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John Wesley Ruark

Corporal John W. Ruark served with Baker Company, First Battalion, 4th Marines.
He was captured at Corregidor and died while a prisoner of war at Cabanatuan, Philippine Islands, on 19 November 1942.

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

Branch

Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 278681

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

January 3, 1921
at Silvis, IL

Parents

Emile Franklin Ruark
Rose A. (Overton) Ruark

Education

East Moline High School (1939)

Occupation & Employer

Enlisted from high school

Service Life

Entered Service

December 11, 1939
at Des Moines, IA

Home Of Record

148 Eighth Street
Silvis, IL

Next Of Kin

Parents, Emile & Rose Ruark

Military Specialty

AA machine gunner

Primary Unit

M/3/4th Marines

Campaigns Served

Philippine Islands / Corregidor

Individual Decorations

Prisoner of War Medal

Additional Service Details

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

Corporal John Ruark was stationed at Cavite, Philippine Islands, when the United States entered World War II. His unit was re-designated as the Third Battalion, 4th Marines, and Ruark served with Mike Company in the defense of the Philippines and the siege of Corregidor during the spring of 1942. His battle station was a .50-caliber anti-aircraft gun mounted on Fort Hughes (Caballo Island) in Manila Harbor.

Ruark was captured in the fall of Corregidor on 6 May 1942, and held as a prisoner of war at Cabanatuan Camp #1, Nueva Ecija province. Unsanitary living conditions, harsh treatment by guards, and a starvation diet took a rapid toll on the prisoners of war. In October, Ruark came down with malaria and finally reported to the camp hospital. There was little the doctors could do except delay the inevitable: on 19 November 1942, Corporal Ruark succumbed to the disease.

POW/Missing Persons Detachment, HQMC, July 1943. This date of death would later change with the availability of POW records.
Burial Information or Disposition

Ruark was buried in Grave 717 of the Cabanatuan cemetery, along with twelve other military prisoners and a civilian contractor named George York.

NameRankService NumberAgeStatus
Kelder, Arthur H.Private3601662326Identified (2015)
Waid, Charlie M.Private1904905826Identified (2019)
Overbey, Evans E.Private1303502625Identified (2015)
Gutierrez, Juan F.PFC2084312526Identified (2021)
Hirschi, Harold S.Private1903840729Identified (2015)
Bain, Daniel C.PFC3303513125Identified (1948)
Hanscom, Lawrence K.Sergeant613728035Identified (1948)
Collins, Frederick C.Corporal657881823Identified (2015)
Kovach, JohnPrivate2050076419Identified (2017)
Simmons, George G.Corporal19019888625Identified (2015)
Nichols, Harvey A.PFC700917127Identified (2015)
Lobdell, Lloyd J.PFC2064526724Identified (2017)
Ruark, John W.PFC27868121Unaccounted
York, George Sr.Civilian63Unaccounted
Thomas, Everett S.MajorO-10909725Identified (1948)
Rogers, Henry A.Pricate1101370323Identified (1948)

Grave 717 was exhumed in 1946, and the remains sent to Manila, where four of the men were positively identified. The rest were buried in Fort William McKinley Cemetery, Manila as unknowns.

In 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency approved the disinterment of ten caskets containing remains from Grave 717. With the benefit of modern technology and techniques, ten additional remains were identified. Today, only Corporal John Ruark and Mr. George York are unaccounted for.

Next Of Kin Address

Address of parents, Emile & Rose Ruark.

Location Of Loss

Corporal Ruark died at Cabanatuan Camp #1.

Related Profiles

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