Austin Shofner
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General
Austin Conner Shofner was a United States Marine Corps
officer who was captured during the Battle of Corregidor
and escaped in the first and only successful escape from a Japanese prisoner of war
camp. He joined the Philippine resistance, and later returned to command units of the Marine Corps in the battles of Peleliu
and Okinawa
.
where he was on the football and wrestling team. He graduated in 1937 with degrees in commerce and science, and was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps.
Assigned to the 4th Marines in Shanghai
, the Regiment was later transferred to the Philippine Islands. Shortly after the start of the war, Lt. Shofner was promoted to captain on 5 January 1942 and took command of a company in 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines that he led in the Battle of Corregidor
.
Captured at the surrender of the Philippines and surviving the Bataan Death March
, Shofner escaped with a small group of 11 Americans and Filipinos on 4 April 1943. They made contact with anti-Japanese Filipinos who placed the party in touch with American Army and Filipino Scout
guerrillas, Shofner was commissioned a major and later lieutenant colonel in the United States Army
and assigned to the 110th Division of guerrillas as Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant Chief of Operations for the Division Shofner was awarded a Marine Corps Silver Star
medal for his service on Corregidor and an Army Silver Star for his service with the guerrillas.
Evacuated to Australia by the submarine USS Narwhal
, Shofner briefed the American Pacific Command on Japanese atrocities. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
by General Douglas MacArthur
. Using his experiences, he helped plan the raid at Cabanatuan
then successfully appealed to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
to be allowed back into action with the Corps.
He commanded the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in the Battle of Peleliu
, where he was wounded by mortar fire. In late 1944 he was assigned as a Marine Corps liaison and advisor on guerrilla affairs to the command of Douglas MacArthur for the invasion of Luzon.
Shofner returned to command the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, for which he was awarded the Legion of Merit
, and became Provost Marshal
of the 1st Marine Division in the Battle of Okinawa
.
Following World War II Shofner served again in China, as a Naval Attache in Peru, and commanded the 6th Marines. He retired as a Brigadier General in 1959.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Austin Conner Shofner was a United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
officer who was captured during the Battle of Corregidor
Battle of Corregidor
The Battle for Corregidor was the culmination of the Japanese campaign for the conquest of the Philippines. The fall of Bataan on 9 April 1942 ended all organized opposition by the U.S...
and escaped in the first and only successful escape from a Japanese prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp. He joined the Philippine resistance, and later returned to command units of the Marine Corps in the battles of Peleliu
Battle of Peleliu
The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II, was fought between the United States and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II, from September–November 1944 on the island of Peleliu, present-day Palau. U.S...
and Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
.
Biography
Shofner attended the University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
where he was on the football and wrestling team. He graduated in 1937 with degrees in commerce and science, and was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps.
Assigned to the 4th Marines in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, the Regiment was later transferred to the Philippine Islands. Shortly after the start of the war, Lt. Shofner was promoted to captain on 5 January 1942 and took command of a company in 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines that he led in the Battle of Corregidor
Battle of Corregidor
The Battle for Corregidor was the culmination of the Japanese campaign for the conquest of the Philippines. The fall of Bataan on 9 April 1942 ended all organized opposition by the U.S...
.
Captured at the surrender of the Philippines and surviving the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
, Shofner escaped with a small group of 11 Americans and Filipinos on 4 April 1943. They made contact with anti-Japanese Filipinos who placed the party in touch with American Army and Filipino Scout
Philippine Scouts
The Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until the end of World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the United States Army Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a...
guerrillas, Shofner was commissioned a major and later lieutenant colonel in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and assigned to the 110th Division of guerrillas as Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant Chief of Operations for the Division Shofner was awarded a Marine Corps Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
medal for his service on Corregidor and an Army Silver Star for his service with the guerrillas.
Evacuated to Australia by the submarine USS Narwhal
USS Narwhal (SS-167)
USS Narwhal , the lead ship of her class of submarine and one of the "V-boats", was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the narwhal. She was named V-5 when her keel was laid down on 10 May 1927 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine.V-5 was launched on 17 December 1929...
, Shofner briefed the American Pacific Command on Japanese atrocities. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
by General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
. Using his experiences, he helped plan the raid at Cabanatuan
Raid at Cabanatuan
The Raid at Cabanatuan was a rescue of Allied prisoners of war and civilians from a Japanese camp near Cabanatuan City, in the Philippines...
then successfully appealed to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
to be allowed back into action with the Corps.
He commanded the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in the Battle of Peleliu
Battle of Peleliu
The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II, was fought between the United States and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II, from September–November 1944 on the island of Peleliu, present-day Palau. U.S...
, where he was wounded by mortar fire. In late 1944 he was assigned as a Marine Corps liaison and advisor on guerrilla affairs to the command of Douglas MacArthur for the invasion of Luzon.
Shofner returned to command the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, for which he was awarded the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
, and became Provost Marshal
Provost Marshal
The Provost Marshal is the officer in the armed forces who is in charge of the military police .There may be a Provost Marshal serving at many levels of the hierarchy and he may also be the public safety officer of a military installation, responsible for the provision of fire, gate security, and...
of the 1st Marine Division in the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
.
Following World War II Shofner served again in China, as a Naval Attache in Peru, and commanded the 6th Marines. He retired as a Brigadier General in 1959.
External links
- Find a Grave http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=13813041
- Resolution to honour Brigadier General Shofner http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislation/Archives/101GA/bills/BillText/SJR8019.pdf