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Newsom, Robert Sherley

Date of birth:
July 23rd, 1918 (San Diego County/California, United States)
Date of death:
September 8th, 2000 (San Diego/California, United States)
Buried on:
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
Plot: CBF. 
Nationality:
American (1776 - present, Republic)

Biography

He was a Corporal in the Marine Corps. He was a "China Marine" in Shanghai for 2+ years and was then sent to the P/I just before war was declared. He defended and was captured on Corregidor in May 1942. He was marched on a "death march" with other survivors to the first of three different POW camps...two in the Philippines and was later sent on a "hell ship" to mainland Japan where he slaved in a mine until the war's end.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Sergeant
Unit:
4th Marine Regiment, 16th Naval District, U.S. Navy
He was belatedly presented with a Bronze Star many decades later, I believe in the early 1990's. The award was presented by Congressman Randy Cunningham (if I recall correctly) to my father and several other servicemen from the camps after it was determined that the awards were overdue.
Bronze Star  Medal (BSM)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Private First Class (Marine)
Was captured by the Japanese after the fall of Corregidor, Philippine Islands, on 6 May 1942, and was held as a Prisoner of War until he was returned to U.S. Military Control at the end of the war.
Prisoner of War Medal

Sources