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Sherman Price MacDonald

First Sergeant Sherman P. MacDonald served with Fox Company, Second Battalion, 4th Marines.
He was captured at Bataan and died while a prisoner of war at Cabanatuan, Philippine Islands, on 3 October 1942.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Branch

Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 222750

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Current Status

Remains not recovered.

Pursuit Category

This case is under Active Pursuit by the DPAA.

Capsule History

Pre-War Life

Birth

November 30, 1909
at Escondido, CA

Parents

Henry Nelson MacDonald
Eva Maude (Price) MacDonald

Education

Details unknown

Occupation & Employer

Professional Marine

Service Life

Entered Service

July 30, 1929
at Parris Island, SC

Home Of Record

357 Roselle Avenue
Hawthorne, CA

Next Of Kin

Wife, Mrs. Vivian (Pritchett) MacDonald

Military Specialty

First Sergeant

Primary Unit

F/2/4th Marines

Campaigns Served

Philippine Islands / Corregidor

Individual Decorations

Purple Heart
Prisoner of War Medal

Additional Service Details

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

First Sergeant Sherman MacDonald, a pre-war China Marine of many years’ service, was stationed in the Philippine Islands when the United States entered World War II. He served as the senior NCO of Fox Company, 4th Marines until the fall of Bataan on 9 April 1942, at which point he and thousands of Allied fighting men became prisoners of war. After enduring the brutal Bataan Death March, MacDonald wound up in a prison camp at Cabanatuan, in Nueva Ecija province.

Unsanitary living conditions, harsh treatment by guards, and a starvation diet took a toll on the prisoners of war. Older POWs were especially susceptible to diseases stemming from hardships; at 32 years of age, MacDonald was among the oldest Marines in the camp. He arrived at Cabanatuan already suffering from malaria contracted on the Death March; on 10 September 1942, while being treated at the camp hospital, MacDonald contracted dysentery. The combined ailments were too much for his system, and at 1000 hours on 3 October 1942, “Top” MacDonald succumbed.

Excerpt from the hospital ledger of Cabanatuan Camp #1, for 3 October 1942. Note that MacDonald still had his gold wedding ring when he died.
Burial Information or Disposition

MacDonald was buried in Grave 504 of the Cabanatuan cemetery, along with nine other prisoners – all members of the United States Army.

NameRankService NumberAgeStatus
Carter, Martin H.PFC2095012823Identified
Walberg, Arthur B.Corporal693070834Identified
MacDonald, Sherman P.First Sergeant22275032Unaccounted
Mabey, Ralf R.PFC3967869822Identified
Abbott, Carl F.Staff Sergeant2090064635Unaccounted
Wood, Neal D.Private1406027820Identified
Artis, ClaytonPrivate1406179920Identified

Grave 504 was exhumed in 1946, and the remains sent to Manila for examination. All but two – MacDonald and SSgt. Carl F. Abbott of the 194th Tank Battalion – have since been identified. Due to incomplete records, identification of the two sergeants was disapproved, and the remains buried as unknowns in Manila.

The unknowns listed above are associated with X-1159 and X-1161, Manila Mausoleum #2.

Next Of Kin Address

Address of wife, Mrs. Vivian MacDonald.

Location Of Loss

First Sergeant MacDonald died at Cabanatuan Camp #1.

Related Profiles

Members of the 4th Marines non-recovered from Cabanatuan Camp #1.
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