Victims Returned
Bodies of 15 Southwesterners who died in World War II have been returned to the United States from the Pacific area aboard the U.S. Army Transport Pvt. John R. Towle.
Names of those being returned and their next of kin are as follows: ... Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta, Mrs. Harry Overman, 2304 Federal Street, El Paso; ... Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Friday, 17 June 1949, page 17.
On 25 July 1949, Private Carlos Trujillo Turrieta was buried in his final resting place in Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas – Plot E. Grave 9400.
He also has a cenotaph in the Mountain View Cemetery, Deming, Luna County, New Mexico.
Of the 1,809 men of 200th & 515th Coast Artillery, 829 did not make it home.
His widow, Adela Torres Turrieta married Clyde John Jones in 1944. They were married for 65 years and had two daughters.
Adela Torres Jones (07 April 1921 • Tyrone, Grant County, New Mexico – 12 June 2009 • Pelzer, Anderson County, South Carolina).
Carlos T. Turrieta
Service # 20842534
Entered Service From: New Mexico
Rank: Private, U.S. Army
Unit: "C" Battery, 200th Coast Artillery Regiment (anti-aircraft)
Date of Death: 12 September 1942, from dysentery in the Japanese POW Camp 1, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon, Philippines 15-121.
Buried: Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas.
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Son of Jose De La Luz Homobono Trujillo (13 November 1869 Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico – 01 June 1954 • Fresno, Fresno County, California) and Salome Turrieta (July 1885 • Rodey, Doña Ana County, New Mexico – 05 February 1921 • Doña Ana County, New Mexico).
After the death of his mother in 1921, he appears to have gone to live with his grandmother, Mrs. Gregoria Balleyos Turrieta on his mother's side. She is listed in a number of places as his mother/grandmother.
As a result he took his mother's maiden name as his last name and made his father's name his middle name, Carlos Trujillo Turrieta. At least that is what all his military records show. But there were other time where his last name was Trujillo.
1930 United States Federal Census (21 April 1930): Deming, Luna County, New Mexico (sheet 18B, family 459, N. 1st Street) – Charles Turrieta (12 New Mexico). He was living with his grandmother, widow, Gregoria Turrieta (60 New Mexico). In this census he is called her son.
1940 United States Federal Census (10 April 1940): Deming (Ward A), Luna County, New Mexico (sheet 8A, household 149, 111 W. 1st Street) – Charlie Turrieta (20 New Mexico, truck helper, wholesale produce company). He was living with his grandmother, widow, Gregoria Turrieta (75 New Mexico). They had lived in the same house in 1935.
Carlos T. Turrieta was inducted as a Private in the 200th Coast Artillery, New Mexico National Guard on 31 August 1941 at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Shortly before Christmas 1940, the 200th Coast Artillery also known as the "New Mexico Anti-Aircraft Brigade" was federalized. They were sworn in on 06 January 1941, for one year of active duty training.
U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records show that Carlos T. Turrieta (1918 New Mexico), a resident of Luna County, New Mexico, enlisted as a Private (S/N 20842534) in the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps on 06 January 1941 at the Deming Army Air Field, New Mexico. He was single, had completed 8th grade and had been working as a truck driver. He had been in the New Mexico National Guard.
TURRIETA - TORRES
Miss Adela Torres, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pete Torres of Deming, and Charles Turrieta, son of Mrs. G. B. Turrieta of Deming, will be united in marriage, Sunday morning at St. Ann's Church with Rev. J. Fernandez officiating. Attendants will be Miss Rosie Dominguez, maid of honor, Earnest Fresques, best man and Hilaria Vega, Jose Padilla, Margaret Padilla, Jose Chavez, Aurora Sakelares, Lumina Torres, Adela Sainz, Tacha Chaires and Amelia Flores. Source: Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 02 May 1941, page 1.
Carlos Turrietta Trujillo and Adela Swartz Torres, both of Deming, were married on 04 May 1941 in Deming, New Mexico. She was the daughter of Agapito Torres and Adela Swartz Torres. Adela was named after her mother.
Private Turrieta was assigned to Battery C, 200th Coast Artillery Regiment. The 200th Coast Artillery Regiment was primarily made of members of the New Mexico National Guard. They trained at Fort Bliss, Texas. They became the premier anti-aircraft unit in the Army. In August 1941, the 200th Coast Artillery was given notice that it had been selected for an overseas assignment of great importance and the regiment moved to the San Francisco, California.
