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One of the most enduring lessons of
World War II is that the preservation of
freedom demands great suffering,
sacrifice, and even death from those
responsible for its defense. For one
man, this lesson would last three years
before its conclusion. And in the end,
his trial would define the character of
a generation, the nation for which he
fought, and the moral character of all
its citizens.
Sgt. Major Wayne K. Miller was a United
States Marine stationed in the Philippine
Islands when the Japanese bombed
Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
On December 8, he would find himself
on the frontlines of a war which would
eventually take his life five months
prior to its end.
Sgt. Major Miller was captured by Jap-
anese forces on Corregidor between
May 11, and June 6, 1942. He had
served with the Marine Corps for 16
years prior to captivity and was
stationed in China with the Fourth
Marines until transfer to the Philippines
about one week prior to the attack on
Pearl Harbor.
American and Filipino troops left to
defend the Philippines at the outset of
World War II had little hope for success
against the Japanese juggernaut
staking claim to the Pacific.
The defenders offered the Japanese
fierce resistance for several months,
but, left to defend the islands without
support, could not hold their positions
and were forced to surrender. Although
spared from the horrors of the Bataan
World War II is that the preservation of
freedom demands great suffering,
sacrifice, and even death from those
responsible for its defense. For one
man, this lesson would last three years
before its conclusion. And in the end,
his trial would define the character of
a generation, the nation for which he
fought, and the moral character of all
its citizens.
Sgt. Major Wayne K. Miller was a United
States Marine stationed in the Philippine
Islands when the Japanese bombed
Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
On December 8, he would find himself
on the frontlines of a war which would
eventually take his life five months
prior to its end.
Sgt. Major Miller was captured by Jap-
anese forces on Corregidor between
May 11, and June 6, 1942. He had
served with the Marine Corps for 16
years prior to captivity and was
stationed in China with the Fourth
Marines until transfer to the Philippines
about one week prior to the attack on
Pearl Harbor.
American and Filipino troops left to
defend the Philippines at the outset of
World War II had little hope for success
against the Japanese juggernaut
staking claim to the Pacific.
The defenders offered the Japanese
fierce resistance for several months,
but, left to defend the islands without
support, could not hold their positions
and were forced to surrender. Although
spared from the horrors of the Bataan
Death March, Sgt. Major Wayne K.
Miller would nonetheless find himself
at the mercy of a ruthless enemy.
Existence inside the Japanese prison
camps can only be described as pure
hell. Prisoners were subject to brutal,
bestial treatment by their captors and,
unfortunately, sometimes by their
fellow inmates. So called, “predators”
would often steal food, medicine, and
water or bully the weak and even eat
in front of those starving to death.
And yet, through all this suffering,
Sgt. Major Wayne K. Miller survived
his ordeal in the camps. It was not
until the Japanese decided to move
the prisoners to their homeland that
his fortune would change.
On December 14, 1944 more than
1,600 American POWs left the
Philippines bound for Japan on a
hellship called the Oryoku Maru.
The next day aircraft from the USS
Hornet, not realizing POWs were
aboard, strafed and bombed the ship
but did not sink it. The following day
they returned and sank the crippled
ship, with the loss of more than 300
POW lives.
Those who survived the attack on
the Oryoku Maru were split up and
forced into the holds of two other
hellships. Sgt. Major Miller would
accompany about 1,040 men into
a hellship called the Enoura Maru.
The Enoura Maru had previously
been used to transport horses and
the hold was filthy with manure.
Some of the POWs were so hungry
that they ate grain that had been
dropped by feeding horses and
laid mixed in with manure.
The Enoura Maru continued the
journey to Japan while the POWs
suffered terribly from hunger, heat,
thirst, and the filth that pervaded the
holds of the hellship. Disease broke
out and many became violently ill.
On December 31, 1944, the Enoura
Maru stopped in Takoa, Formosa so
their Japanese handlers could
celebrate the New Year. For four
days, the POWs were left to fend for
themselves without food or water.
Thirty-four would die.
Miller would nonetheless find himself
at the mercy of a ruthless enemy.
Existence inside the Japanese prison
camps can only be described as pure
hell. Prisoners were subject to brutal,
bestial treatment by their captors and,
unfortunately, sometimes by their
fellow inmates. So called, “predators”
would often steal food, medicine, and
water or bully the weak and even eat
in front of those starving to death.
