LT. Comdr. Tom "Tommy" K. Bowers USN
Naval Academy class 1932 - entered 17 years- NAVY CROSS - Dec. 8 to 26-1941- CAVITE BATAAN CORREGIDOR

13 passengers in PBY, crew six - Especial noted for having blown up ammunition dumps at Cavite so they couldn't fall into Jap hands. Had a sector of beach defence [sic] - 3 points to cover in three bays. Commanded own personnale [sic] from ammunition depot who had been turned into infantry to fight along with army ground troops.

"In February ordered to Corregidor where my units continued to fight in defence [sic] of beaches and I was on duty with the inshore patrol - We had patrol boats (mine sweepers) - all of the naval vessels still left.

Ordance [sic] officer for what was left of the 16th Naval District - ordered to leave April 29 1942 - flown out at 11:15 PM for Lanao - gassed up then flew to Darwin - hopped the desert to Perth - Airplane tender was Shark Bay - 500 mi north of Perth

Aboard airplane: Army Nurse, Two civilian women, 3 Naval, Few army aviators