William Harrison Patrick served aboard the USS Canopus (AS-9). submarine tender assigned to the submarine squadron 20 stationed in the Philippine Islands. His ship, badly damaged by Japanese bombers was scuttled and sunk in deep water April 9, 1942 during the invasion of the Philippine Islands by the Japanese invading armed force. He was evacuated to the Island of Corregidor ‘The Rock’, located across the bay from Manila and served in the 4th Marine Regiment, 4th Battalion reserves (provisional) and fought gallantly during the final battle for the Island fortress. Captured May 6, 1942, the day that General Wainwright was forced to surrender Corregidor to the Japanese. Transferred to the Mainland by barge and interned at the prisoner of war camp Los Banos, Lagune, Luzon. On October 11, 1944 he boarded the Japanese ‘Hell Ship’, the Arisan Maru destined for, Japan which was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine, USS Shark October 24, 1944. He was reported as buried at sea and is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery, Philippines.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel, 24 May 1942
Relatives here have been informed that William Harrison Patrick, boatswain’s mate second class in the Navy and a former Knoxvillian, was performing duty in the Manila Bay area “when that station capitulated.” This presumably refers to the fall of Ft. Corregidor. “He will be carried on the records of the Navy Department as missing, pending further information,” said the telegram, received by Roy Patrick, of 126 Dayton Street, the seaman’s nephew.
“No report of his death or injury has been received and he may be a prisoner of war.” Seaman Patrick, now 398, is a native of Knoxville, having enlisted in the Army in 1916. He stayed in the Army eleven years during which he saw 19 months of service in France during the first World War. Fourteen years ago he left the Army and joined the Navy. His father, G.B. Patrick lives at Poland, Ohio. Relatives here last heard from Seaman Patrick in early December. At that time he was in San Diego.
- Rank: Boatswain's Mate First Class
- Date of birth: 5 June 1898
- Date of death: 24 October 1944
- County: Knox
- Hometown: Knoxville
- Service Branch: Navy
- Division/Assignment: USS Canopus (AS-9)
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal
- Burial/Memorial Location: Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XIV, Panel
- Contact us to sponsor William H. Patrick
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