WWII US Army, PVT, KIA South Pacific
William Tollie Miller was one of ten children of Herman Lee and Lillian (Lyell) Miller. He was born on a farm on Dry Hollow Road outside of Cumberland Furnace, Dickson County, Tennessee on Mar 5, 1917. Tollie grew up living and helping around the farm as any youth would have during the 1920's and early 30's. During the depression, he got a job working in the laundry at a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp.
Tollie enlisted in the US Army on 30 Jun 1941 at Fort Oglethrope, GA. After basic training he was shipped to the South Pacific. Later, he was captured by the Japanese Army during the fighting in the Philippines. Tollie, along with 1,780 other POWs (a mix of military personnel and civilian detainees), were being transported from the Philippines to other camps in Manchuria, China or Japan in the Japanese Freighter, Arisan Maru. On October 24, 1944 the ship was torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine, USN Shark (SS 314). Unfortunately the Shark was lost during the battle as well. Of the 1,781 American POWs aboard the Arisan Maru, all of them escaped the sinking ship however they were not rescued by the Japanese. In the end, only nine of the prisoners survived the sinking; four were recaptured, and five made it safely to China in a dingy. It was assumed Tollie was one of the many lost at sea since his body was never recovered.
Tollie shares a grave memorial with a brother and sister in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
William Tollie Miller was one of ten children of Herman Lee and Lillian (Lyell) Miller. He was born on a farm on Dry Hollow Road outside of Cumberland Furnace, Dickson County, Tennessee on Mar 5, 1917. Tollie grew up living and helping around the farm as any youth would have during the 1920's and early 30's. During the depression, he got a job working in the laundry at a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp.
Tollie enlisted in the US Army on 30 Jun 1941 at Fort Oglethrope, GA. After basic training he was shipped to the South Pacific. Later, he was captured by the Japanese Army during the fighting in the Philippines. Tollie, along with 1,780 other POWs (a mix of military personnel and civilian detainees), were being transported from the Philippines to other camps in Manchuria, China or Japan in the Japanese Freighter, Arisan Maru. On October 24, 1944 the ship was torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine, USN Shark (SS 314). Unfortunately the Shark was lost during the battle as well. Of the 1,781 American POWs aboard the Arisan Maru, all of them escaped the sinking ship however they were not rescued by the Japanese. In the end, only nine of the prisoners survived the sinking; four were recaptured, and five made it safely to China in a dingy. It was assumed Tollie was one of the many lost at sea since his body was never recovered.
Tollie shares a grave memorial with a brother and sister in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
WWII US Army, PVT, KIA South Pacific
William Tollie Miller was one of ten children of Herman Lee and Lillian (Lyell) Miller. He was born on a farm on Dry Hollow Road outside of Cumberland Furnace, Dickson County, Tennessee on Mar 5, 1917. Tollie grew up living and helping around the farm as any youth would have during the 1920's and early 30's. During the depression, he got a job working in the laundry at a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp.
Tollie enlisted in the US Army on 30 Jun 1941 at Fort Oglethrope, GA. After basic training he was shipped to the South Pacific. Later, he was captured by the Japanese Army during the fighting in the Philippines. Tollie, along with 1,780 other POWs (a mix of military personnel and civilian detainees), were being transported from the Philippines to other camps in Manchuria, China or Japan in the Japanese Freighter, Arisan Maru. On October 24, 1944 the ship was torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine, USN Shark (SS 314). Unfortunately the Shark was lost during the battle as well. Of the 1,781 American POWs aboard the Arisan Maru, all of them escaped the sinking ship however they were not rescued by the Japanese. In the end, only nine of the prisoners survived the sinking; four were recaptured, and five made it safely to China in a dingy. It was assumed Tollie was one of the many lost at sea since his body was never recovered.
Tollie shares a grave memorial with a brother and sister in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
William Tollie Miller was one of ten children of Herman Lee and Lillian (Lyell) Miller. He was born on a farm on Dry Hollow Road outside of Cumberland Furnace, Dickson County, Tennessee on Mar 5, 1917. Tollie grew up living and helping around the farm as any youth would have during the 1920's and early 30's. During the depression, he got a job working in the laundry at a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp.
Tollie enlisted in the US Army on 30 Jun 1941 at Fort Oglethrope, GA. After basic training he was shipped to the South Pacific. Later, he was captured by the Japanese Army during the fighting in the Philippines. Tollie, along with 1,780 other POWs (a mix of military personnel and civilian detainees), were being transported from the Philippines to other camps in Manchuria, China or Japan in the Japanese Freighter, Arisan Maru. On October 24, 1944 the ship was torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine, USN Shark (SS 314). Unfortunately the Shark was lost during the battle as well. Of the 1,781 American POWs aboard the Arisan Maru, all of them escaped the sinking ship however they were not rescued by the Japanese. In the end, only nine of the prisoners survived the sinking; four were recaptured, and five made it safely to China in a dingy. It was assumed Tollie was one of the many lost at sea since his body was never recovered.
Tollie shares a grave memorial with a brother and sister in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
Inscription
US Army WW II / on stone with Mary Alice & Charles Edward Miller
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