M’LAUGHLINS GET WORD FROM SON, BOB, PRESUMED WITH GEN. M’ARTHUR IN PHILIPPINES
Letter Dated January 17, 1942, Is Received by Parents Mr. and Mrs. L. D. McLaughlin, of Cherokee, Saturday Morning
First
word since Nov. 12, 1941, from their son, Bob, presumably on the
Philippine Islands with Gen. MacArthur, was received here on Saturday
morning by Mr. and Mrs. L. D. McLaughlin of 121 East Linn Street.
The letter, dated Jan. 17, 1942 was sealed in a government envelope and bore no address, Mrs. McLaughlin said.
The last time the McLaughlin’s had heard from their son, he was stationed at Clark Field, near Manila.
The letter received Saturday was short and unrevealing:
“Dear Folks,
I am in a different place than I was when I wrote to you before. I am well and OK. Tell everyone hello for me.
Mother, I will try and write and send radiograms as often as I can. Please don’t worry.
Well,
there isn’t much to write about, so I will make it short. Its
impossible for you to write me at present. I am hoping to be with you
all soon. With love to all, Bob”
The letter was censored and apparently had been taken from its original envelope which had been re-addressed.
While not definitely known where … (the rest of the news article is illegible).
(Source: Cherokee Daily Times, Sat., March 14, 1942, pg. 6)
Bob McLaughlin Reported Missing
Bob
McLaughlin, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. D. McLaughlin, 121 east Linn
Street is assumed by his parents to be a prisoner of war somewhere in
the far east.
Following receipt of information from the war
department to the effect that Bob was “missing or a prisoner” a letter
written by him April 13 arrived Thursday afternoon.
The letter is as follow:
“Dear
Folks – How are you all? I am well and O.K. I am still in the
islands. Did you receive any letters from me since the war started? I
have written some letters and sent two telegrams; I believe. I was made
corporal last November. Don’t know for sure what it pays. I hope you
folks are all well. Say hello to everyone for me. Hope to be home soon.
I have seen quite a bit of activity since the eighth (of December). Not
a scratch yet. I am getting plenty of food and enough of everything
that I need, except … (the rest of the article on pg. 6 is illegible.)
(Source: Cherokee Daily Times, Thurs., July 2, 1942, pg. 1&6)
Cpl. M’Laughlin Held Prisoner by Japanese
Grandparents Here Receive Word After Nearly 2 Years
Corporal
Robert McLaughlin 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. D. McLaughlin of Stockton,
Calif., who formerly lived in Cherokee, is a war prisoner of the
Japanese.
He is well and is held in Prison Camp No. 2, according to
word received by his grandparents. and Mrs. Arthur Mosier of 615 North
Second street.
It was the first time in nearly two years that any word had come from the Cherokean.
“Lots
of people told us he was surely dead, but I never gave up hope,” said
his grandmother. “I was sure he would turn up somewhere, sometime. We
are very happy to learn he is alive.”
Corporal McLaughlin was
reported by the war department to be missing in action three weeks
after the fall of Corregidor in the Philippines. He was stationed with
an air corps unit at Clark field, near Manila, the island capital.
Apparently
unaware that his family had moved from Cherokee, Corporal McLaughlin’s
card from the prison camp was addressed to his former home on Linn
Street here.
Mrs. Mosier said her grandson’s ambition was to become
a medical doctor but the war has interrupted his plans. He enlisted in
the army on June, 1941, at Casper, Wyo., and was sent to March Field,
Calif.
In the following October he was ordered overseas to the
Philippines as the United States rushed its far Pacific defenses in
preparation for the inevitable war.
Corporal McLaughlin was born
April 6, 1922 in Cherokee. He attended the local schools including
Wilson high school and after leaving high school, assisted his father,
an electrician.
The Cherokean was one of the first servicemen in the county reported missing in action.
(Source: Cherokee Daily Times, Thurs., Sep 23, 1943, pgs. 1&8)
Bob McLaughlin On Jap Freighter Sunk By Allies
Prisoner of War Being Transported From Philippines
Word
has been received here that Robert L. McLaughlin, grandson of Mrs.
Della McLaughlin and Mr. and Mrs. Art Mosier, was aboard a Japanese
freighter which was destroyed at sea by allied forces. The freighter
was transporting American Prisoners of War from the Philippine Islands
when it was destroyed. Some survivors were returned to military control
of U.S. forces but McLaughlin was among the group which either did not
survive or was recaptured by the Japs.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. L. D.
McLaughlin of Stockland, California, following is the war department
message which was received by them and dated October 27, 1944:
“Mr.
L. D. McLaughlin: The War Department was recently notified of the
destruction at sea of a Japanese freighter that was transporting
American prisoners of War from the Philippine Islands.
A number of
survivors were later returned to the military control of our forces.
There were also a large number who did not survive or who were
recapture by the Japs and about whose present status no positive
information is available. It is with deep regret that I must inform you
that your son, Robert L. McLaughlin, 19010411, was in this latter
group. Because of the war department’s lack of definite information
concerning McLaughlin, no change in his prisoner of war classification
is being made at this time.
Please be assured that as soon as
definite information becomes available, you will be immediately
notified. Sincerely yours, I. A. Ulio, the Adjutant General”. (Source:
Cherokee Daily Times, Nov 13, 1944, pg. 1)
R. L. McLaughlin Is Declared Officially Dead
Was board Torpedoed Jap Freighter
Robert
McLaughlin, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. D. McLaughlin; Stockland, Calif. Has
been officially declared dead according to word received here. He was
the grandson of Mrs. Della McLaughlin and Mr. and Mrs. Art Mosier of
Cherokee.
In a letter received by his parents in October, 1944 the
war department stated that he was aboard a Japanese freighter that was
sunk by Allied forces. At that time his prisoner of war status was not
changed due to the lack of information. However, latest communication
from the war department stated that the Japanese declare that they hold
no survivors of this sinking.
The following letter was received by his parents and a card of sympathy was sent by Gen. Marhsall.
“Dear Mr. McLaughlin:
The
War Department has now received the official list of prisoners of war
on the Japanese freighter, which you were previously informed was sunk
on September 7, 1944. It is with deep regret that I must now inform you
that your son is among those listed as lost when that sinking occurred.
The War Department regrets its inability to entertain a probability of
his survival and must consider him to have died in action September 7,
1944. The date of receipt of this final evidence was February 14, 1945,
the date upon which his pay will terminate and his accounts be closed.
The
information available to the War Department is that the vessel sailed
from Davro, Mindanan, August 20, 1944 with 750 prisoners of war board.
The vessel was sunk by torpedoes on September 7 1944 of the western
shore of Mindanah. The indications are that relatively few of the
prisoners had opportunity to leave the sinking ship and of those who
did, many were killed by enemy gun fire. A small number managed to
reach shore and a close watch for others was kept for several days. The
Japanese government reports all of the prisoners as lost, indicating
that no survivors are in the hands of that Government. There is no
information as to what happened to the individual prisoners but known
circumstances lead to the regrettable conclusion that all of the
unaccounted-for prisoners lost their lives at the time of the sinking.
It
is with deep regret that I must notify you of this unhappy culmination
of the long period of anxiety and suffering you have experienced. You
have my heartfelt sympathy.”
Sincerely yours, J. A. Ulio, Major General, The Adjutant General
Source: Cherokee Daily Times, Tues., March 6, 1945, p. 1 & 6)
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