Comments on: 1943: 98 American civilian contractors on Wake Island

By: Raymond E. Drozd

Raymond E. Drozd — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:25:42 +0000

TO THE RELATIVES TRYING TO RESEARCH DECEASED LOVE ONES, I WOULD RECOMMEND LOOKING UP SOME OF THE P.O.W. SITES ON THE INTERNET, STARTING WITH THE 1ST DEFENSE BATTALION, USMC. THE BULK OF CIVILIAN CONTRACTORS WENT WITH THE MARINES TO POW CAMPS IN CHINA, AND THEN LATER IN THE WAR, JAPAN AND KOREA. I RECALL ONE WEBSITE CALLED “DOGBERRY PATCH” WHICH HAS THE WAKE CIVILIAN POW ACCOUNTS. ALSO, THE IDAHO HISTORICAL SOCIETY (MORRISON-KNUDSEN WAS BOISE BASED) HAS MATERIAL AS WELL. GENERALLY, ONE WEB SITE LEADS YOU TO ANOTHER. I WISH YOU ALL LUCK.

TO THOSE RELATIVES WHO HAVE DECEASED FAMILY BURIED AT THE WAKE MEMORIAL SITE AT THE PUNCHBOWL (HAWAII), A QUESTION; DO THE FAMILIES HAVE ANY HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT INDICATING HOW THEY IDENTIFIED THEIR LOVED ONES REMAINS?

I AM RETIRED MILITARY AND AM ATTEMPTING TO ACCOUNT FOR 8 INDIVIDUALS WHO, I BELIEVE, WERE NOT EXHUMED ON WAKE, AND REPATRIATED TO HAWAII POST WAR. ANY GENERIC INFORMATION YOU HAVE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

By: Lorraine Mager Buchko

Lorraine Mager Buchko — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:31:29 +0000

I am trying to find information about my grandmother’s brother, Raymond Mathiasen, who died 8/9 /43. He was a civilian contractor on Wake. Raymond was reburied In the Punchbowl on Oahu, HI.

By: Tom Browder

Tom Browder — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:12:44 +0000

e-mail tomb12345@live.com

By: Tom Browder

Tom Browder — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 03:56:28 +0000

I have worked for the Defence Department for 28 years as a civilian. I have been inspired by the actions of the Navy, Marines and the civilian contractors on Wake Island for many years. The contractors were the making of the first layer of the foundation of the Navy Seabees. Something has troubled for years. The 98 Rock needs protection from the elements. The typhoons and exposure to the sea and weather it will disappear for future generations. I have contacted my Senator and he wrote me the Department of Interior is investigated it. I believe the rock should be move to the Punch Bowl in Hawaii with the 98. I would like to here comments especially from relatives of the contractors. If we can bring rocks from the moon we can move a rock from Wake. e-mail me for comments

By: Pat Gaskell

Pat Gaskell — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:49:32 +0000

My father Ira Hawkins Boothe was one of the 1400 contractors on Wake Island during the Japanese invasion. He died on April 13, l943. I have no history of where he died or how. Was he a prisoner of war until that date.?
He is now buried at the Punchbowl in Honolulu. I have no history on him because I was only 6 when this happened. Any infomation would be appreciated. His homtown was Romulus, Alabama. He was only 28 when he died. Please inform me if you are able to find any information where he was killed.

By: ExecutedToday.com » 1947: Shigematsu Sakaibara, “I obey with pleasure”

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:40:11 +0000

[...] The most lastingly notable of the six was Rear Admiral Shigematsu Sakaibara, who was hanged for ordering (and perhaps in one instance, personally conducting) an infamous mass execution on Wake Island that has already appeared in these pages. [...]

By: Wayne Street

Wayne Street — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:01:11 +0000

My uncle, Joe Mittendorf, was one of the 98. He operator equipment, I have all of his letters up to Dec. 2, 1941. He helped the marines man a .50 cal. machine gun. I also applied for his metals and received 4 plus a purple heart, Actualy I have letters to and from him from 1938 thru Dec. 1941. I also have the blue book and a Wig Wag dated July 15, 1941. When you read the letters, you find out that he was a very intersting man. My address is wstreet38@yahoo.com