Berchell Keeling

Tech Sergeant

BIRTH, 9 MAY 1923 • Washington County, Kentucky, United States of America DEATH, 1 JUL 1942 DIED OF DYSENTERY • Japanese POW Camp Cabanatuan, Philippines. Highest Grade Completed; Elementary school, 8th grade. Occupation; Laborer.” ... (He was not married)

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Berchell Keeling Technical Sergeant Berchell Keeling enlisted in the Harrodsburg National Guard some time before the unit was activated in November 1940. He was taken prisoner and held at Cabanatuan. He died of dysentery on 1 July 1942.

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(NOTE; He has 2 “Find A Grave Memorials” in his name.) #1. Tec 4 Birchell Keeling BIRTH, 9 May 1923, Washington County, Kentucky, USA DEATH, 1 Jul 1942 (aged 19), Philippines MEMORIAL SITE*, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines, * A structure erected in honor of someone whose remains lie elsewhere. PLOT, Tablets of the Missing MEMORIAL ID, 56761318 Gravesite Details Entered the service from Kentucky

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#2. Birchell Keeling BIRTH, 9 May 1923, Washington County, Kentucky, USA DEATH, 1 Jul 1942 (aged 19), Bataan Province, Central Luzon, Philippines BURIAL, Spring Hill Cemetery, Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky, USA MEMORIAL ID, 140704300 This is a memorial Born in Washington county, He was the son of Cecil and Rose Keeling. He was the older brother of Ann Keeling Walls, Juanita Keeling Moss, Curtis and J.C. Keeling, and Billy Eugene Keeling. Birchell was inducted in the U.S. Army on Nov. 25, 1940, he trained at Fort Knox and Camp Polk, LA. He was sent overseas to the Philippines and was at the Battle of Luzon and Battle of Bataan. He was a POW, Philippine Island, Cabanatuan. Birchell was one of many from Mercer County, KY, that was on the "Death March." He died in a prisoner of war camp, July 1, 1942 of dysentery. He was buried in a mass grave, to date remains unfound. This young man was a Christian. note: The in the photo Birchell Keeling is on the left, the smaller man on the right is his cousin Earl Fowler

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