With the clouds of war looming, the 77 officers and 1732 enlisted men from the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment were deployed to the Philippine Islands in September 1941 (though they were not sure where they were going until after they sailed). On 09 September 1941, Second Battalion loaded onto the USS President Coolidge for their trip (First Battalion had left earlier on 30 August aboard the USS President Pierce). The voyage aboard the Coolidge was comfortable, with good food and a five-piece band. When the Regiment reached the Philippines they immediately moved to Fort Stotsenburg, 75 miles north of Manila. The regiment was placed into strategic positions around Clark Field. They were equipped with 12 3-inch guns, .50-caliber machine guns, and 60-inch Sperry searchlights. Over the coming months, they would train under simulated war conditions due to the international unrest already apparent. By December things would change drastically.
"HAWAII BOMBED–WAR!" On 07 December 1941 Japan attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. Ten hours later, 08 December 1941 (Manila time), Japanese bombers attacked Clark Field. It was the 200th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) — the original full Regiment — who is credited as being the "First to Fire" on 08 December 1941. By nightfall, the field was a wreck, with burning aircraft and debris everywhere. That evening, the 515th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) was formed from the ranks of the 200th (one-third of the 200th). They headed south for the defense of the capital city, Manila.
The 515th and 200th could not do much damage as their powder train fuses only had a range of 20,000 feet and the Japanese bombers were flying at 23,000 feet. The main Japanese invasion forces landed 22 December 1941 and the decision was made to withdraw the forces into Bataan. The 515th CA (AA) moved from Manila 25 December 1941 to establish Anti-Aircraft defenses for the bridges on the withdrawal route to Bataan. The 200th covered the retreat of the Northern Luzon Force into Bataan and the 515th for the South Luzon Force. They were able to hold the Japanese air and ground attacks back, thus saving the bridges – and the North and South Luzon Forces found a clear, safe passage to the Bataan peninsula. On Bataan, it established the AA defenses for the Cabcaban airfield and other airfields on Bataan. Fil-American forces were ordered to hold Bataan while reinforcements of men and material could be sent to the Philippines – reinforcements that never came.
The Battle for Bataan began on 06 January 1942, and almost immediately the defenders were cut to half rations, and very soon, to 1/4 rations. About four weeks later, they were living on 1/8 rations, that is, when food was available to them. Towards the end, it was changed to 1/16th of their rations...Quite often, they would go several days with no food, unless they could catch something in the jungle." Source: Federico Baldassarre letter
Unfortunately, dengue fever, malaria, scurvy, beriberi and dysentery began to take its toll on many of the soldiers. Inadequate amounts of medicine available only amplified the severity of what would have been very treatable afflictions. The average American soldier lost 15-25 pounds and malaria was as high as 35 percent among front line units. During the first week of March 1942, soldiers were issued quarter rations. It was becoming apparent that supplies and support were not going to come. Ammunition was in short supply. Around the latter part of March, Gen. King and his staff assessed the fighting capabilities of his forces, in view of an impending major assault planned by Gen. Homma. Gen. King and his staff determined the Fil-American forces, in Bataan, could only fight at 30% of their efficiency.
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Deming Men Safe, Word From Islands
Deming, N.M., men serving in the Philippine Islands are all well, Carlos Turrieta, an enlisted man wrote his wife, Feb. 12.
Mrs. Turrieta, now living in El Paso with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Harry Overman, received the letter this week.
The former Deming man has never seen a recent addition to his family, a son born March 3 in William Beaumont General Hospital. The boy is named Douglas, after General MacArthur, hero of the Philippine campaign. Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Saturday, 04 April 1942, page 5.
His wife gave birth to his son, Charles Douglas Ramo Trujillo, born 03 March 1942, in El Paso, Texas. Sadly Charles only lived 4 months and 2 days. He died on 05 July 1942. Interesting that on his son's birth and death certificate, his name was listed as Carlos Turrieta Trujillo, as was his son's – Trujillo. On his son's tombstone it is Turrieta.
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It was also during this time that Japanese forces brought in significant reinforcements. The Japanese 4th Division had arrived from Shanghai. The 21st Regiment (part of the 21st Division) had been diverted in route to Indo-China. Finally, several thousand replacements arrived to revitalize the 16th Division and the 65th Brigade. Japanese air attacks became progressively worse. The Japanese set up artillery across Manila Bay and fired accurately with the help of highflying aerial observers.
