Franck Wilmer Henry

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Wilmer Henry Franck is honored on the following 1 monument(s) in our database:

Battling Bastards Of Bataan Monument

Name:

Wilmer Henry Franck

Rank:

Technician 5th Grade

Serial Number:

37025321

Unit:

194th Tank Battalion

Date of Death:

1942-05-27

State:

Minnesota

Cemetery:

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

Wilmer Henry Franck was born on April 9, 1917, in Carver County, Minnesota. He was the son of William Casper Franck and Frieda A. Bartels Franck. He served in the 194th Tank Battalion 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 Franck 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 Franck was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on May 27, 1942. He is now buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Source of information: www.livescience.com