Thomas Carroll was born July 23, 1919. He attended public school
in Zeigler, Illinois where he gained a measure of notoriety by playing
on a state qualifying basketball squad before graduating from ZCHS
in 1937.
After graduation Carroll went to Chicago to gain employment, but
after a time none was found so in 1938 he enlisted in the US Army
Air Corps. After boot camp and training school in Colorado, he was
assigned to the Philippine Islands, one of the most sought after
assignments in the army.
Upon arrival in the Philippines, Pvt. Carroll was assigned to duty
on the peninsula of Bataan as a company clerk. He remained on Bataan
until it fell to the Japanese on April 10, 1942. At that time, 70,000
Americans and Philippine Scouts surrendered. The Japanese army was
not prepared to transport a group of that size to Camp Otonnell -
the POW camp. Consequently, the half starved and disease ridden Americans
were forced to march the 44 miles to the railhead at San Fernando.
turing the “Bataan death March” the temperature spiked
at 100 degrees, no food or water was provided, or allowed, and diseases
took their toll on the troops. Of the 70,000 POWs that began the
march, only §4,000 arrived.
Soon after Carroll was captured, his mother was notified that he
was MIA. This status was maintained until 194~ when it was officially
changed to KIA. Pvt. Thomas Carroll passed away as a result of bysentery
at Camp O’tonnell Philippines on July 23, 1942, his 23rd birthday.
