Johnnie William “Henry” Bottoms – Harrodsburg Tanker

Johnnie William "Henry" Bottoms

Technical Sergeant

(Harrodsburg Tankers, WW II) 1915–1942
BIRTH 23 SEP 1915 • Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky, United States of America
DEATH 28 MAY 1942 • Died at Japanese POW Calauan Camp #3; buried at Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky, USA MEMORIAL ID, 59523938
Highest Grade Completed; High School, 2nd year.
Occupation; Clerk (He was married with 1 son.)

Technical Sergeant Johnnie Bottoms joined the Harrodsburg National Guard unit some time before they were activated. He later was assigned to Headquarters Company. He was taken prisoner on 9 April 1942 and survived the Death March arriving at Camp O’Donnell. He went out on a work detail to repair bridges. He died of malaria on 1 June 1942 at Calauan Camp #3. His remains were returned to Harrodsburg after the war.” ...

Spouse & Children Anna Mae Spoonamore, 1920–1991 Son; Johnnie William Bottoms, Jr., 1939–2006 “Sgt Johnnie W. Bottoms, Sr BIRTH, 23 Sep 1915, Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky, USA DEATH, 28 May 1942 (aged 26), Philippines BURIAL, Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky, USA MEMORIAL ID, 59523938 T/Sgt. Johnnie Bottoms was a Kentucky National Guardsman called to federal service as a member of D Company, 192nd Tank Battalion. He was transferred to Hq Company at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He took part in the Bataan Death March and was held as a Prisoner of War at Camp O'Donnell and Calauan. He died of malaria while a POW. His death bed was a wet concrete floor. After the war, his remains were returned home.”