Comments on: Morrison-Knudsen & Wake Island POWs

By: Molly Pratt

Molly Pratt — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:39:29 +0000

Here is a list of the names of the men that were not rescued by our government. This act of cowardice by the Japanese officials will not be forgotten.

Based upon monument names & cross referenced with CPNAB Missing List- Other civilian men had perished earlier but rosters not available. History of Wake Island capture; Link to Story of Massacre Monument [Complete list of military available upon request]

NAME HOME TOWN Abbott, Cyrus W. Jr.,Oakland CA Allen, Horace Lester,Sacramento CA Anderson, Norman Alfred,Portland OR Andre, Roland Albert,Pendleton OR Anvick, Allen Elmer,Eureka CA Baasch, Carl Alfred,Walkerton IN Bellanger, George,San Francisco CA Bowcutt, Don R.,Logan UT Boyce, David M.,Grand Island NB Cantry, Charles Arthur,San Francisco CA Carlson, Stanley A.,Portland OR Cavanagh, Allen Alonzo,San Francisco CA Chambers, David Samuel,Grants Pass OR Chard, Donley Dean,Wake Island Cormier, Louis Marcel,Ozone Park NY Cox, Karl Leslie,Asotin WA Cummings, David Edgar,San Jose CA Cunha, James Alexander,San Francisco CA Davis, Joseph Royal,Mullan ID Dean, George W.,Emmett ID Dobyns, Harold Leonard,Vallejo CA Dogger, Martin, Dreyer, Henry Milton,Aplington IA Dunn, Joseph Morris,Boise ID Fenex, Jack Anderson,Cody WY Flint, Howard Allen,Idaho Falls ID Fontes, Glen B.,Emmett ID Forsberg, Floyd Frederick,Hollywood CA Francis, Dale Gale,Bell CA French, Albert Peter,San Francisco CA Froberger, Lawrence George,Brooklyn NY Gerdin, William Paul,Little Falls NY Gibbs, Charles A.,St Petersburg FL,CPNAB says George Ernest Goembel, Clarence Robert,Los Angeles CA Haight, Ralph,Winfield IA,CPNAB says Henry John Haines, William Henry,Boise ID Hansen, John Vernon Leroy,Wahoo NB Harris, George,Redwood City CA Harvey, Wilbur C.,Kittery ME Hastie, Frank,Charleston WV Hettick, Howard LeRoy,Rome NY Hochstein, Ernest August,Newberg OR Jenson, George A.,Parlier CA,CPNAB says Jensen Jones, Alfred Alyayne,San Bernadino CA Keeler, Ora Kenneth,Waterloo IA Kelly, Martin T.,Roseburg OR Kennedy, Thomas Francis,San Francisco CA Kidwell, Charles Allen,Alton IL Kroeger, Woodrow,not on CPNAB list Light, Rolland Edwin,Noonan ND Ling, Henry,not on CPNAB list Lythgoe, Gene,Vancouver WA Marshall, Irving Earl,Lowville NY Martin, John,Spokane WA McDaniel, James Benjamin,Los Angeles CA McInnes, Thomas Laertos,Long Beach CA Migacz, Frank,Milwaukee WI Migacz, Melvin,Milwaukee WI Miller, Irwin Edward,Price ND Mitchell, Howard H.,Duchesne UT Mitchell, Wayne Elmo,Duchesne UT Mittendorf, Joseph F.,Mayer AZ Mueller, Carl W.,Patchogue NY Myers, Richard Beverly,Clarkston WA Olmstead, Cliff Anicel,Gridley CA Pease, Gordon Henry,Lander WY Pratt, Archie Hayes,Los Angeles CA Preston, Donald William,Lewiston ID Rankin, Morton Banning,Seattle WA Ray, William Henry Jr.,Downer Grove IL Reynolds, William Harrison,Cherryville OR Robbins, Sheldon Grant,Los Angeles CA Schemel, Charles Martin,Uniontown WA Schottler, Herman,Redwood City CA Shank, Lawton Ely [MD],Brook IN Shepard, Orrin Randall,Portland OR Sherman, Glenwood Harold,Rockford IL Suriner, Gould Henry,Sioux City IA Sigman, Russell James,Idaho Falls ID Simpers, William Thomas,Wapati WY Smith, Charles Elmer,Grant FL St John, Francis Carl,Pacagoula MS Stone, Willis Charles,San Francisco CA Streblow, Alvin Louis,Wisconsin Rapid WI Stringer, Wesley Wayne,Lakeview OR Susee, Arthur Joseph,Hillsboro OR Tart, Leroy Franklin,Portland OR,CPNAB says Lacy Franklin Thompson, Glenn Harold,Cadiz OH Tucker, Earl Edward,Macdoel CA Vancil, Vernon,Snyder CO Van Valkenburg, Ralph William,Tacoma WA Vent, Glen,Modesto CA Villines, Charles Mahona,Salt Lake City UT Williamson, Frank E.,Tacoma WA Wilper, Redmond James,Boise ID Woods, Charles,National City CA Yuen, Harry T.K.,Honolulu HI

By: Molly Pratt

Molly Pratt — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:32:26 +0000

Thank you Bonnie Gilbert for letting us have a look at Wake Island. Your efforts are so welcome to me, and my family.

I'm so happy the " Rock " is going to be protected. It's a symbol of strength from those 98 helpless men abandoned by our government.

