Memorials › PFC Emil W. Palanuk

PFC Emil W. Palanuk

1913 – 24 Oct 1944

Birth	1913
Death	24 Oct 1944
Cemetery	Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila , Capital District , National Capital Region , Philippines
Added by	E. on 30 Jan 2024
FaG	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56790241

Bio

PALANUK, Emil W , Private First Class, 59th Coast Artillery Regiment, U.S. Army, Service no. 19014615, Enl: Oregon, 24/10/1944 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.

Inscription

PALANUK EMIL W - PFC - 59 CA REGT - OREGON

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