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CDR Donald Edward Tapscott

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CDR Donald Edward Tapscott

Birth	:	24 Apr 1921 Humboldt County, Iowa, USA
Death	:	5 Jan 2011 Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA
Burial	:	Marble Valley Cemetery, Gilmore City, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate	:	42.7458850, -94.4430150
Description	:	Mason City Globe Gazette December 13, 1945 Page: 14 Mason City POW Recalls Nearness of Death Year Ago Donald Tapscott Was on Jap Transport Sunk by U.S. Navy Bomber -A Mason City prisoner of war of the Japs recalled Thursday that it was exactly a year ago that he was put aboard the ill-fated Japanese transport transferring 1,600 prisoners of war from Manila to Japan, only a few of which ever reached their destination. "As the days go by from today on, I'll be thinking of what happened each day onboard that ship," said the Mason City survivor, Donald E. Tapscott, chief pharmacist's mate, shown... Read More	Mason City Globe Gazette December 13, 1945 Page: 14 Mason City POW Recalls Nearness of Death Year Ago Donald Tapscott Was on Jap Transport Sunk by U.S. Navy Bomber -A Mason City prisoner of war of the Japs recalled Thursday that it was exactly a year ago that he was put aboard the ill-fated Japanese transport transferring 1,600 prisoners of war from Manila to Japan, only a few of which ever reached their destination. "As the days go by from today on, I'll be thinking of what happened each day onboard that ship," said the Mason City survivor, Donald E. Tapscott, chief pharmacist's mate, shown here on the steps at the home of his parents (picture was available in newspaper article), Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Tapscott, at 733 Hampshire N.E. Tapscott has been in Mason City and vicinity on a 90 day rehabilitation leave and is returning to the U.S. Naval hospital at Long Beach,Cal.. on Christmas day to report for a medical survey. He had arrived in Mason City "just in time for turkey and cranberry Thanksgiving day night. It was the first Thanksgiving dinner he had eaten in the states since 1938. Also it will be his first "white Christmas" in 8 years, he said. Don joined the Navy as a career in May, 1938, and as the time for his re-enlistment came around was, a prisoner of war, so still in on his first enlistment. But he hopes to pass his physical exam when he reports to Long Beach and remain in the service Otherwise he will receive a discharge and - go to college. Tapscott was captured in the fall of Manila and was in Bilibid prison camp in the heart of Manila until his transfer to Japan a year ago. He doesn't care to talk about his days there. But his rank was recognized and he served as supervising foreman of a ward in the hospital. Later in Japan, where he spent the last, 7 1/2 months of his 44 months imprisonment, he was forced to work in the fields. He helped dig irrigation ditches for the Japs who were "creating farms out of untillable soil." Many of the prisoners worked in coal mines, mines that had long been condemned by a U.S. syndicate in peace time, said Tapscott. Speaking of the transport that took him from Manila enroute to Japan, Tapscott said that the 2nd day out the ship was sunk and 300 men died as a result of the bombing by a U.S. navy dive bomber. Tapscott in a different hold from the one struck had swum ashore but was recaptured by Jap marines and put in a "tennis court" prison at a former naval reserve base. There they were kept for 6 days and nights until little or no clothing and fed only 2 spoons of raw rice a day and very little water. "It was the lack of water that killed most of the men," he said. After journeying northward in land on the P. I. islands and with transfers to 3 more transports they finally reached Japan. Enroute at one of the ports of transfer, Takao, Formosa,they had again been bombed by the U.S navy bombers flying over the military installations there. It was there that Tapscott received a slight shrapnel wound and several of his shipmates were killed. Altogether another 300 lost their lives at this time. That was last Jan.9. Snow was falling when. they reached Japan, they were ill clad —Tapscott himself was barefoot—and many of the men died as a result of wounds and the denial of water by the Jap officers in command. Tapscott was taken to Camp No.17 on Omuta, Fukok a district on the island of Kyushu. This was about 30 miles from Nagasaki and it was there that he saw the atomic bomb cloud, which he reported as 5 miles high, a huge mushroom white cloud with a pink glow inside. The vibration at their camp made the windows rattle, but otherwise was not felt, he said. Tapscott arrived in San Fracisco last Oct. 20 on the USS Citron and spent sometime at a naval hospital in California before coming here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ World War II Prisoners of the Japanese, 1941-1945 about Donald Edward Tapscott Name: Donald Edward Tapscott Branch of Service: United States Navy Rank: Pharmacist's Mate Second Class Service number: 3212536 Assigned Unit: Canacao Naval Hospital Parent Unit: 16th Naval District Source: American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor - registration records ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1946 about Donald Edward Tapscott Name: Donald Edward Tapscott Race: White Residence State: Iowa Report Date: 6 May 1942 Latest Report Date: Sep 1945 Grade: Pharmacist`s mate, second class Service branch: Navy Arm or Service: United States Navy Arm or Service Code: United States Navy Area Served: Southwest Pacific Theater: Philippine Islands Detaining Country: Japan Camp: Fukuoka POW Camp #1 - Kashii (Pine Tree Camp) Kyushu Island 33-130 Status: Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated Report Source: Individual has been reported through sources considered official. Transcribed by: Kim Lowrey Murphy Haukoos

