Richard Homer “Dick” Davenport was born on August 17, 1922, in West Union, Adams County, Ohio. He was the son of Harry E. Davenport and Mildred Satterfield Davenport. He enlisted in the Army Signal Corps on February 6, 1941. He served in the Signal Air Warning Company as a Technician 5th Grade during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, T5 Davenport was one of the 10,000 to 12,000 Americans who were forced to march over 60 miles under brutal conditions, resulting in 1,000 to 5,000 deaths due to starvation, dehydration, and abuse. Survivors were sent to Camp O'Donnell, where dire conditions, including overcrowding, malnutrition, and disease, caused an additional 1,500 to 2,300 American deaths within weeks. Those who survived faced ongoing hardships, including transfers to other camps and forced labor, where many continued to suffer or die.

T5 Davenport was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on January 29, 1944. He is now buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines. T5 Davenport also has a cenotaph in Spring Grove Cemetery, Medina, Medina County, Ohio, USA.

Source of information:www.livescience.com