Willard Yeast – Harrodsburg Tanker

Willard Rue Yeast

Private

1915–1944 BIRTH 27 JUN 1915 • Mercer County, Kentucky, USA DEATH 14 DEC 1944 • Burned to death, Palawan Province, Mimaropa, Philippines; buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA; PLOT, SECTION 85, SITE 63, MEMORIAL ID, 19065444Highest Grade Completed; Elementary school, 7th grade. Occupation; Farm Labor. (He was not married.)

Willard R. Yeast Private Willard R. Yeast joined the Harrodsburg National Guard unit some time before they were activated in November 1940. He was taken prisoner on 9 April 1941. He survived the Death March. He was held at Camp O'Donnell, Cabanatuan, Batangas and Palawan Island. He died on 14 December 1944 when he was burned to death during the Palawan Island Massacre.”

PVT Willard Rue Yeast BIRTH, 27 Jun 1915, Kentucky, USA DEATH, 14 Dec 1944 (aged 29), Palawan Province, MIMAROPA, Philippines BURIAL, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA PLOT, SECTION 85, SITE 63 MEMORIAL ID, 19065444 PVT, US ARMY WORLD WAR II Palawan Massacre During World War II, in order to prevent the rescue of prisoners of war by the advancing allies, on 14 December 1944, the Japanese herded the remaining 150 POWs at Puerto Princesa into three covered trenches which were then set on fire using barrels of gasoline. As prisoners tried to escape the flames they were shot down. Some escaped by going over a cliff that ran along one side of the trenches, but were later hunted down and killed. Only 11 men escaped the slaughter and between 133 and 141 were killed. The site of the massacre can still be visited. The massacre is the premise of the recently published book "Last Man Out: Glenn McDole, USMC, Survivor of the Palawan Massacre in World War II" by Bob Wilbanks, and the opening scenes of the 2005 Miramax movie, "The Great Raid.