Military Service |
Military Career
William B. Harrington registered for the draft on February 5,1942. Lieutenant Harrington volunteered and was attached to Admiral Hart’s staff. He stepped up to the tough assignments of the Philippines and was taken by the Japanese on Negros. He was considered a known prisoner of war May 6th, 1942.
H.B. Atkinson wrote to Harrington’s uncle, H.S. Walker. Harrington was taken prisoner as a prisoner of war. The American prisoners were on board of a Japanese transport which was reported to have sunk on while in route to the Japanese mainland. However, the Japanese government failed to report to the International Red Cross with a list of the prisoners being transferred. There was no information on the prisoners aboard the ship either. As it turns out, Lieutenant Harrington was sent from Manila aboard the prisoner ship on December 13th, 1944, his ship was bombed by United States air forces on the 14th. He was being held in a camp at Kwangtung, Korea with about 500 other men.He died on December 15th from his wounds to the head and chest from the bombing.
H.B. Atkinson wrote to Harrington’s uncle, H.S. Walker. Harrington was taken prisoner as a prisoner of war. The American prisoners were on board of a Japanese transport which was reported to have sunk on while in route to the Japanese mainland. However, the Japanese government failed to report to the International Red Cross with a list of the prisoners being transferred. There was no information on the prisoners aboard the ship either. As it turns out, Lieutenant Harrington was sent from Manila aboard the prisoner ship on December 13th, 1944, his ship was bombed by United States air forces on the 14th. He was being held in a camp at Kwangtung, Korea with about 500 other men.He died on December 15th from his wounds to the head and chest from the bombing.