The month of April 1942 marked the beginning of the end for Bataan's defenders. On Good Friday, 03 April 1942, General Homma, with the addition of fresh troops, began an all-out offensive on Bataan. By the evening of 08 April, the situation was clearly hopeless. With ammunition, rations and supplies practically exhausted and most of his best units destroyed, Major General Edward P. King, commander of the forces on Bataan, was convinced his troops could not physically resist any more and decided to surrender to prevent further loss of life.
On the 8th, orders were issued to the men of the 200th and 515th for the destruction of all surplus equipment and form an infantry line in the vicinity of Cabcaben Air Field. For them this marked the end as an anti-aircraft unit. By then the two units had been credited with 86 enemy planes shot down.
On 09 April 1942, Maj. Gen. King surrendered the Luzon Force to the Japanese. The 200th and 515th were surrendered to the enemy at Cabcaben Air Field.
After hearing of the surrender, General Wainwright on Corregidor sent a cable to President Roosevelt, stating "I have done all that could have been done to hold Bataan, but starved men without air support and with inadequate field artillery support cannot endure the terrific aerial and artillery bombardment that my troops were subjected to."
Private Carlos T. Turrieta, along with 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese, were subjected to the infamous Bataan Death March. When the Fil-American soldiers began the march, they were in terrible physical condition. For 6 to 9 days (depending on their starting point) they were forced to walk the roughly sixty-five miles to San Fernando, enduring abuse by Japanese guards and seeing the deaths of thousands of fellow soldiers. At San Fernando, the Japanese stuffed about 100 men into steel-sided boxcars for the twenty-five-mile trip to Capas. The scorching hot boxcars were packed so tight that the men could not even sit down. When the train arrived at Capas the POW's were offloaded and marched the final nine miles to Camp O'Donnell.
Many Local Service Men Listed As Missing In Philippines
The War Department in the past three weeks has notified many nearest kin here of soldiers who are listed as missing in the Philippines. The form letters state that the soldiers who were in the Philippines at the fall of Bataan and Corregidor will be carried as missing until further information came be obtained and until the Japanese prisoner is released.
With notification of the nearest of kin, the War Department also gives the American Red Cross the names of the soldiers. The list sent mrs. Warren McCan, Luna County Red Cross chairman includes the following Luna County men, who have been listed as missing: ... Carlos T. Turrieta ... Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 05 June 1942, page 1.
Surviving the brutal treatment by the Japanese at Camp O'Donnell (about 1500 American and 22,000 Filipino prisoners of war died in just three months) PVT Turrieta was transferred to the Cabanatuan POW Camp No. 1, approximately 8 kilometers east of the town by the same name.
In early June of 1942, prisoners from Camp O'Donnell began to stream into Camp No. 1, joining the men from Corregidor and increasing the number of prisoners to over 7,300 men. Most of the POWs were assigned to work details and farm labor.
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Hero's Son To Be Honored In Death By Fort Bliss
The U.S. Army can't do much now for Pvt. Carlos Trujillo, lost with the fall of Bataan, but it can for the son that he never saw.
The child, named both for his father and Gen. Douglas MacArthur, died in William Beaumont General Hospital Sunday of pneumonia, four months after his birth.
Tuesday the baby, Charles Douglas Ramon Trujillo will be buried with full military honors in Deming, N. M., home of his mother and father.
A rife squad will be sent from Fort Bliss to form a guard of honor and fire a salute over the baby's grave.
Private Trujillo, member of New Mexico's heroic 200th Coast Artillery, had to leave before his son was born. He left happy in the knowledge that he was to have a child and hoped it would be a boy.
Mrs. Trujillo, who left with her son's body for Deming Monday night, said that the infant's death is more tragic to her since Private Trujillo's unfortunate capture or death made it impossible for her to let him know that the baby had been born.
Private and Mrs. Trujillo were born and reared in Deming, where he joined the New Mexico National Guard.
Private Trujillo came to Fort Bliss, where he was in training for 15 months and was with one of the first groups of soldiers to leave the U.S. for the Philippines.
The last time Mrs. Trujillo heard from her husband was on Feb. 12.
The baby was born in Beaumont Hospital March 3 and his mother was going to name him Charles Ramon. Her attending doctor suggested that she call him Charles Douglas Ramon after Gen. Douglas MacArthur, under whom her husband was fighting.
