"My mental attitude was better than other POWs who were sick with malaria and dysentery." (Video Interview)

William S. Allen

William Allen War: World War II, 1939-1946 Branch: Army Unit: Company B, 194th Tank Battalion Service Location: St. Joseph, Missouri; Fort Lewis, Washington; Philippines Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant POW: Yes Place of Birth: Union Star, MO

Army Sergeant William Allen had a front-row seat for America's entry into World War II. He was stationed at Clark Field in the Philippines when Japanese forces attacked at the same time they were hitting Pearl Harbor. Four months later, U.S. forces on the islands had to surrender to the Japanese, and Allen joined thousands of GIs and Filipinos on the Bataan Death March. Miraculously avoiding illness, Allen kept his spirits up, volunteering for work details in order to get better rations. He survived transport to Japan in one of the notorious hell ships, and war's end found him working in railroad yards north of Tokyo.