James Raymond Thwaits was born on October 18, 1907, in Grant County, New Mexico. He was the son of James Prior Thwaits. He was married to Evelyn Pickens Thwaits. He served in the 515th Coast Artillery Regiment as a Captain during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, Cpt Thwaits 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.

Cpt Thwaits was reported missing and officially declared dead on April 22, 1942. His name is memorialized in the Walls of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph in Masonic Cemetery, Las Cruces, Doña Ana County, New Mexico, USA.

Source of information: www.livescience.com