Glen Mather “Buddy” Milstead Jr. was born on March 4, 1918, in Brashear, Adair County, Missouri. He was the son of Glen Mather Milstead Sr. and Hazel Fern Magruder Wilsey McPeek. He enlisted in the service on July 18, 1941. He served in the US Army as a Private during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, Pvt Milstead 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.

Pvt Milstead was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity in 1942. He is now buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Breckenridge, Caldwell County, Missouri, USA.

Source of information: www.livescience.com