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is CDR Donald Edward Tapscott's memorial?
CDR Donald Edward Tapscott's memorial is located at: Marble Valley Cemetery, Gilmore City, Humboldt County, USA.
When did CDR Donald Edward Tapscott death?
CDR Donald Edward Tapscott death on 5 Jan 2011 in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA
Where are the coordinates of the CDR Donald Edward Tapscott's memorial?
Latitude: 42.7458850
Longitude: -94.4430150

Family Members:

Parent

Edward John Tapscott

(1898 - 1962)

Klea B Odell Tapscott

(1899 - 1963)

Spouse

Helga R Roesler Tapscott

(1923 - 1995)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Marble Valley Cemetery
Gilmore City, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7458850, -94.4430150

2. Saint Johns Catholic Cemetery
Gilmore City, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7332993, -94.4672012

3. Mount Hope Cemetery
Unique, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7169250, -94.3740570

4. Clinton-Garfield Cemetery
Rolfe, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8055300, -94.5202500

5. Saint Margarets Cemetery
Rolfe, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8164978, -94.5307465

6. Old Rolfe Cemetery
Rolfe, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8403511, -94.4764175

7. McKnight Cemetery
Bode, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8635100, -94.4055600

8. Omer-Thorsen Farm Cemetery
Ottosen, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8735742, -94.4085743

9. Rutland Township Cemetery
Rutland, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7574997, -94.2652969

10. Saint Johns Lutheran Cemetery
Palmer, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6268997, -94.5205994

11. Our Saviors Cemetery
Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6596985, -94.2956009

12. Powhatan Cemetery
Plover, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8557396, -94.5801773

13. Union Cemetery
Ottosen, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8879128, -94.3792496

14. Union Cemetery
Humboldt, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7407990, -94.2375031

15. Saint Patricks Cemetery
Clare, Webster County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5943985, -94.4419022

16. Calvary Cemetery
Pocahontas, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7335000, -94.6597000

17. Summit Hill Cemetery
Pocahontas, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7315000, -94.6595000

18. Lizard Cemetery
Palmer, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5875015, -94.4796982

19. Saint Olaf Churchyard Cemetery
Bode, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8653600, -94.2858300

20. Saint Paul Lutheran Cemetery
Palmer, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6176000, -94.5893500

21. Palmer Cemetery
Palmer, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6166992, -94.5894012

22. Saint Olaf Lutheran Cemetery
Bode, Humboldt County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8628000, -94.2773000

23. Saint Josephs Cemetery
Palmer, Pocahontas County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6342010, -94.6188965

24. Jackson Center Cemetery
Clare, Webster County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5783005, -94.3741989