McVay Charles Edward

Name:

Charles Edward McVay

Rank:

Aviation Ordnanceman Second Class

Serial Number:

3461679

Unit:

United States Navy

Date of Death:

1945-06-19

State:

Arkansas

Cemetery:

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawai

Plot:

Q

Row:

Grave:

281

Decoration:

Purple Heart

Comments:

Charles Edward McVay was born on August 12, 1926. He was the son of Henry Herrell McVay and Nellie Frances Ingersoll McVay.

Charles resided in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas, prior to the war. He served as an Aviation Ordananceman Second Class in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

After being shot down by the Japanese Army, Charles was taken as a prisoner and was brought to the Taipei City prison in Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa Island) by the Japanese. While a POW in Taipei, a mock trial was held. Charles, along with 13 other American servicemen, were accused of being "war criminals" by the Japanese Army, sentenced to death, and executed. They were cremated and their ashes placed in a local Japanese Shinto temple. At the end of the war, the remains were turned over to the Allies for burial.

AOM2C McVay was interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com
Source of photo: www.powtaiwan.org