James Howard Hazlewood was born on February 3, 1908, in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas. He was the son of Hugh Howard Hazlewood and Helen Alice Lewis Hazlewood. He was married to Mary 'Margaret' Kiniry Hazlewood. He served in the Coast Artillery Corps as a Major during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, Maj Hazlewood 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.

Maj Hazlewood was among the 200th men transported by the Japanese to Camp O'Donnell. Upon arrival, during a "shakedown," he was discovered carrying Japanese items. As a result, he was executed alongside several other members who were found with items of Japanese origin. He was reported missing and officially declared dead on April 22, 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, www.findagrave.com