Mrs. Trujillo has been employed in the Fort Bliss Post Exchange No. 14. Because she was employed she sent her baby to Deming to be cared for by her mother. When she learned the baby was ill she sent for him immediately.
He arrived in El Paso Saturday and was taken to William Beaumont Hospital, where he was put under an oxygen tent. Doctors were unable, however, to save the life of Private Trujillo's son.
His body was sent to Deming Monday night by Barry Hagedon Funeral Home.
Besides his parents, the baby is survived by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Agapito Torres, of Deming. Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 07 July 1942, page 1.
Infant Son Of Man Lost On Bataan Buried
Funeral services were held in Deming, N. M., today for the four-month-old son of a former Ft. Bliss soldier who was lost with his regiment on Bataan.
The child, son of Pvt. and Mrs. Carlos Trujillo, died at William Beaumont General Hospital of pneumonia. The baby was named Charles Douglas Ramo Trujillo, for Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was Private Trujillo's commander on Bataan.
Private Trujillo served with the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment of New Mexico.
Mrs. Trujillo last heard from her husband Feb. 12. Private Trujillo knew that he was to become a father, but never learned that the baby actually was born. Source: El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 07 July 1942, page 12.
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Because of the poor health of the men from O'Donnell, the death rate at Camp #1 soared. Private Carlos T. Turrieta (S/N 20842534), age 24, 200th Coast Artillery, died at 04:10 p.m. on 12 September 1942, of dysentery in Barracks No. 3, Cabanatuan Prison Camp hospital. Home address: 304 West 1st st., Deming, New Mexico; Next of Kin: mother, Mrs. G. B. Turrieta, same address. He had no belongings. Carlos was one of ten men to die that day, the 1,670th prisoner to die since the camp opened. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, 2,764 Americans had died at Cabanatuan in 2½ years. 90% of the POW deaths in Cabanatuan were men who were captured on Bataan. He was buried in a communal grave No. 430 in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs who died during that day.
PRISONERS OF JAPANESE
Names of additional New Mexico boys who are prisoners of the Japanese were reported this week to their families by the War Department. Those reported were Privates ... and Carlos T. Turrieta. Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 05 February 1943, page 4.
Sadly he was already dead by then. Four months later in June 1943 his family received word that Private Carlos T. Turrieta had died in a Japanese Prison Camp.
Prisoner Dies
Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta, who was a member of the 200th Coast Artillery, died on *June 11th in the Philippines where he was a prisoner of the Japanese, his wife was notified. Mrs. Turrieta is a dental assistant at the Station Hospital at the Deming Air Base
*he died 12 September 1942
Source: El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 29 June 1943, page 8.
"His name was included in a list of 17 New Mexicans who died in the camps, the Associated Press reported.
"Out of a total of 13,274 Army personnel now listed as prisoners of the Japanese, the War Department said it now had been notified by the Japanese through the International Red Cross of the deaths of 600 American soldiers in prison camps since the fall of Bataan and Corregidor. Other New Mexicans listed as dead were ..." Source: The Albuquerque Tribune (Albuquerque, New Mexico), Saturday, 03 July 1943, page 2.
REQUIEM MASS
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta with the sympathy of Mrs. Carlos T. Turrieta, at St, Ann's Church, Sunday, July 11th at 9:30 A. M. Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 09 July 1943, page 4.
After the war, all the remains in the Cabanatuan Prison cemetery that could be found were disinterred (between December 1945 - February 1946) and brought to 7747 USAF Cemetery, Manila #2, Philippine Islands. The deceased in Manila #2 (over 11,000 American soldiers) rested there until their removal to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum in the summer of 1948. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (*sister, Georgia Sarah Trujillo Oberman), Private Carlos T. Turrieta remains were brought back to the U.S.
*his wife had remarried by then
Bodies of 15 War Victims Returned
Bodies of 15 Southwesterners who died in World War II have been returned to the United States from the Pacific area aboard the U.S. Army Transport Pvt. John R. Towle.
Names of those being returned and their next of kin are as follows: ... Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta, Mrs. Harry Overman, 2304 Federal Street, El Paso; ... Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Friday, 17 June 1949, page 17.
On 25 July 1949, Private Carlos Trujillo Turrieta was buried in his final resting place in Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas – Plot E. Grave 9400.
