Pvt. William Calkins, Batan Death March survivor, to be buried in Oregon

The recently confirmed identification of the remains of a U.S. soldier, Pvt. William E. Calkins, who endured the harrowing Bataan Death March in World War II, marks a poignant closure to a long-standing saga. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, a Pentagon office dedicated to this solemn task, disclosed this development last week.

Private Calkins' Homecoming

Private Calkins, a native of Washington County, Ore., will finally return to his homeland, as the poignant symbol of ultimate sacrifice and unwavering resilience.

During his deployment in the Philippines, Pvt. Calkins was ensnared in the tumult of war as U.S. forces succumbed to Japanese dominion in Bataan province. The ensuing atrocity of the Bataan Death March saw him and multitudes of fellow American and Filipino soldiers cruelly coerced into captivity, a brutal odyssey that claimed the lives of up to 11,000 captives. Subsequently, in the squalid confines of prison camps, thousands more prisoners perished, Pvt. Calkins among them.

A Fitting Tribute

Now, with the confirmation of his identity, Pvt. Calkins will be accorded a suitable burial in Oregon, the state he once called home. This solemn occasion will offer an opportunity for the nation to pay its respects and honor his memory, along with the innumerable others who endured similar fates during this dark chapter of history.