Yes I am very unhappy about the way they were murdered, and why they weren't rescued. Sixty nine years has not lessened the pain of the loss.

By: Lorie Bell

Lorie Bell — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:45:58 +0000

I was glad to find this website.My grandfather was on Wake island at this time also.His name was Lawrence Wedin,he has since passed away in 1997.I was glad to see that these men have not been forgotten.He ,too was on Wake,as a civilan construction worker.He came home to find everything had changed in his family,also too have horrible nightmares.Glad to see they have not been forgotten.

By: Richard White

Richard White — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:09:38 +0000

The Web Site belongs to Ron Skates who was raised on Wake Island as a child. I am the organizer of the latest Wake Island Spirit Reunion to be held in Las Vegas on Sept.19 through Sept. 22, 2012 at the Riviera Hotel. Anyone that has worked or lived on Wake or just loves Wake Island as we do is invited to attend. Please contact me, Richard White, at: rjwhite222.com for all reunion information and cost. I have a lot of history on Wake myself but the best I know on this subject is Bonnie Gilbert who has posted earlier on this page. Bonnie is not working on finding relatives of the 98 civilians that were murdered by the Japanese in 1943. Two reasons: They had served their purpose and the island was under steady blockade and almost daily attacts by American Naval and Air Forces. Food was short and many were starving so the Japanese could not affort to was the food feeding these 98 brave civilian workers. I do have a list of the 98 but Bonnie Gilbert would be the one to contact as she is a great historian. Her email is: bonita.gilbert@gmail.com. There has recently been found a large group of bones and this is believed to be some of the 98. Bonnie has identified about 15 and is looking for help in trying to identify the others, if possible. Don’t forgot to contact me if you are interested in the Wake Island Spirit Reunion. Thanks to all of you for your interest in wonderful Wake Island. I worked there from 1968-1971 as an Air Traffic Controller and my wife taught in the Wake Island School which was adminisered by the Federal Aviation Agency at the time. They gave up the Island after the Viet Nam War slowed down in 1972 and gave control of the island to the Air Force.

By: Mark Kull

Mark Kull — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:26:57 +0000

I’m a grandson interested in discovering any specifics about Arthur William Yeamans. He probably went by Bill though his nickname of “Dynamite” may have been used, too. He was 41 when sent to Wake as part of the MK effort. He survived to return home with nightmares that were soothed with alcohol until his death in 1967. It is my understanding that he had compiled a diary during the pow period that he lost track of in the late ’40s. His given name wasn’t in the prose but the author may be noted by his nickname, Dynamite. mark_kull@yahoo.com

YEAMANS ARTHUR W,CIV,,BYD,CPNAB Wake,601,Fuk-06B-Mizumaki (Orio)

By: JoAnn Parrish

JoAnn Parrish — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:56:15 +0000

Ms. Bonnie Gilbert, my uncle, Lacy F. Tart was one of the 98 POW on Wake I was so glad to read your post. I have searched so long for information & pic.Please send DNA kit. email me what I need to do. thanks .

Ms. Bonnie Gilbert, email me at josaphene7 (@) netzero.net. thanks JoAnn Parrish

JoAnn

By: Shirley Forsberg

Shirley Forsberg — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:21:42 +0000

My father Harry Forsberg and his brother Roy were also civilian survivors captured on Wake. He like many others never talked much of his experiences until the last few years of his life. He also spoke kindly of the local Japanese people and their kindness. He also spoke of leaving Japan through Nagasaki not realizing the cause of the devastation and it’s potential effect on his health. There was another Forsberg on the island, no relation, that volunteered to stay behind in place of my dad to not break up the set of brothers. I can remember attending a couple of the Workers of Wake conventions in Coer d’Alene in the early 60′s. Looking back now I concur that these meetings were therapeutic in an elementary way since nothing else was available or considered beneficial at that time. I would appreciate obtaining a copy of the Blue Book when/if it becomes available.

By: John Kurt

John Kurt — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:55:42 +0000

My father Nicholas Kurt was one of the last surviving civilian contractors from Wake. He passed away at 96 yrs. of age on November 30, 2009. He enlisted as a naval rating on the island and fought with the 1st. Defense Battalion. He endured torture (bamboo canes on the bottoms of his feet) and for the first years of marriage would some times wake in the middle of the night crying out in Japanese. He was in a camp on the Japanese mainland when the war ended. He often spoke fondly of the local farmers who would offer food to POWs on work details.

By: Janice (Smith) Sether

Janice (Smith) Sether — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 18:41:32 +0000

My father,Lewis H Smith,was also captured on Wake Island. He and my mother hosted many get-togethers of Southern Oregon survivors at our home in Rogue River. This would have been an excellent time to get some first hand knowledge but we kids were not allowed to be around when the men started talking. It was strictly a time for the men to talk amongst themselves since that was the only therapy available to them. Thanks to Mary Ward the Survivors of Wake group was formed & she and her husband lived near Butte Falls,Oregon for a short time. I was 8 years old when daddy returned from Japan and I became aquainted with many of the local POW’s.

By: Phil Millard

Phil Millard — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:17:31 +0000

Please forward a DNA kit to me, my Great Uncle Carlton was one of the “Wake 98″. Either myself or my mother (Carlton’s niece would be more than happy to provide the required DNA). I will forward my mailing address.