He also has a cenotaph in the Mountain View Cemetery, Deming, Luna County, New Mexico.
Of the 1,809 men of 200th & 515th Coast Artillery, 829 did not make it home.
His widow, Adela Torres Turrieta married Clyde John Jones in 1944. They were married for 65 years and had two daughters.
Adela Torres Jones (07 April 1921 • Tyrone, Grant County, New Mexico – 12 June 2009 • Pelzer, Anderson County, South Carolina).
Service # 20842534
Entered Service From: New Mexico
Rank: Private, U.S. Army
Unit: "C" Battery, 200th Coast Artillery Regiment (anti-aircraft)
Date of Death: 12 September 1942, from dysentery in the Japanese POW Camp 1, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon, Philippines 15-121.
Buried: Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas.
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Son of Jose De La Luz Homobono Trujillo (13 November 1869 Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico – 01 June 1954 • Fresno, Fresno County, California) and Salome Turrieta (July 1885 • Rodey, Doña Ana County, New Mexico – 05 February 1921 • Doña Ana County, New Mexico).
After the death of his mother in 1921, he appears to have gone to live with his grandmother, Mrs. Gregoria Balleyos Turrieta on his mother's side. She is listed in a number of places as his mother/grandmother.
As a result he took his mother's maiden name as his last name and made his father's name his middle name, Carlos Trujillo Turrieta. At least that is what all his military records show. But there were other time where his last name was Trujillo.
1930 United States Federal Census (21 April 1930): Deming, Luna County, New Mexico (sheet 18B, family 459, N. 1st Street) – Charles Turrieta (12 New Mexico). He was living with his grandmother, widow, Gregoria Turrieta (60 New Mexico). In this census he is called her son.
1940 United States Federal Census (10 April 1940): Deming (Ward A), Luna County, New Mexico (sheet 8A, household 149, 111 W. 1st Street) – Charlie Turrieta (20 New Mexico, truck helper, wholesale produce company). He was living with his grandmother, widow, Gregoria Turrieta (75 New Mexico). They had lived in the same house in 1935.
Carlos T. Turrieta was inducted as a Private in the 200th Coast Artillery, New Mexico National Guard on 31 August 1941 at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Shortly before Christmas 1940, the 200th Coast Artillery also known as the "New Mexico Anti-Aircraft Brigade" was federalized. They were sworn in on 06 January 1941, for one year of active duty training.
U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records show that Carlos T. Turrieta (1918 New Mexico), a resident of Luna County, New Mexico, enlisted as a Private (S/N 20842534) in the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps on 06 January 1941 at the Deming Army Air Field, New Mexico. He was single, had completed 8th grade and had been working as a truck driver. He had been in the New Mexico National Guard.
TURRIETA - TORRES
Miss Adela Torres, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pete Torres of Deming, and Charles Turrieta, son of Mrs. G. B. Turrieta of Deming, will be united in marriage, Sunday morning at St. Ann's Church with Rev. J. Fernandez officiating. Attendants will be Miss Rosie Dominguez, maid of honor, Earnest Fresques, best man and Hilaria Vega, Jose Padilla, Margaret Padilla, Jose Chavez, Aurora Sakelares, Lumina Torres, Adela Sainz, Tacha Chaires and Amelia Flores. Source: Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 02 May 1941, page 1.
Carlos Turrietta Trujillo and Adela Swartz Torres, both of Deming, were married on 04 May 1941 in Deming, New Mexico. She was the daughter of Agapito Torres and Adela Swartz Torres. Adela was named after her mother.
Private Turrieta was assigned to Battery C, 200th Coast Artillery Regiment. The 200th Coast Artillery Regiment was primarily made of members of the New Mexico National Guard. They trained at Fort Bliss, Texas. They became the premier anti-aircraft unit in the Army. In August 1941, the 200th Coast Artillery was given notice that it had been selected for an overseas assignment of great importance and the regiment moved to the San Francisco, California.
With the clouds of war looming, the 77 officers and 1732 enlisted men from the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment were deployed to the Philippine Islands in September 1941 (though they were not sure where they were going until after they sailed). On 09 September 1941, Second Battalion loaded onto the USS President Coolidge for their trip (First Battalion had left earlier on 30 August aboard the USS President Pierce). The voyage aboard the Coolidge was comfortable, with good food and a five-piece band. When the Regiment reached the Philippines they immediately moved to Fort Stotsenburg, 75 miles north of Manila. The regiment was placed into strategic positions around Clark Field. They were equipped with 12 3-inch guns, .50-caliber machine guns, and 60-inch Sperry searchlights. Over the coming months, they would train under simulated war conditions due to the international unrest already apparent. By December things would change drastically.
