Hal Clark Granberry
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army

In World War II, then-Major Hal Clark Granberry was serving with 2nd Battalion, 57th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts in the Philippines.

During that time MAJ Granberry’s unit was in action against Japanese forces. MAJ Granberry’s courageous actions and extraordinary heroism earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

MAJ Granberry was captured at the surrender of the Philippines and imprisoned by the Japanese and held as a POW in the Philippine Islands. In December 1944, he was boarded onto the Oryoku Maru for transport to Japan. The ship sailed on 13 December and came under attack from American planes on 14 December. As evening approached, the attack was called off. The next day, the planes returned and continued the attack. When the pilots saw the large number of men climbing from the ship’s holds, they realized the ship was carrying POWs and called off the attack. After the POWs were off the ship, the attack resumed and the ship was sunk by American planes at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, on 15 December.

The surviving POWs were boarded onto the Enoura Maru which sailed on 27 December and reached Takao, Formosa, by the New Year. While docked, it was bombed by American planes on 9 January 1945, killing many of the POWs. The surviving POWs were boarded onto the Brazil Maru which sailed on 13 January. MAJ Granberry died on the ship sometime before it reached Japan on 29 January 1945. His body was thrown into the sea by the Japanese.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Silver Star Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Legion of Merit
Purple Heart
Prisoner of War Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Bronze Star
World War II Victory Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation (Synopsis)

Major (Infantry) Hal Clark Granberry (ASN: 0-15358), United States Army, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving in the Philippine Islands during World War II.

Memorialization

The remains of Lieutenant Colonel Hal Clark Granberry have never been recovered. He is memorialized by having his name inscribed on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.

He also has a Memorial at Rose Hill Cemetery in Meridian, Lauderdale County, MS, in Section 11, Lot 371.