John Hall Owings Jr. was born on November 23, 1917, in Howard County, Maryland. He was the son of John Hall Owings Sr. and Mary Eleanor "Nell" Hutchins Owings. He served in the 93rd Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Heavy, 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 Owings 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 Owings was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on May 26, 1942. He is now buried in the Baltimore National Cemetery, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland, USA.

Source of information: www.livescience.com