Private John P. Cranston 14014954 KIA

Private John P. Cranston 14014954 United States Army Air Corps Killed in Action. He was born on April 23, 1920, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John P. Cranston and Loma Pearl Harrison Cranston, of Winnsboro Texas. He was a graduate of Winnsboro High School. He entered the United States Army, on September 17, 1940, at the age of 20. He trained in Chicago and Savannah, Georgia. He served in the Philippines and fought for the defense of Bataan. He served in the 48th Materiel Squadron, 27th bombardment group. He was taken prisoner on Bataan and took part in the Bataan Death March. He was killed in action on September 7, 1944 when his ship Shinyo Maru went down at sea, in Mindanao Island. On September 7th, 1944, U.S. submarine USS Paddle (SS-263) sunk the Japanese transport Shinyo Maru, which unbeknown to her attacker, carried 750 American prisoners of war on board. In total 688 prisoners and 47 Japanese crew died. Cranston died on September 7, 1944, at the age of 24. He was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, American Defense Medal, the World War Two Victory Medal and the Prisoner of War Medal.

 

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