Walter W. Kwiecinski
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Walter W. Kwiecinski of Duluth, Minnesota enlisted in the Regular Army on February 6, 1941.
He was a Staff Sergeant and a heavy mortar NCO with Battery E, 60th Coast Artillery. He participated in the air offensive of Japan, and in the Philippine Campaign. He was on Bataan, Philippines when it fell on April 9, 1942. He got to Corregidor and manned 12-inch mortars at Battery Way. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war when Corrigidor fell to the Japanese.
Mrs. Kwiecinski writes: "His was the last big gun to fire on the enemy before Corregidor fell May 6, 1942. He was taken prisoner by the Japanese, ordered to work for five months on port of Manila, then transferred to Bilibid Prison Hospital, Manila for five months, Cabanatuan prison camp for over one year, then to prison camps in Japan until war's end.
"Walter said it took 62 days to get from Manila to Japan on a coal ship. Because of the horrible conditions it became known as a ''hell ship.'' Walter suffered from starvation and cruelty at the hands of the Japanese for 40 months. The A-bomb saved his life. He said he probably would not have lasted another 2 weeks."
Mr. Kwiecinski was awarded the: Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze battle stars, Philippine Defense Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and seven overseas service bars.
He was honorably discharged on April 4, 1946 at Camp McCoy, Wis.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 161.
