John Kenneth Wells was born on February 1, 1917, in South Carolina. He was the son of John Oliver Wells and Mary Ann Clark Wells. He served in the 19th Squadron, 20th Air Base Group, 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 Wells 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 Wells was reported missing and officially declared dead on May 8, 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. He also has a cenotaph in the Bethlehem United Methodist Church Cemetery, Davis Station, Clarendon County, South Carolina, USA.

Source of information: www.livescience.com