Middlesex County Massachusetts

Knowles, Frank Harrison
Army Sergeant

Frank Harrison Knowles, age 41, from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Thursday, November 2, 1950
Death details: During the last week of October 1950, Republic of Korea (ROK) Army forces under the control of the U.S. Eighth Army were advancing deep in North Korean territory, approaching the Yalu River on the Chinese-Korean border. Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) struck back in a surprise attack, engaging the ROK 1st and 6th Divisions near Unsan, some sixty miles north of Pyongyang. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, with the 8th Cavalry Regiment in the lead, was rushed forward to reinforce the ROK units in the Unsan area. On November 1, the regiment’s 1st Battalion took up positions north of Unsan, while the 2nd Battalion moved to guard the Nammyon River valley west of town, and the 3rd Battalion was placed in reserve at the valley’s southern end. Sergeant Frank Harrison Knowles, who joined the U.S. Army from Massachusetts, was a member of Battery C, 99th Field Artillery Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 1, 1950, Battery C was positioned just south of Unsan to provide support to the 8th Cavalry units in the area. By midnight, the 8th Cavalry was ordered to retreat to Ipsok, North Korea, to avoid encirclement. The 99th Field Artillery was ordered to provide cover before withdrawing itself, with the 8th Regiment?s 3rd Battalion following behind. Several members of Battery C, along with the 3rd Battalion, were caught behind enemy roadblocks on the road south from Unsan. Cut off from allied forces, these men formed a defensive perimeter that withstood enemy attack for several days before being overrun. Survivors either surrendered or broke out and attempted to evade capture. Sergeant Knowles, according to POW repatriates, died of wounds after the battle while a prisoner. His remains have not been recovered. Today, Sergeant Knowles is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Schipani, George Robert
Army Corporal

George R. Schipani from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division

Date of death: Thursday, November 2, 1950
Death details: Early in the morning of Nov. 2, 1950, Schipani’s battalion was struck by enemy units of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces. After several days of intense fighting, survivors escaped to friendly lines. Schipani was reported missing in action as of Nov. 2, 1950.At the end of the war, returning American prisoners stated that Schipani had been captured and marched to Pyoktong, Prisoner of War Camp 5, and died in February or March 1951. Based on this information, the Army declared Schipani deceased as of March 31, 1951. Remains accounted for January 30, 2019

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Fratus, Russell J.
Army 1st sergeant

Russell J. Fratus from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, October 5, 1944
Death details: Killed in action
Cemetery: Zachary Taylor National

Source: National Archives, grave marker

Davis, Edward C.
Air Force Private 1st class

Edward C. Davis from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Tuesday, November 2, 1943
Death details: Killed in action when his aircraft was shot down while trying to bomb an aircraft factory at Weiner Neustadt, Austria
Cemetery: Zachary Taylor National

Source: National Archives, grave marker, Metro West Daily News

Cannon, William E.
Army Private

William E. Cannon from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Wednesday, March 3, 1943
Death details: Following the Allied surrender on the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, the Japanese began the forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war to various prison camps in central Luzon, at the northern end of the Philippines. The largest of these camps was the notorious Cabanatuan Prison Camp. At its peak, Cabanatuan held approximately 8,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that were captured during and after the Fall of Bataan. Camp overcrowding worsened with the arrival of Allied prisoners who had surrendered from Corregidor on May 6, 1942. Conditions at the camp were poor, with food and water extremely limited, leading to widespread malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria and dysentery. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, approximately 2,800 Americans had died at Cabanatuan. Prisoners were forced to bury the dead in makeshift communal graves, often completed without records or markers. As a result, identifying and recovering remains interred at Cabanatuan was difficult in the years after the war. Private William E. Cannon entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from Massachusetts and served with Headquarters Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group in the Philippines during World War II. He was captured in Bataan following the American surrender on April 9, 1942, and died of dysentery on March 3, 1943 at the Cabanatuan Prison Camp in Nueva Ecija Province. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs; however, his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan after the war. Today, Private Cannon is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Cemetery: Manila American Cemetery

Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Wright, Ray D.
Army Private

Ray D. Wright, age 26, from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: World War II
Military history: 28 Materials Squadron 20 Air Base Group