"HAWAII BOMBED–WAR!" On 07 December 1941 Japan attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. Ten hours later, 08 December 1941 (Manila time), Japanese bombers attacked Clark Field. It was the 200th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) — the original full Regiment — who is credited as being the "First to Fire" on 08 December 1941. By nightfall, the field was a wreck, with burning aircraft and debris everywhere. That evening, the 515th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) was formed from the ranks of the 200th (one-third of the 200th). They headed south for the defense of the capital city, Manila.
The 515th and 200th could not do much damage as their powder train fuses only had a range of 20,000 feet and the Japanese bombers were flying at 23,000 feet. The main Japanese invasion forces landed 22 December 1941 and the decision was made to withdraw the forces into Bataan. The 515th CA (AA) moved from Manila 25 December 1941 to establish Anti-Aircraft defenses for the bridges on the withdrawal route to Bataan. The 200th covered the retreat of the Northern Luzon Force into Bataan and the 515th for the South Luzon Force. They were able to hold the Japanese air and ground attacks back, thus saving the bridges – and the North and South Luzon Forces found a clear, safe passage to the Bataan peninsula. On Bataan, it established the AA defenses for the Cabcaban airfield and other airfields on Bataan. Fil-American forces were ordered to hold Bataan while reinforcements of men and material could be sent to the Philippines – reinforcements that never came.
The Battle for Bataan began on 06 January 1942, and almost immediately the defenders were cut to half rations, and very soon, to 1/4 rations. About four weeks later, they were living on 1/8 rations, that is, when food was available to them. Towards the end, it was changed to 1/16th of their rations...Quite often, they would go several days with no food, unless they could catch something in the jungle." Source: Federico Baldassarre letter
Unfortunately, dengue fever, malaria, scurvy, beriberi and dysentery began to take its toll on many of the soldiers. Inadequate amounts of medicine available only amplified the severity of what would have been very treatable afflictions. The average American soldier lost 15-25 pounds and malaria was as high as 35 percent among front line units. During the first week of March 1942, soldiers were issued quarter rations. It was becoming apparent that supplies and support were not going to come. Ammunition was in short supply. Around the latter part of March, Gen. King and his staff assessed the fighting capabilities of his forces, in view of an impending major assault planned by Gen. Homma. Gen. King and his staff determined the Fil-American forces, in Bataan, could only fight at 30% of their efficiency.
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Deming Men Safe, Word From Islands
Deming, N.M., men serving in the Philippine Islands are all well, Carlos Turrieta, an enlisted man wrote his wife, Feb. 12.
Mrs. Turrieta, now living in El Paso with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Harry Overman, received the letter this week.
The former Deming man has never seen a recent addition to his family, a son born March 3 in William Beaumont General Hospital. The boy is named Douglas, after General MacArthur, hero of the Philippine campaign. Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Saturday, 04 April 1942, page 5.
His wife gave birth to his son, Charles Douglas Ramo Trujillo, born 03 March 1942, in El Paso, Texas. Sadly Charles only lived 4 months and 2 days. He died on 05 July 1942. Interesting that on his son's birth and death certificate, his name was listed as Carlos Turrieta Trujillo, as was his son's – Trujillo. On his son's tombstone it is Turrieta.
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It was also during this time that Japanese forces brought in significant reinforcements. The Japanese 4th Division had arrived from Shanghai. The 21st Regiment (part of the 21st Division) had been diverted in route to Indo-China. Finally, several thousand replacements arrived to revitalize the 16th Division and the 65th Brigade. Japanese air attacks became progressively worse. The Japanese set up artillery across Manila Bay and fired accurately with the help of highflying aerial observers.
The month of April 1942 marked the beginning of the end for Bataan's defenders. On Good Friday, 03 April 1942, General Homma, with the addition of fresh troops, began an all-out offensive on Bataan. By the evening of 08 April, the situation was clearly hopeless. With ammunition, rations and supplies practically exhausted and most of his best units destroyed, Major General Edward P. King, commander of the forces on Bataan, was convinced his troops could not physically resist any more and decided to surrender to prevent further loss of life.
