This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Pamela LaVerne Jeans-Historian
to remember
Marine Maj Benjamin Lee McMakin.
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Contact Info
Home Town Shelbyville
Last Address Mrs. Mada F. McMakin (Wife) 3506 Concord Pike Wilmington, Delaware
MIA Date Dec 31, 1944
Cause MIA-Died in Captivity
Reason Unknown, Not Reported
Location Japan
Location of Memorial Manila American Cemetery - Taguig City, Philippines
Maj Benjamin Lee McMakin was held as a POW in the Philippine Islands. In December 1944, he was boarded onto the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. The ship sailed on December 13th and came under attack from American planes on December 14th. As evening approached, the attack was called off. The next day the planes returned and continued the attack. When the pilots saw the large number of men climbing from the shipâ??s holds, they realized the ship was carrying POWs and called off the attack. After the POWs were off the ship, the attack resumed and the ship was sunk by American planes at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, on December 15, 1944. The surviving POWs were boarded onto the Enoura Maru which sailed on December 27th and reached Takao, Formosa, by the New Year. While docked it was bombed by American planes on January 9, 1945, killing many of the POWs. The surviving POWs were boarded onto the Brazil Maru which sailed on January 13th. Maj Benjamin Lee McMakin died on the ship before it reached Japan on January 29, 1945. His body was thrown into the sea.
