Herbert Steele – Harrodsburg Tanker

Herbert C. Steele

Sergeant

1919–1942 BIRTH 12 MAR 1919 • Mercer County, Kentucky, USA DEATH 13 JUN 1942 • Japanese POW Camp O'Donnell, where he died of dysentery. Buried at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines, PLOT, Plot L, Row 1, Grave 140; MEMORIAL ID, 56763635 Highest Grade Completed; Elementary school, 8th grade. Occupation; Farm hands, general farms. (He was married, but no children)

Herbert C. Steele Private Herbert C. Steele enlisted in the Harrodsburg National Guard unit at some time before they were activated in November 1940. He was taken prisoner 9 April 1942 and survived the Death March. He was held at Camp O'Donnell where he died of dysentery on 13 June 1942.

Sgt Herbert Steele BIRTH, 12 Mar 1919, Mercer County, Kentucky, USA DEATH, 14 Jun 1942 (aged 23), Philippines BURIAL, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines PLOT, Plot L, Row 1, Grave 140 MEMORIAL ID, 56763635 In 1940, Herbert and his bride Sally resided in Harrodsburg, Kentucky with his mother Miranda Watts Steele (1940 Census). Herbert served with the 192nd Tank Battalion defending the Philippines against the Imperial Japanese Invasion. The 192nd covered the retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. They defended the air field, the beaches, and supported the Infantry. On 8 Apr 1942, the 192nd received the codeword "Crash", which was the order to destroy their remaining Stuart tanks. On 9 Apr 1942, Bataan surrendered and the infamous Bataan Death March followed. Herbert survived the march, but lost his life to dysentery while a POW of the Japanese. Gravesite Details Headstone erroneously indicates 194th Tank Battalion.