Ronald Gorrie MacDonald was born on May 28, 1898, in Fulton County, Georgia, and graduated from the University of North Carolina before entering the U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1922. Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he rose through the ranks to become a Lieutenant Colonel, serving in posts such as Panama, Fort Benning, Hawaii, Washington, and finally the Philippines. In 1933, he married Alice Codwise, and they had two children, Ronald Jr. and Frances.

During World War II, he fought in the Philippines and was eventually captured by the Japanese, becoming a prisoner of war under Japanese captivity. He endured the infamous Death March and multiple transfers between camps, including O’Donnell, Cabanatuan, Davao, Bilibid, and finally the transport ships “Oryoku Maru,” “Enoura Maru,” and “Brazil Maru.” During these transfers, prisoners were crammed into holds without food, water, or ventilation, suffering days of thirst, starvation, and exposure, with many dying from dehydration, wounds, or delirium. Survivors were subjected to bombings, strafing, and further deprivation, with rations reduced to a spoonful of water or rice. MacDonald survived these brutal conditions, but upon reaching Japan, he was placed in a prison camp where, after six days, he succumbed on February 5, 1945, from starvation, dehydration, and related illnesses. He is now buried in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com