On September 7, 1944, the Japanese warship SS Shinyo Maru was sailing for Manila. The vessel was one of the “Hell Ships” used by the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army to transport Allied prisoners from the Philippines to elsewhere in the Japanese empire. Unaware that it was carrying 750 prisoners of war, mostly American survivors, the American submarine USS Paddle SS263, which was tasked to search for the Japanese ship, attacked it. The US submarine torpedoed the Shinyo Maru about a mile or two away from Sindangan point in Zamboanga del Norte. Of the 83 prisoners of war who made it to the shore, one died after they came ashore and was buried on the hill of the town of Sindangan. The 82 remaining survivors were cared for by the locals of Sindangan.
Now, in the same site, under a grove of coconut trees facing the Sindangan Bay, lies a commemorative marker in honor of the bravery and heroism of the Shinyo Maru passengers and the people of Sindangan. The site in Barangay R.G. Macias is where survivors were sheltered and fed by the locals, and where they were picked-up by another US submarine.
The marker was unveiled by the municipality of Sindangan in partnership with the Department of Tourism Region IX and the Zamboanga del Norte provincial government to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Shinyo Maru incident on September 7, 2014.
I was fortunate enough to be invited to cover the event along with other members of the media. In attendance was Randy Anderson, the Project Leader for the Hellship Memorial, families of the Shinyo Maru survivors, representatives from the Department of Tourism, and local officials from Sindangan and Zamboanga del Norte.
After a short program, the marker was unveiled. The marker reads:
This Commemoration Marker is dedicated in honor of the residents in the Liloy-Sindangan Area of Mindanao, Philippines whose demonstration of Filipino hospitality and care saved 82 prisoners of war, all citizens of the United States of America, from recapture by the Japanese authorities seventy years ago, when the SS Shinyo Maru Sank on 7 September 1944.
Installed and dedicated this 7th day of September 2014.
According to DOT Region 9, the marker was constructed to serve as a landmark and to recognize the significant contribution of the people of Sindangan during the historic World War II event. An exhibit of historical documents that chronicled the incident was displayed during the the reception dinner hosted in the hacienda of the Macias family overlooking the bay.
The exhibit also displayed proposed plans for a complete Shinyo Maru Memorial designed by Architect Jose O. Martinez III, who also designed the marker. Proposed plans show an art gallery, administration and tourist information center, shrine, museum and memorial square surrounding the marker. The DOT Region 9 hopes to complete the memorial by the 75th anniversary of the Shinyo Maru incident in September 2019.
Hi Ms. Kara.
Daghang salamat for gracing the event and for coming over to our province. Until next…
You’re welcome! It was an honor to witness this historic event in Zamboanga del Norte.
proud to be there during the celebration, and i’m proud to my lolo tome (2lt. bartolome c. lira sr.) one of the people who helped the survivors esp. Pvt. John R. Bennett…
link of the files : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.757373794323181.1073741834.752056158188278&type=3
and sana ma locate na ang shinyo maru para dive site to boost local tourism of our municipality… mabuhay
Hi Reglin, thanks for sharing the link! Hopefully more people will discover the beauty of your town 🙂
My cousin Major Robert B. Blakeslee was one of the 83 survivors. I never knew him personally but found out about him in doing my family genealogy. I just recently was able to locate his son. I just want to thank those on the island who’s family members played a significant role in taking care of them once they hit shore. Freedom comes at such an expense for we must all be thankful for the outcome. We must never forget the cost and should be educating our younger generations who have no clue REALLY as to the cost. They only know of the word, for the definition of the giving of one’s life needs to be more readily emphasized.
My uncle, Eldon Chastain, was one of the Marine Corps POWs who was killed on the Shinyo Maru. I never met him–I remember being a little girl when my mother showed me his name on a memorial in Arkansas and told me he was “buried at sea”. A few years ago, I decided to see what I could find out and was able to contact one of the former POWs he was imprisoned with. The things he told me still give me chills. Though Uncle Eldon didn’t make it to shore, this story proves the incredibly brave, selfless people who risked their lives to help the other survivors would have been there for him, too. They are heroes in the truest sense of the word and I thank them for daring to reach out and help the survivors of this tragedy. As Ross said, “we must never forget the cost” of freedom–and the sacrifices made by those who came before us.
