Bataan Memorial Collection
First Row (front) Edward E. Grogg, Silas B. LeGrow*, John L. Short*, Virgil C. Janes*, Harold R. Beggs*, Wade Chio*, Chester S. DeCant, John J. Morine, John Miklo, Edsel E. Kirk, George H. Smith.
Second Row Elmer N. Smith, George S. Carr, Andrew Migala, Raymond H. Conley, Robert S. Sorensen, Joseph M. Braddock, Harold W. Collins, Arthur V. Burholt, Carl H. Meighan, Virgil M. Gordon, John R. Andrews.
Third Row Olen C. Elwell, Joseph J. Wierzchon, Henry M. Wierzba, Steve M. Eliyas, Joseph J. Hrupcho*, Joseph W. Beard, Alton M. Dodway, Kenneth E. Thompson*, Howard M. Wodrich.
Fourth Row (back) Joseph Zam, John Kovach, John D. Minier*, Jacob A. Schmidt, Rollie C. Harger, James W. O’Brien, Russell D. Simon, John G. Kolesar, Charles R. Boeshart*, Charles P. Chaffin*, John F. Reed.
* Survived the Bataan Death March and 3½ years as a Prisoner of War.
About the Bataan Death March
The Ida Rupp Public Library offers the Bataan Memorial collection, which honors the contributions of the men of Company C, 192nd Tank Battalion. Company C was a unit whose core was comprised of men from the Port Clinton area, and participated in the Bataan Death March.
Inducted into federal service on November 25, 1940, forty-two men from the Port Clinton area departed four days later for training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where more men were added to the unit. After training and maneuvers at Fort Knox and Fort Polk, Louisiana, the unit left San Francisco on October 24, 1941 for Fort Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands. Arriving November 20, 1941, Company C was just settling in when the Japanese bombed Clark Field on December 8.
Rollie Harger and John Short
The unit first saw ground combat December 22, 1941 as the enemy landed in force at Lingayen
Gulf against outnumbered Filipino-American defenders. Company C supported the allied retreat
into Bataan Peninsula while continually facing larger enemy forces and suffering the effects of
tropical disease, lack of food, ammunition and communications. After moving into Bataan, the
unit was cited for its participation during the coastal defense and front line direct support phases,
the critical “Battle of the Points” and their decisive role in the “Battle of the Pockets.”
John J. Morine, Howard M. Wodrich,
and Virgil M. Gordon
32 of the 42 men who left Port Clinton in November 1940 were with the unit on the Bataan Peninsula.
On April 9, 1942 they were captured. Only 10 of the 32 local men survived the Bataan Death March
and three and a half years as prisoners of war.
The Library’s Bataan Memorial collection consists of books, videos and DVDs, scrapbooks, and photographs
relating to the men who fought the war in the Pacific (particularly in the Philippines), their training,
the Bataan Death March, and Japanese Prison Camps. Most of these materials can be checked out.
The Bataan Memorial collection also includes personal photograph collections of three men.
John Minier Collection
A member of Company C, John Minier was a Port Clinton resident, and Death March survivor. His photographs were taken during the training at Fort Knox and in Louisiana.
LaVern Weir Collection
Though not from the area, LaVern Weir was assigned to Company C, and many of his photographs include Port Clinton men. Weir was from Cortland, Ohio and died as a POW. The photographs in this collection were taken during the training at Fort Knox and in Louisiana.
William (Bill) Lewis Collection
While not a member of Company C, Bill Lewis was a member of the United States Navy Seabees. He served in the Pacific, and was in the Philippines when they were liberated from the Japanese. His photographs cover a wide variety of locations in the Pacific.
Remembering Company C
Leonard M. Adams*
Albert L. Allen, Jr.
John R. Andrews*
Joseph W. Beard*
Harold R. Beggs
Charles R. Boeshart
James Boyle
John H. Brewer*
William Brown
Vincent R. Brown*
James M. Bryant*
James R. Burden*
Arthur V. Burholt*
Charles P. Chaffin
Earl L. Charles, Jr.*
Wade W. Chio
William Cochran*
Harold W. Collins*
Burlin C. Cupp
Thomas Davenport*
Chester S. Decant*
Vernon Deck*
Cornell Dillon*
Alton M. Dodway*
John E. Doshier*
Jack D. Driver*
David H. Duff*
Robert T. Duncan*
Robert Dunlap
Jess W. Durham*
Raymond O. Edens*
Steve M. Eliyas*
Olen C. Elwell*
Charles E. Everett*
Clifford W. Fusselman
George S. Garman
Howard R. Gasaway*
William Gentry
Raymond F. Gheen*
Melvin Giddens
James W. Gillespie*
Charles J. Gimalava
Paul A. Grassick
Edward E. Grogg*
Rollie C. Harger*
Charles C. Harmon
Marvin C. Harris
Joseph J. Hrupcho
Virgil C. Janes
Harvey A. Jennings*
Elwin C. Jones*
Lewis H. Kirby
John G. Kolesar*
John Kovach, Jr.*
Silas B. Legrow
Charles H. Looney*
Edward F. Martel
Raymond J. McCreanor
Hobart G. McVay*
John Miklo*
Robert L. Miller
John D. Minier
Thomas J. Moran*
John J. Morine*
William W. Mullins
Albert P. Naymick
Billie M. Neal*
James W. O’Brien*
Joseph P. Pevey
Lacy L. Prater
Sidney M. Ratnor*
Samuel L. Raynes
George H. Reis*
Paul E. Reutinger*
John B. Richardson
Forest E. Richeson
Charles G. Riedmiller
Elmer M. Roberts
Walter L. Robey*
John E. Robinette*
John F. Ross*
Robert A. Ruminski*
Wilbur F. Russell, Jr.
John Sandor
Jacob A. Schmidt*
John L. Short
Robert W. Shubert*
Allen F. Sills*
Russell D. Simon*
Elmer N. Smith*
Emerson P. Smith*
Robert S. Sorensen*
Garold M. Stephen*
Carl D. Stuller
Kenneth E. Thompson
George M. Verba
LaVern A. Weir*
Joseph J. Wierzchon*
Wilfred R. Willis*
Howard M. Wodrich*
Robert L. W. Young*
Joseph Zam*
George Zimmerman*
* Died in Combat, Death March, or conditions while a Prisoner of War.
Port Clinton area men highlighted in red.
Bovia, Anna and Gary L. Wirzylo. Camp Perry, 1906-1991. Defiance, Oh.: Hubbard Co., 1992.