Remains of WWII Soldier Identified for Burial in Oregon

The remains of Pvt. William E. Calkins, a U.S. soldier who endured the infamous Bataan Death March during World War II, have been identified and are set to be buried in Oregon. The announcement was made by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which is tasked with locating and identifying missing American military personnel. Calkins, originally from Washington County, Oregon, was only 20 years old at the time of his death. Calkins was stationed in the Philippines when U.S. forces surrendered to Japanese troops in Bataan province. Following the surrender, he, along with tens of thousands of other American and Filipino soldiers, was taken prisoner and forced to march over 60 miles under brutal conditions. The Bataan Death March resulted in the deaths of approximately 11,000 prisoners, with many more succumbing in the harsh conditions of prison camps. After surviving the march, Pvt. Calkins was held at Cabanatuan Prison Camp #1, where he tragically died on November 1, 1942. The cause of death was reported as "inanition," a term used to describe exhaustion due to severe lack of food and water. His identification and subsequent burial plans serve as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers during one of the war's darkest chapters. The Defense Department's efforts to identify and honor fallen soldiers like Calkins highlight the ongoing commitment to recognizing the sacrifices of military personnel throughout history.