And yet, through all this suffering,
Sgt. Major Wayne K. Miller survived
his ordeal in the camps. It was not
until the Japanese decided to move
the prisoners to their homeland that
his fortune would change.
On December 14, 1944 more than
1,600 American POWs left the
Philippines bound for Japan on a
hellship called the Oryoku Maru.
The next day aircraft from the USS
Hornet, not realizing POWs were
aboard, strafed and bombed the ship
but did not sink it. The following day
they returned and sank the crippled
ship, with the loss of more than 300
POW lives.
Those who survived the attack on
the Oryoku Maru were split up and
forced into the holds of two other
hellships. Sgt. Major Miller would
accompany about 1,040 men into
a hellship called the Enoura Maru.
The Enoura Maru had previously
been used to transport horses and
the hold was filthy with manure.
Some of the POWs were so hungry
that they ate grain that had been
dropped by feeding horses and
laid mixed in with manure.
The Enoura Maru continued the
journey to Japan while the POWs
suffered terribly from hunger, heat,
thirst, and the filth that pervaded the
holds of the hellship. Disease broke
out and many became violently ill.
On December 31, 1944, the Enoura
Maru stopped in Takoa, Formosa so
their Japanese handlers could
celebrate the New Year. For four
days, the POWs were left to fend for
themselves without food or water.
Thirty-four would die.
The tragic nature of war would again
strike the ailing prisoners on January
9, 1945. At this time, General
MacArthur’s invasion force was about
to land in the Lingayen Gulf in the
Northern Philippines. Admiral Halsey
was tasked with striking air bases
primarily in southern Formosa and
Northern Luzon from which the
Japanese could attack the Navy
ships in the Lingayen Gulf during
MacArthur’s landings.
Thus, on the morning of January 9,
American aircraft, again from the
USS Hornet, searching for targets
of opportunity found and attacked
Takao Harbor, a crowded harbor
holding an estimated 25 enemy
ships including the hellship,
Enoura Maru.
During the raid, Enoura Maru took
several hits. According to some of
the POWs, “she was hit maybe as
many as five times.” Total casualties
would amount to approximately 270
killed and 250 wounded.
The wounded would rely on surviving
military doctors, corpsmen, and fellow
POWs. Many, already weak and
fragile before the bombing, clung to
life but, with no medical aid from the
Japanese, were doomed to die.
A surviving POW wrote, “The Japs
provided no medical supplies for the
care of the wounded, and just left us
in the hold with those hundreds of
mutilated bodies for two days.”
Sgt. Major Wayne K. Miller, the once
tough as nails career Marine from
California, could finally take no more.
On February 12, 1945, he gave his
life in the service of the United States
of America from lack of food, water
and exposure.
strike the ailing prisoners on January
9, 1945. At this time, General
MacArthur’s invasion force was about
to land in the Lingayen Gulf in the
Northern Philippines. Admiral Halsey
was tasked with striking air bases
primarily in southern Formosa and
Northern Luzon from which the
Japanese could attack the Navy
ships in the Lingayen Gulf during
MacArthur’s landings.
Thus, on the morning of January 9,
American aircraft, again from the
USS Hornet, searching for targets
of opportunity found and attacked
Takao Harbor, a crowded harbor
holding an estimated 25 enemy
ships including the hellship,
Enoura Maru.
During the raid, Enoura Maru took
several hits. According to some of
the POWs, “she was hit maybe as
many as five times.” Total casualties
would amount to approximately 270
killed and 250 wounded.
The wounded would rely on surviving
military doctors, corpsmen, and fellow
POWs. Many, already weak and
fragile before the bombing, clung to
life but, with no medical aid from the
Japanese, were doomed to die.
A surviving POW wrote, “The Japs
provided no medical supplies for the
care of the wounded, and just left us
in the hold with those hundreds of
mutilated bodies for two days.”
Sgt. Major Wayne K. Miller, the once
tough as nails career Marine from
California, could finally take no more.
On February 12, 1945, he gave his
life in the service of the United States
of America from lack of food, water
and exposure.
| “Honor, Courage, Commitment” |
| “Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” Franklin D. Roosevelt |