My first cousin, Marcus Newton Simkins, was one of the 83 survivors of the Shinyo Maru. After World War II was over he always lived in California and died there in 1964 at age 44 so I never got to meet him. My mother and father did tell me a few things they knew about him though. I was able to finally find a photo of him in an article in The San Bernardino County Sun newspaper in an article about his time as a POW of the Japanese.
Ernest–It’s sad that, after surviving so much, your cousin passed away at such a young age. I have to wonder if what he endured as a POW–and escaping the barbaric, brutal torture on that truly hell-ish “hell ship”, had anything to do with his death. You’re fortunate to have found a photo–Since I was born long after he died, I have no photo of him so I have no idea what he even looked like.
I am truly sorry you never had the chance to meet him. I know how much it hurts when you read or hear about what was done to him and his fellow POWs. I hope it gives you some comfort knowing he was shown kindness and given protection by the people who met him on shore after he escaped those horrors.
Yvonne,
Thank you for your comments. I’m so sorry for your loss. I looked at the memorial page on Find A Grave for your uncle, PFC Eldon Tobias Chastain. The creator of his memorial did a very nice job.
I have no doubt that Marcus’ time as a POW and the extreme hardships he and the others on that ship endured both in the prison camps and after being loaded on that ship had some part in his early death. Even after Marcus escaped that ship he spent about six weeks living with friendly Filipinos in the jungle until he was rescued in late Oct. 1944 and shipped home. Marcus was in the Medical Department, so I like to think he helped POWs who were ill or injured in some way as much as he could.
My mother told me that Marcus said they would get only a rice ball and a canteen of water for the day when they were forced to work in the jungle. Some of the men would empty the water out of their canteen and capture bugs and small snakes, placing them in the canteen. Later at night back at the camp, they would cook them and eat them. Marcus said there was one long green bug, that when cooked, tasted like French-fried potatoes.
Marcus also served in the Army again in the Korean War. I’m sure that war experience didn’t help him health wise either.
Hi Ernest: Ross here Fredericksburg, VA. Not sure as to how I got your message and that’s OK. I had a cousin also Captain Robert Blakeslee who was a POW on this ship. He did write an account of his experience. However, after reading other accounts I really don’t think he expressed the really terrible things the Japs did to them. If you would like a copy of his account would need your email address or mailing.
Hi Ross, I have read Captain Blakeslee’s account of his time as a POW (www.hfcsd.org/ww2/interviews/robert%20blakeslee/robert%20blakeslee.htm)–and I spoken to other former POWs about what they were subjected to while in the prison “camps” and on the “death march” with my uncle, Eldon Chastain. I’ve been searching for as many accounts of what they endured as possible because, like me, most of my cousins were born long after Uncle Eldon’s death and I don’t want him, or any of the other heroes who paid such a tremendous price, to be forgotten. I will never forget the day my mother held my hand and pointed to some writing on a massive rock and said “This is your uncle. He’s buried at sea.”–I was too young to read or comprehend that it was a memorial for soldiers from our area who were killed in the war. I didn’t know until many years later that none of my mother’s family knew much more than what she’d told me that day. I don’t want my family to lose him again.
I agree with your assessment–I think what we’ve been told has been “sanitized” because the truth is much more horrific than the survivors want us to know. I still cringe when I think about what I’ve learned. I can’t find strong enough words to sum up how inhumanely they were treated.
Thank you for sharing. Your cousin, and all the other American heroes who have served our Nation, must never be forgotten. Their stories need to be told, often. They paid a HUGE price for the rights many people take for granted these days.
Ross, I would like a copy of Captain Robert Blakeslee’s experience. My e-mail address is “eyoung1962 at gmail.com”, But use the @ symbol instead of the word and spaces in my e-mail address.
