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Earl Vance Wilson

BRANCH OF SERVICE
U.S. Navy

HOMETOWN
Paoli, IN

HONORED BY
Grateful American
ACTIVITY DURING WWII
ENLISTED 16 NOVEMBER 1937 AT INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. REPORTED ABOARD THE USS MINDANAO (PR-8) A RIVER GUN BOAT AT CANTON, CHINA. FLAGSHIP OF THE SOUTH CHINA PATROL FORCE U.S. ASIATIC FLEET. SAILED FROM HONG KONG, CHINA ON 4 DECEMBER 1941 FOR MANILA BAY, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ON 10 APRIL 1942, CREW WAS ORDERED ASHORE TO HELP DEFEND FORT HUGHES, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ASSIGNED TO CRAIG HILL BATTERY. THE SHIP WAS SUNK ON 2 MAY 1942 TO AVOID CAPTURE. WAS TAKEN PRISONER BY THE JAPANESE AND MOVED TO CORREGIDOR FOR FORCE LABOR. ON 3 MAY 1942 BOARDED A JAPANESE TRANSPORT TO MANILA'S BILIBID PRISON. THEN MOVED BY BOXCAR TO PALAWAN BARRACKS PRISONER OF WAR CAMP. DIED ON 4 JULY 1943 AS A PRISONER OF WAR, NON RECOVERABLE. RATING AS MACHINIST'S MATE FIRST CLASS PETTY OFFICER.