Andersen Walter Pat

Name:

Walter Pat Andersen

Rank:

Private First Class

Serial Number:

273370

Unit:

United States Marine Corps

Date of Death:

1942-10-01

State:

Oregon

Cemetery:

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

Plot:

Walls of the Missing

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Purple Heart

Comments:

Walter Pat “Wallie” Andersen was born on June 22, 1921, in Condon, Gilliam County, Oregon. He was the son of Irma Solle Andersen. He served in the United States Marine Corps as a Private First Class during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, PFC Andersen 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.

PFC Andersen was reported missing and officially declared dead on October 1, 1942. His name is memorialized in the Walls of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Source of information: www.livescience.com