Everett Preston – Harrodsburg Tanker

Everett Rogers Preston

2nd Lieutenant

1917–1945 BIRTH 27 OCTOBER 1917 • Mercer County, Kentucky, USA DEATH 21 APR 1945 • died at a Japanese POW Camp Fukuoka Camp #1-D for work in the Onoda Coal Mine. He died of Acute Enteritis; Buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA; PLOT, SECTION 82, SITE 1B-1D, MEMORIAL ID, 42293992 Education; 4 years of high school. Civil Occupation; Clerks, general office.” ... (He was not married)

Everett R. Preston Second Lieutenant Everett R. Preston joined the Harrodsburg National Guard at some time before the unit was activated in November 1940. During his time on Bataan, Everett was assigned to C and A Companies. He was wounded on 2 February 1942 in an engagement against the Japanese and received the Purple Heart. He was taken prisoner on 9 April 1942. He survived the Death March. He was held at Camp O'Donnell, Cabanatuan and Bilibid Prison. He was put aboard the Erie Maru for Davao on Mindano. He was again put on board a Hell Ship, the Yashu Maru and taken to Cebu to Manila on the Singoto Maru back to Bilibid Prison. He was put on another Hell Ship, the Oryoku Maru bound for Takao, Formosa. The ship was attacked by Navy planes seventeen times before sunset and six bombs hit the ship. The next day the Navy resumed the attack. The POWs were finally swam ashore near Olongapa, Subic Bay, Luzon as the Navy planes realized it was a prisoner transport and stopped the attack. The surviving prisoners were moved by train to Manilia and put aboard the Enoura Maru bound for Formosa. The ship was bombed and sunk by American planes on January 13, 1945, while it was still docked. Two days later, he boarded the Brazil Maru enroute to Moji, Japan. By the time he arrived and was sent to Fukuoka Camp #1-D for work in the Onoda Coal Mine. He died of Acute Enteritis on April 21, 1945. His remains were returned to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis after the war.

(NOTE; He has 2 “Find A Grave Memorials” in his name.) #1. “2 LT Everett Rogers Preston BIRTH, 27 Oct 1917, Mercer County, Kentucky, USA DEATH, 21 Apr 1945 (aged 27), Japan BURIAL, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA PLOT, SECTION 82, SITE 1B-1D MEMORIAL ID, 42293992 2 LT, 192 TANK BN WORLD WAR II During World War II, Everett served in the Philippines against the Imperial Japanese Invasion. He became a POW and endured the Bataan Death March.

#2. “Everett Rogers Preston BIRTH, 27 Oct 1917, Mercer County, Kentucky, USA DEATH, 21 Apr 1945 (aged 27) BURIAL, Spring Hill Cemetery, Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky, USA MEMORIAL ID, 119950323 (*Note: he is not buried here; this is only a memorial.) "In memory of Everett Rogers Preston, 2nd LT US Army WWII, October 27, 1917 April 21, 1945, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart - POW". For another memorial, click on: Everett R. Preston. He was on the Death March after tortuous trips on ships and died in a Japanese prison camp of enteritis (we think) when he was only 28. [Source: niece Diane Fallis]