Date of death: Saturday, December 12, 1942
Death details: Following the Allied surrender on the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, the Japanese began the forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war to various prison camps in central Luzon, at the northern end of the Philippines. The largest of these camps was the notorious Cabanatuan Prison Camp. At its peak, Cabanatuan held approximately 8,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that were captured during and after the Fall of Bataan. Camp overcrowding worsened with the arrival of Allied prisoners who had surrendered from Corregidor on May 6, 1942. Conditions at the camp were poor, with food and water extremely limited, leading to widespread malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria and dysentery. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, approximately 2,800 Americans had died at Cabanatuan. Prisoners were forced to bury the dead in makeshift communal graves, often completed without records or markers. As a result, identifying and recovering remains interred at Cabanatuan was difficult in the years after the war. Private Ray D. Wright entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from Massachusetts and served in the 28th Materials Squadron, 20th Air Base Group in the Philippines during World War II. He was captured in Bataan following the American surrender on April 9, 1942, and died of dysentery and beriberi on December 12, 1942, at the Cabanatuan Prison Camp in Nueva Ecija Province. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs; however, his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan after the war. Today, Private Wright is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Laniauskas, Peter
Army Private

Peter Laniauskas from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Monday, November 16, 1942
Death details: Following the Allied surrender on the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, the Japanese began the forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war to various prison camps in central Luzon, at the northern end of the Philippines. The largest of these camps was the notorious Cabanatuan Prison Camp. At its peak, Cabanatuan held approximately 8,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that were captured during and after the Fall of Bataan. Camp overcrowding worsened with the arrival of Allied prisoners who had surrendered from Corregidor on May 6, 1942. Conditions at the camp were poor, with food and water extremely limited, leading to widespread malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria and dysentery. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, approximately 2,800 Americans had died at Cabanatuan. Prisoners were forced to bury the dead in makeshift communal graves, often completed without records or markers. As a result, identifying and recovering remains interred at Cabanatuan was difficult in the years after the war. Private Peter Laniauskas, who joined the U.S. Army in Massachusetts, was a member of the 803rd Engineers Battalion, which was stationed in the Philippines during World War II. Following the Allied surrender on Bataan Province to the Japanese, he was taken prisoner eventually sent to the Cabanatuan Prison Camp, where he developed diphtheria and beriberi. Despite his weakened condition, Private Laniauskas attempted to escape on November 16, 1942, and was shot and killed by a Japanese sentry. Private Laniauskas was buried in a communal grave at Cabanatuan; however, he could not be associated with any of the remains recovered from the camp after the war. Today, Private Laniauskas is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Rees, Arthur
Army Private 1st class

Arthur Rees from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Wednesday, November 11, 1942
Death details: Following the Allied surrender on the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, the Japanese began the forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war to various prison camps in central Luzon, at the northern end of the Philippines. The largest of these camps was the notorious Cabanatuan Prison Camp. At its peak, Cabanatuan held approximately 8,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that were captured during and after the Fall of Bataan. Camp overcrowding worsened with the arrival of Allied prisoners who had surrendered from Corregidor on May 6, 1942. Conditions at the camp were poor, with food and water extremely limited, leading to widespread malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria and dysentery. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, approximately 2,800 Americans had died at Cabanatuan. Prisoners were forced to bury the dead in makeshift communal graves, often completed without records or markers. As a result, identifying and recovering remains interred at Cabanatuan was difficult in the years after the war. Private First Class Arthur Frederick Rees joined the U.S. Army Air Forces from Massachusetts and served with the 27th Materiel Squadron, 20th Air Base Group, which was stationed in the Philippines during World War II. He was captured in Bataan following the American surrender and died of amoebic dysentery on November 11, 1942, while interned at the Cabanatuan Prison Camp. Private First Class Rees was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs; however, his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan after the war. Today, Private First Class Rees is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Grant, Vaughn P.
Army Private

Vaughn P. Grant from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, July 26, 1942
Death details: Following the Allied surrender on the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, the Japanese began the forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war to various prison camps in central Luzon, at the northern end of the Philippines. The largest of these camps was the notorious Cabanatuan Prison Camp. At its peak, Cabanatuan held approximately 8,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that were captured during and after the Fall of Bataan. Camp overcrowding worsened with the arrival of Allied prisoners who had surrendered from Corregidor on May 6, 1942. Conditions at the camp were poor, with food and water extremely limited, leading to widespread malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria and dysentery. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, approximately 2,800 Americans had died at Cabanatuan. Prisoners were forced to bury the dead in makeshift communal graves, often completed without records or markers. As a result, identifying and recovering remains interred at Cabanatuan was difficult in the years after the war. Private Vaughn P. Grant joined the U.S. Army from Massachusetts and was a member of the 4th Chemical Services Company in the Philippines during World War II. He was captured in Bataan following the American surrender on April 9, 1942, and died of malaria on July 26, 1942, at the Cabanatuan Prison Camp in Nueva Ecija Province. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs; however, his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan after the war. Today, Private Grant is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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