Austin Basil A.

Name:

Basil A. Austin

Rank:

Private

Serial Number:

11013632

Unit:

16th Bombardment Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group (Light)

Date of Death:

1942-05-21

State:

Maine

Cemetery:

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines

Plot:

D

Row:

14

Grave:

131

Decoration:

Comments:

Basil A. Austin was born in 1922, in Maine. He served in the 16th Bomber Squadron, 27th Bomber Group, Light, as a Private during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, Pvt Austin was one of the 10,000 to 12,000 Americans who were forced to march over 60 miles under brutal conditions, resulting in 1,000 to 5,000 deaths due to starvation, dehydration, and abuse. Survivors were sent to Camp O'Donnell, where dire conditions, including overcrowding, malnutrition, and disease, caused an additional 1,500 to 2,300 American deaths within weeks. Those who survived faced ongoing hardships, including transfers to other camps and forced labor, where many continued to suffer or die.

Pvt Austin was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on May 21, 1942. He is now buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph in Edgewood Cemetery, Brooksville, Hancock County, Maine, USA.

Source of information: www.livescience.com