John Morrett, b. 1916
John Morrett was born on 21 September 1916 in Springfield, OH, one of
three children. He graduated from high school in 1934, Ohio State University in
Columbus in 1939 (earning a reserve commission in the Army), then attended
seminary in Cambridge, MA before being called to active duty in June 1941.
John was
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 88th Field Artillery, and
in August 1941 posted to the Philippines. He was one of thousands of Americans
that surrendered to Japanese forces at Bataan in April 1942. After brief stays
at Camp O’Donnell and Cabanatuan, in November 1942 John was in a group of POWs
transferred to the Davao Penal Colony, on Mindanao. Here he was on various work
details, including rice paddies, before being transferred to the Lasang
facility, to work on constructing an airfield for Japanese forces. In August
1944, along with more than 700 others, John was placed on a ship bound for
Japan; this group was transferred to the Shinyo Maru in early September.
On 7
September 1944 the Shinyo Maru was torpedoed and sunk by the American
submarine Paddle (SS 263); only 83 men survived the sinking. These men
were picked up off Mindanao by another American submarine, and after brief
island stops transported back the USA. John was de-briefed in Washington, D.C.,
had some months of leave, and ended the war stationed at Walter Reed Hospital,
working with returning wounded soldiers. He remained in the service until
September 1945.
Again a
civilian, John was married (1945), and returned to seminary in Cambridge,
graduating in 1947. He then spent many years in the ministry field, in China,
Hawaii, and mainland US. John is the author of a book about his POW experience,
Soldier Priest.
Rev John
Morrett was interviewed in December 2003 at his home in Jacksonville, FL.
Biographical information and all interview content © Thomas Saylor, 2001-03
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