Pvt. John Avila was a member of B Company, 192nd Tank Battalion. The company was made up of Illinois National Guardsmen. He volunteered to join the battalion as a replacement for a National Guardsman who was released from federal service.
John fought in some of the first tank battles of World War II involving American tanks. On April 9, 1942, he became a Prisoner of War and took part in the Bataan Death March. He was held as a POW at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan. John was sent to Davao, Mindanao with other POWs to build runways at an airfield.
As American forces approached the Philippines, John and the other POWs were put on the Shinyo Maru for Manila. The ship was attacked by an American submarine. As the POWs attempted to escape the ship's holds, they were shot. The Japanese used small boats to hunt down the POWs who had made it safely into the water. When they found a POW, they shot him. It is not known when or how he died, but Pvt. John Avila is listed as dying in the sinking of the Shinyo Maru.
For more information, go to:
www.bataanproject.com/Avila.html
John fought in some of the first tank battles of World War II involving American tanks. On April 9, 1942, he became a Prisoner of War and took part in the Bataan Death March. He was held as a POW at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan. John was sent to Davao, Mindanao with other POWs to build runways at an airfield.
As American forces approached the Philippines, John and the other POWs were put on the Shinyo Maru for Manila. The ship was attacked by an American submarine. As the POWs attempted to escape the ship's holds, they were shot. The Japanese used small boats to hunt down the POWs who had made it safely into the water. When they found a POW, they shot him. It is not known when or how he died, but Pvt. John Avila is listed as dying in the sinking of the Shinyo Maru.
For more information, go to:
www.bataanproject.com/Avila.html
Pvt. John Avila was a member of B Company, 192nd Tank Battalion. The company was made up of Illinois National Guardsmen. He volunteered to join the battalion as a replacement for a National Guardsman who was released from federal service.
John fought in some of the first tank battles of World War II involving American tanks. On April 9, 1942, he became a Prisoner of War and took part in the Bataan Death March. He was held as a POW at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan. John was sent to Davao, Mindanao with other POWs to build runways at an airfield.
As American forces approached the Philippines, John and the other POWs were put on the Shinyo Maru for Manila. The ship was attacked by an American submarine. As the POWs attempted to escape the ship's holds, they were shot. The Japanese used small boats to hunt down the POWs who had made it safely into the water. When they found a POW, they shot him. It is not known when or how he died, but Pvt. John Avila is listed as dying in the sinking of the Shinyo Maru.
For more information, go to:
www.bataanproject.com/Avila.html
John fought in some of the first tank battles of World War II involving American tanks. On April 9, 1942, he became a Prisoner of War and took part in the Bataan Death March. He was held as a POW at Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan. John was sent to Davao, Mindanao with other POWs to build runways at an airfield.
As American forces approached the Philippines, John and the other POWs were put on the Shinyo Maru for Manila. The ship was attacked by an American submarine. As the POWs attempted to escape the ship's holds, they were shot. The Japanese used small boats to hunt down the POWs who had made it safely into the water. When they found a POW, they shot him. It is not known when or how he died, but Pvt. John Avila is listed as dying in the sinking of the Shinyo Maru.
For more information, go to:
www.bataanproject.com/Avila.html
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Texas.
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