John R. Scott of Bloomington, Illinois was a private and part of the 27th Bomb Group (Light) 2nd Observation Squadron at Nichols Field in December 1941. I understand that they were referred to as "Light" because there was no aircraft assigned to this unit. I presume he was went from Nichols Field to Luzon and was detached there to fight as infantry on Luzon. Apparently he escaped the Japanese attack but was he unable to evacuate with the forces that left the Philippines with General MacArthur and went to Australia. John Scott was hidden for some months by a Philippine family until matters became too dangerous and he surrendered to the Japanese and became a prisoner of war.
The records below establish the military unit that John Scott was assigned to at the time the Japanese overran the Philippines in December 1941. Those Records also indicate that Private/Corporal John R. Scott was held at the #3Yahata prison camp.
Name: Scott John R., Rank CPL, ASN 17016676, Branch AC, Unit 27 BG (L) 2 Obs Sqn, Camp 617 Pow Camp - Fuk-03-Yawata
Information documenting his imprisonment is found at: DRIGGARS GEORGE Leslie,CPL,20842700,CAC,515th A,784,Fuk-03-Yawata DRIGGERS JESSE J,CPL,19000101,CE,803rd Eng C,709,Mukden DRILO ALFREDO,PVT,6739620,CAV,,521 ...home.comcast.net/~winjerd/PacRostr.csv
Yawata is at the northernmost tip of Kyushu, just across the narrow strait from the port city of Shimoneski on the island of Honshu. On 23 September 1942 the camp was established at Yahata as the Yahata Provisional POW Camp and occupied by American civilian POWs sent in September from Woosung, China.
On 5 November 1942 another group of POWs, most of them military, arrived from the POW camp at Woosung, China. The building which housed the POWs was called the White House by some of them, perhaps the Citadel by others. This group from Woosung included at least 25 North China Marines and 25 Wake Island Marines. Six civilians, also captured on Wake, 4 Navy, 3 Merchant Marine, 1 Army Air Force, and 1 Pan Air employee were also part of the group from Woosung. There were about 70 POWs in this group. John Scott was probably the Army Air Force captive referred to and probably arrived at this camp on November 5, 1942. On 13 September 1945 the camp was closed. (The dates of 15 and 17 September are also used by various sources.) All the "guests" checked out that day and went home. This indicates that his imprisonment lasted probably just less than three years.
He returned to Illinois an obtained an M.A. at Illinois State Normal University and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. He became a Quaker in the late 1940s or early 1950s.
John Scott died on August 29, 2006 at Angeles, Philippenes.
Posted by Mark Dunn (2008-10-30 11:10:59)To respond to this message, please add your name and type over the message below and submit.