Wayne Simson Van Voorhis was born on December 9, 1909, in Stillwater, Churchill County, Nevada. He was the son of Walter Avery Van Voorhis and Lillian May "Lillie" Simson Pinger. He served in the 27th Materiel Squadron, 20th Air Base Group, as a First Lieutenant during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, 1Lt Van Voorhis 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.

1Lt Van Voorhis was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on July 10, 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