This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Tommy Burgdorf (Birddog), FC2
to remember
Chenoweth, Joseph Gordon, TM2c.
If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Casualty Info
Home Town Sutherlin, OR
Last Address Sutherlin, OR (Parents- Mr & Mrs Harry W. Chenoweth
Casualty Date Sep 07, 1944
Cause MIA-Died in Captivity
Reason Unknown, Not Reported
Location Philippines
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Manila American Cemetery - Taguig City, Philippines
Wall/Plot Coordinates Tablets of the Missing (Cenotaph)
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Joseph Chenoweth was a member of the crew of the submarine tender U.S.S. CANOPUS (AS-9), serving in the Philippine Islands. After the ship was severely damaged on December 29, 1941, and subsequently scuttled to prevent the vessel from falling into enemy hands, he and his surviving comrades joined the ground forces in defense of Bataan and Corregidor. He was subsequently captured and interned as a Prisoner of War.
221 of her crewmen of the USS Canopus were evacuated to Corregidor on 28 February 1942 and served with the Marines 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions on beach defenses. The final 327 crewmen were also evacuated to Corregidor and served in the 4th Marine Regiment's 4th Battalion Reserves (Provisional) which fought gallantly during the final battle for the island fortress. Nearly all Canopus crewmen were captured at the fall of Corregidor and spent the rest of the war in Japanese POW Camps in the Philippines and the Asian mainland. Some of the captured crew did not survive, but were killed on 14 December 1944 in the Palawan massacre.
212 were killed/missing in Action.
Comments/Citation:
Name of Award
Prison of War Medal
Year Awarded
1942
Details behind Award: Awarded for actions during the World War II
Torpedoman Second Class Joseph Gordon Chenoweth (NSN: 3932825), United States Navy, a former crewman of the U.S.S. CANOPUS (AS-9), was captured by the Japanese after the fall of Corregidor, Philippine Islands, on 6 May 1942, and was held as a Prisoner of War until his death while in captivity. [Some records show that Joseph Chenoweth was killed in the Battle of Sunda Strait, but he is listed by NARA as a Prisoner of War.] General Orders: NARA Database: Records of World War II Prisoners of War, created, 1942 - 1947 Action Date: May 6, 1942 - Died in Captivity Service: Navy Rank: Torpedoman Second Class Division: Prisoner of War (Philippine Islands and Japan)