On the 8th, orders were issued to the men of the 200th and 515th for the destruction of all surplus equipment and form an infantry line in the vicinity of Cabcaben Air Field. For them this marked the end as an anti-aircraft unit. By then the two units had been credited with 86 enemy planes shot down.
On 09 April 1942, Maj. Gen. King surrendered the Luzon Force to the Japanese. The 200th and 515th were surrendered to the enemy at Cabcaben Air Field.
After hearing of the surrender, General Wainwright on Corregidor sent a cable to President Roosevelt, stating "I have done all that could have been done to hold Bataan, but starved men without air support and with inadequate field artillery support cannot endure the terrific aerial and artillery bombardment that my troops were subjected to."
Private Carlos T. Turrieta, along with 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese, were subjected to the infamous Bataan Death March. When the Fil-American soldiers began the march, they were in terrible physical condition. For 6 to 9 days (depending on their starting point) they were forced to walk the roughly sixty-five miles to San Fernando, enduring abuse by Japanese guards and seeing the deaths of thousands of fellow soldiers. At San Fernando, the Japanese stuffed about 100 men into steel-sided boxcars for the twenty-five-mile trip to Capas. The scorching hot boxcars were packed so tight that the men could not even sit down. When the train arrived at Capas the POW's were offloaded and marched the final nine miles to Camp O'Donnell.
Many Local Service Men Listed As Missing In Philippines
The War Department in the past three weeks has notified many nearest kin here of soldiers who are listed as missing in the Philippines. The form letters state that the soldiers who were in the Philippines at the fall of Bataan and Corregidor will be carried as missing until further information came be obtained and until the Japanese prisoner is released.
With notification of the nearest of kin, the War Department also gives the American Red Cross the names of the soldiers. The list sent mrs. Warren McCan, Luna County Red Cross chairman includes the following Luna County men, who have been listed as missing: ... Carlos T. Turrieta ... Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 05 June 1942, page 1.
Surviving the brutal treatment by the Japanese at Camp O'Donnell (about 1500 American and 22,000 Filipino prisoners of war died in just three months) PVT Turrieta was transferred to the Cabanatuan POW Camp No. 1, approximately 8 kilometers east of the town by the same name.
In early June of 1942, prisoners from Camp O'Donnell began to stream into Camp No. 1, joining the men from Corregidor and increasing the number of prisoners to over 7,300 men. Most of the POWs were assigned to work details and farm labor.
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Hero's Son To Be Honored In Death By Fort Bliss
The U.S. Army can't do much now for Pvt. Carlos Trujillo, lost with the fall of Bataan, but it can for the son that he never saw.
The child, named both for his father and Gen. Douglas MacArthur, died in William Beaumont General Hospital Sunday of pneumonia, four months after his birth.
Tuesday the baby, Charles Douglas Ramon Trujillo will be buried with full military honors in Deming, N. M., home of his mother and father.
A rife squad will be sent from Fort Bliss to form a guard of honor and fire a salute over the baby's grave.
Private Trujillo, member of New Mexico's heroic 200th Coast Artillery, had to leave before his son was born. He left happy in the knowledge that he was to have a child and hoped it would be a boy.
Mrs. Trujillo, who left with her son's body for Deming Monday night, said that the infant's death is more tragic to her since Private Trujillo's unfortunate capture or death made it impossible for her to let him know that the baby had been born.
Private and Mrs. Trujillo were born and reared in Deming, where he joined the New Mexico National Guard.
Private Trujillo came to Fort Bliss, where he was in training for 15 months and was with one of the first groups of soldiers to leave the U.S. for the Philippines.
The last time Mrs. Trujillo heard from her husband was on Feb. 12.
The baby was born in Beaumont Hospital March 3 and his mother was going to name him Charles Ramon. Her attending doctor suggested that she call him Charles Douglas Ramon after Gen. Douglas MacArthur, under whom her husband was fighting.
Mrs. Trujillo has been employed in the Fort Bliss Post Exchange No. 14. Because she was employed she sent her baby to Deming to be cared for by her mother. When she learned the baby was ill she sent for him immediately.
He arrived in El Paso Saturday and was taken to William Beaumont Hospital, where he was put under an oxygen tent. Doctors were unable, however, to save the life of Private Trujillo's son.
His body was sent to Deming Monday night by Barry Hagedon Funeral Home.
