Today in Wheeling History: October 24–The Arisan Maru, a Japanese cargo ship carrying prisoners of war, was sunk by an American submarine, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,700 American soldiers, including Wheeling native Private First Class Frederick William Elkes and a number of other West Virginians (1944).
Frederick William Elkes was born on June 24, 1902, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Michael Joseph Elkes and Della Bowman. Growing up in South Wheeling, he lived on McColloch Street and attended local schools. Elkes joined the U.S. Army in 1927 and reenlisted three times, serving as a mechanic at Nichols Field in the Philippines with the 28th Service Squadron of the Army Air Corps. He frequently wrote letters home, describing the intense heat and heavy rainfall in the Philippines, but noted that his asthma was not bothering him.
During World War II, Elkes was stationed in the Philippines with the 17th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group. He was captured by Japanese forces during the fall of Bataan and became a prisoner of war. On October 24, 1944, Elkes was aboard the Arisan Maru, a Japanese cargo ship carrying prisoners of war, when it was sunk by the American submarine USS Shark (SS-314), which was unaware that American prisoners of war were on board. Tragically, Elkes was among the more than 1,700 American soldiers who perished in the disaster. He is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines.
To learn more: Archiving Wheeling (https://shorturl.at/En2xX), Lede News (https://shorturl.at/heSox), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/jj2sfwpy), West Virginia Veterans Memorial (https://shorturl.at/9TTDB)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling WV; Find a Grave
Frederick William Elkes was born on June 24, 1902, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Michael Joseph Elkes and Della Bowman. Growing up in South Wheeling, he lived on McColloch Street and attended local schools. Elkes joined the U.S. Army in 1927 and reenlisted three times, serving as a mechanic at Nichols Field in the Philippines with the 28th Service Squadron of the Army Air Corps. He frequently wrote letters home, describing the intense heat and heavy rainfall in the Philippines, but noted that his asthma was not bothering him.
During World War II, Elkes was stationed in the Philippines with the 17th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group. He was captured by Japanese forces during the fall of Bataan and became a prisoner of war. On October 24, 1944, Elkes was aboard the Arisan Maru, a Japanese cargo ship carrying prisoners of war, when it was sunk by the American submarine USS Shark (SS-314), which was unaware that American prisoners of war were on board. Tragically, Elkes was among the more than 1,700 American soldiers who perished in the disaster. He is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines.
To learn more: Archiving Wheeling (https://shorturl.at/En2xX), Lede News (https://shorturl.at/heSox), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/jj2sfwpy), West Virginia Veterans Memorial (https://shorturl.at/9TTDB)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling WV; Find a Grave
RSS Feed
