Ted Pflueger, b. 1913
Ted Pflueger was born on 8 December 1913 in Circleville, OH, but grew
up in Omaha, NE, where he graduated from high school. He then attended the
University of Nebraska—Lincoln, graduating in 1939 with a degree in engineering.
Ted volunteered for the Army in December 1939, and was assigned to the Corps of
Engineers.
Ted was
posted to the Philippines in mid-1941, at Nichols Field by Manila. After the US
became involved in the Pacific War in December 1941, he was assigned to C Co,
803rd Engineers, and he served with this unit until the American
surrender on Bataan, on 9 April 1942. After brief stays at the POW facilities
Camp O’Donnell and Cabanatuan, in late 1942 Ted was in a group of POWs
transferred to the Davao Penal Colony, on the island of Mindanao. Here he was
on various work details, including rice paddies, logging, and construction. In
late 1943 Ted was in a group moved to Lasang, also on Mindanao, where the work
was airfield construction for the Japanese military. In August 1944, along with
more than 700 others, Ted was placed on a ship bound for Japan; this group was
transferred to the ship 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. Ted was de-briefed in Washington, D.C.,
got married, and had some months of leave; he ended the war stationed at a base
in California. Ted remained in the service until 1950.
Again a
civilian, Ted worked in the engineering field until his retirement. He was
interviewed in January 2004 at his home in Pacific Grove, CA.
Biographical information and all interview content © Thomas Saylor, 2001-04
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