TINKER, CHARLES RICHARD (24), Seaman First Class (no. 3813994), Arisan Maru, US Navy, °14/06/1920 ~ †24/10/1944
Born Ernestville, Unicoi County, Tennessee
Father, Jesse Tinker
Wife, Mrs. Dorothy R. Tinker, 1110 St. Mary's Road, Tucson, Ariz.
POW casualty of the Japanese hell ship Arisan Maru
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ARISAN MARU - THE GREATEST LOSS OF AMERICAN LIFE IN MARITIME HISTORY

On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from American submarine USS Shark (not knowing the Japanese freighter was carrying US POW) in the South China Sea, 200 miles N.W. of Luzon Island, Philippines. Arisan Maru was carrying 1782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan.

After 2 Japanese destroyers attacked and sank USS Shark they returned to Arisan Maru to look for survivors. No POWs were killed by the torpedo strikes and nearly all were able to leave the ship's holds but the Japanese did not rescue any of the POW that day, only Japanese. Japanese destroyers even deliberately pulled away from the men struggling in the water to reach them. 1777 POW died.

Only 9 of the prisoners aboard survived the event. Five escaped and made their way to China in one of the ship's two lifeboats. They were reunited with U.S. Forces and returned to the United States. The four others were later recaptured by Imperial Japanese naval vessels, where one died shortly after reaching land.

This makes Arisa Maru the greatest loss of American life in maritime history.
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Suggested edit:
Charles Richard Tinker, Seaman, first class, United States Navy was stationed aboard submarine tender USS Canopus (AS-9) when she received severe damage from being hit by heavy bombers on December 29, 1941. She lost six of her crew in the attack, with another six wounded. She was later scuttled off Manila Bay rather than face capture by the enemy. Her crew was used in the defense of Bataan and Corregidor. A large number of her crew died in the Philippine Islands, during transport to POW camps in Japan, or in the camps themselves.
S1 Tinker died when Arisan Maru, transporting Allied Prisoners of War from the Philippines to Japan, was sunk by USS Shark (SS-314). He was awarded the Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medals.

TINKER, CHARLES RICHARD (24), Seaman First Class (no. 3813994), Arisan Maru, US Navy, °14/06/1920 ~ †24/10/1944
Born Ernestville, Unicoi County, Tennessee
Father, Jesse Tinker
Wife, Mrs. Dorothy R. Tinker, 1110 St. Mary's Road, Tucson, Ariz.
POW casualty of the Japanese hell ship Arisan Maru
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARISAN MARU - THE GREATEST LOSS OF AMERICAN LIFE IN MARITIME HISTORY

On 24th October 1944 Arisan Maru carrying 1782 US POW was hit by 3 torpedoes from American submarine USS Shark (not knowing the Japanese freighter was carrying US POW) in the South China Sea, 200 miles N.W. of Luzon Island, Philippines. Arisan Maru was carrying 1782 US prisoners, 125 Japanese passengers and 204 crew from Manila to Japan.

After 2 Japanese destroyers attacked and sank USS Shark they returned to Arisan Maru to look for survivors. No POWs were killed by the torpedo strikes and nearly all were able to leave the ship's holds but the Japanese did not rescue any of the POW that day, only Japanese. Japanese destroyers even deliberately pulled away from the men struggling in the water to reach them. 1777 POW died.

Only 9 of the prisoners aboard survived the event. Five escaped and made their way to China in one of the ship's two lifeboats. They were reunited with U.S. Forces and returned to the United States. The four others were later recaptured by Imperial Japanese naval vessels, where one died shortly after reaching land.

This makes Arisa Maru the greatest loss of American life in maritime history.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Suggested edit:
Charles Richard Tinker, Seaman, first class, United States Navy was stationed aboard submarine tender USS Canopus (AS-9) when she received severe damage from being hit by heavy bombers on December 29, 1941. She lost six of her crew in the attack, with another six wounded. She was later scuttled off Manila Bay rather than face capture by the enemy. Her crew was used in the defense of Bataan and Corregidor. A large number of her crew died in the Philippine Islands, during transport to POW camps in Japan, or in the camps themselves.
S1 Tinker died when Arisan Maru, transporting Allied Prisoners of War from the Philippines to Japan, was sunk by USS Shark (SS-314). He was awarded the Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medals.