William J. Batton was born in 1915, in Mississippi. He was the son of Harvey A. Batton. He was employed in the building of aircraft before enlisting in the Army Air Corps on January 23, 1941. He served in the 4th Chemical Company, Aviation, as a Corporal during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, Cpl Batton 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.

Cpl Batton was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on July 3, 1942. He is now buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Source of information: www.livescience.com