Ferdinand William Bartkus was born in 1918. He was the son of Anthony J. Bartkus and Anna U. Pautienus Bartkus. He served in the US Army Air Forces as a Staff Sergeant during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, SSgt Bartkus 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.

SSgt Bartkus was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity in 1942. He is now buried in the Saint Bernard Cemetery, Tariffville, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA.

Source of information: www.livescience.com