Besides his parents, the baby is survived by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Agapito Torres, of Deming. Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 07 July 1942, page 1.
Infant Son Of Man Lost On Bataan Buried
Funeral services were held in Deming, N. M., today for the four-month-old son of a former Ft. Bliss soldier who was lost with his regiment on Bataan.
The child, son of Pvt. and Mrs. Carlos Trujillo, died at William Beaumont General Hospital of pneumonia. The baby was named Charles Douglas Ramo Trujillo, for Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was Private Trujillo's commander on Bataan.
Private Trujillo served with the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment of New Mexico.
Mrs. Trujillo last heard from her husband Feb. 12. Private Trujillo knew that he was to become a father, but never learned that the baby actually was born. Source: El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 07 July 1942, page 12.
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Because of the poor health of the men from O'Donnell, the death rate at Camp #1 soared. Private Carlos T. Turrieta (S/N 20842534), age 24, 200th Coast Artillery, died at 04:10 p.m. on 12 September 1942, of dysentery in Barracks No. 3, Cabanatuan Prison Camp hospital. Home address: 304 West 1st st., Deming, New Mexico; Next of Kin: mother, Mrs. G. B. Turrieta, same address. He had no belongings. Carlos was one of ten men to die that day, the 1,670th prisoner to die since the camp opened. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, 2,764 Americans had died at Cabanatuan in 2½ years. 90% of the POW deaths in Cabanatuan were men who were captured on Bataan. He was buried in a communal grave No. 430 in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs who died during that day.
PRISONERS OF JAPANESE
Names of additional New Mexico boys who are prisoners of the Japanese were reported this week to their families by the War Department. Those reported were Privates ... and Carlos T. Turrieta. Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 05 February 1943, page 4.
Sadly he was already dead by then. Four months later in June 1943 his family received word that Private Carlos T. Turrieta had died in a Japanese Prison Camp.
Prisoner Dies
Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta, who was a member of the 200th Coast Artillery, died on *June 11th in the Philippines where he was a prisoner of the Japanese, his wife was notified. Mrs. Turrieta is a dental assistant at the Station Hospital at the Deming Air Base
*he died 12 September 1942
Source: El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas), Tuesday, 29 June 1943, page 8.
"His name was included in a list of 17 New Mexicans who died in the camps, the Associated Press reported.
"Out of a total of 13,274 Army personnel now listed as prisoners of the Japanese, the War Department said it now had been notified by the Japanese through the International Red Cross of the deaths of 600 American soldiers in prison camps since the fall of Bataan and Corregidor. Other New Mexicans listed as dead were ..." Source: The Albuquerque Tribune (Albuquerque, New Mexico), Saturday, 03 July 1943, page 2.
REQUIEM MASS
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta with the sympathy of Mrs. Carlos T. Turrieta, at St, Ann's Church, Sunday, July 11th at 9:30 A. M. Source: The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Friday, 09 July 1943, page 4.
After the war, all the remains in the Cabanatuan Prison cemetery that could be found were disinterred (between December 1945 - February 1946) and brought to 7747 USAF Cemetery, Manila #2, Philippine Islands. The deceased in Manila #2 (over 11,000 American soldiers) rested there until their removal to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum in the summer of 1948. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (*sister, Georgia Sarah Trujillo Oberman), Private Carlos T. Turrieta remains were brought back to the U.S.
*his wife had remarried by then
Bodies of 15 War Victims Returned
Bodies of 15 Southwesterners who died in World War II have been returned to the United States from the Pacific area aboard the U.S. Army Transport Pvt. John R. Towle.
Names of those being returned and their next of kin are as follows: ... Pvt. Carlos T. Turrieta, Mrs. Harry Overman, 2304 Federal Street, El Paso; ... Source: El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas), Friday, 17 June 1949, page 17.
On 25 July 1949, Private Carlos Trujillo Turrieta was buried in his final resting place in Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas – Plot E. Grave 9400.
He also has a cenotaph in the Mountain View Cemetery, Deming, Luna County, New Mexico.
Of the 1,809 men of 200th & 515th Coast Artillery, 829 did not make it home.
His widow, Adela Torres Turrieta married Clyde John Jones in 1944. They were married for 65 years and had two daughters.
Adela Torres Jones (07 April 1921 • Tyrone, Grant County, New Mexico – 12 June 2009 • Pelzer, Anderson County, South Carolina).
