A sobering element of any American military cemetery on foreign soil is The Tablets of the Missing – a listing of the dead with no known graves. These listings always include thousands lost at sea.
The American Military Cemetery and Memorial in Manila is the largest American military cemetery on foreign soil. Over 17,000 graves are arranged in a circular layout encompassing 125 acres. Constructed in the middle are two hemicycles, listing a staggering 36,282 names of Americans who lost their lives in the South Pacific during WWII and have no known resting place. I first visited this site in the early 1970s. The scope of the collective sacrifice forever resting within this beautiful and peaceful place took my breath away – an emotion that remains with me today.
On that first visit I randomly jotted down the names of a few men on the Tablets of the Missing, hoping to eventually ‘humanize’ the experience somehow – to learn more about these men and the actions where they lost their lives. Years later I was able to determine that one of the names I jotted down was lost on the U.S.S Mount Hood (AE-11).
The Mount Hood was an ammunition ship that exploded due to unknown causes on November 10, 1944 while anchored in Seeadler Harbour at Manus Island (Admiralty Islands). The explosion killed all 295 men aboard and severely damaged 22 other ships in the harbor. The repair ship U.S.S. Mindanao was alongside Mount Hood when the explosion occurred. 82 of the Mindanao crew also died that day. 371 sailors on other ships in the harbor were injured. An investigation board was never able to ascertain the exact cause of the accident, but it was not due to combat. War is a dangerous business – and all casualties are not due to combat. Whether by combat or accident, the loss is felt just as strongly by family, friends and shipmates.
While researching the history of the U.S.S. Mount Hood, I came across a beautiful YouTube tribute from a niece to an uncle she never knew. Seaman Second Class J.C. McGuire of Alabama died on November 10, 1944 while stationed aboard the Mount Hood. His remains were never recovered. He was eighteen when he died. Please take the time to view the short video. It puts a very human face to a name forever engraved on a marble wall so far from the home he left during WWII.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6UtLYybM8I
Jan Coons said:
Thank you so much for adding the link to the video memorial for my uncle, J C McGuire. It is meant for honor and tribute not only to him, but for everyone who has served to protect our country. My uncle was just 18, and served only 4 months before he lost his life aboard the Mt. Hood. The last glimpse his mother and brothers & sisters had of him was as he turned to wave, walking away over the hill with my grandfather on his way to catch the bus. My grandmother kept all of his letters. Extremely homesick, his last was written the night before the exploson and carried ashore in the mailbag the morning of Nov 10. My family has always searched for information, and in recent years we have learned much that my grandparents never knew. I know ours is only one of many similar stories. May we never forget the debt that we owe to the heroes who make our freedoms possible. Thank you for this wonderful memorial site that helps to preserve their memory and honor their sacrifice.
Mike said:
Very nice video Jan. My uncle was lost on the USS Juneau. Like J.C., he was only 18 too. My Mom’s brother.
Elaine Jefferson said:
My Uncle Johnnie Jefferson was missing from the USS Mt HOOD also.He was l7 yrs old and left for the war and we got the dreaded telegram of his MIA status. He was from New Orleans,La. My dad’s bro. any further info or communication would be appreciated.
Phillip Decubellis said:
Wonderful video Jan thank you .my cousin wis MIA On the uss samuel roberts at the battle of samar island at leyte gulf oct 25 1944 .i never knew him but i can only trg and imagine his valor and courage and his death at 19 .he left a peaceful existance as a dairy farmer to fight for our collective freedom and paid the uktimate sacrifice as so many thousands have..god bless them all. Warm regards let us never forget the price of freedom .is not free!!
Janice Fischer said:
I would greatly appreciate any information you can give to me concerning my uncle who was lost at sea. I had never met him. He was Corporal Frank J. Knight, Jr. of the U.S. Army Forces, 370th Bomber Squadron, 307th Bomber Group . He was lost on 08/30/1943. His service number was 15068330. I don’t know his age at the time of his death and I have no photo of him. Whatever information you have on him, please let me know. If you have A photo I would love to get one. I will pay if need be. Thank you for any information you can find for me.