Sam S. Fairchild was born on October 22, 1922. He was the son of Mitchell Cleveland Fairchild and Frances Emma "Frankie" Vaughan Fairchild. He served in the US Army Air Forces 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 Fairchild 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 Fairchild was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on May 20, 1942. He is now buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, USA.

Source of information: www.livescience.com