I’m not sure how you got my reply to Yvonne in her Nov. 1 post to me, but it was my first time to reply to reply to a post and I must have hit something other than the correct button.
There is a paperback book titled “Survivor” by John C. Playter, published in 2000 by Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. You can contact their Office of Public Relations for information about it. It is his personal memoir of the Battle for the Philippines, the Bataan Death March, Japanese Slave Labor Camps & Escape from the Japanese Hell Ship, the Shinyo Maru. You may be able to still locate a copy if you are interested.
Thanks again
Ernest Young
Floresville, TX
Thanks for the copy of the document Blakeslee wrote.
Mr. Young,
Marcus Newton Simkins happens to be my Grandfather. I never met him and only heard stories from my late father when I was young. If there is anything that you can share with me that would be great.
Mike,
I am so happy to hear from you. I had though that Marcus’s descendants were lost to me since he lived in California and died so young. I did know his parents, though their visits were few and far between and I went to their funerals when they died. I can tell you some things about your grandfather that you may or may not know, but I can tell you a lot about you grandfather’s ancestors all the way back to the early 1800s in Cape Charles, VA. And share family photos, too, that you most likely do not have. I have been working on the family genealogy since the summer of 1972. please e-mail me at
” eyoung1962 @ gmail.com ” without the spaces or course. I will give you my address and phone number in case you want to call and talk. You have a lot of family here in Texas. I look forward to your e-mail.
Your cousin,
Ernest
THE NAVAL BATTLE THAT HAPPENED IN SINDANGAN BAY REALLY HAPPENED IN LILOY POINT, LILOY,ZAMBONGA DEL NORTE, PHILIPPINES. THE U S POW’S SWAM TOWARD BARANGAY LAMAO OF LILOY, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE THEY WERE TREATED WELL BY THE VILLAGERS SEEING THEIR PITIFUL CONDITIONS. SINCE JAPANESE AIRCRAFTS WERE LOOKING FOR ANY SURVIVOR, THEY WERE BROUGHT TO A FORESTED HILL WHICH SERVED AS GUERILLA CAMP. THIS PLACE IS KNOWN AS CAMPO, MAIGANG, LILOY, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE. THEY WERE FED AND TREATED BY THE RESIDENTS OF THE AREA. HOWEVER, ONE POW DIED AND WAS BURIED IN THE AREA. AFTER STAYING FOR WEEKS IN LILOY, THEY WERE BROUGHT TO SINDANGAN, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE UPON INSTRUCTION BY GUERILLA COMMANDER IN THAT AREA. BECAUSE THE POW’S WERE WEAK TO WALK THE DISTANCE (FROM LILOY TO SINDANGAN WHICH IS ABOUT 40 KM.) THE FISHERMEN OFFERED THEIR FISHING BOATS AND THE 82 OF THEM SUCCESSFULLY BROUGHT TO SINDANGAN.
Greetings to one and all. I am the nephew of Lt. Gordon Lee who died on the hell ship Shinyo Maru in 1944. I was born one less than one year after his death. My mother who died at 105 four years ago was his guardian as the real parents had passed away early as it was in those days. So, I was considered by her as a little brother. We have a large family, I have 21 first cousins on my Mother’s side and we are all very close, patriotic, Uncle and Aunts and cousins have all served in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and other hot spots around the world. Uncle Gordon was with the New Mexico National Guard that was federalized and sent to the Philippines just prior to December 7, 1941. As you know, on December 8th, Japan bombed and invaded the Philippines. My Uncle fought many of the battles, especially the Battle of Manila. He was given a field promotion from Sgt. to Lt. They were all eventually “surrendered” and he along with thousands others endured the Bataan Death March, was in several POW camps, first to O’Donnell, the Cabanatuan, ending up at Davao, Dapecol. The rest is what we are here talking about. I wrote a little book about Uncle Gordon called LEE, mostly for my cousins and our children and future generations to keep the history alive. On September 7, 1944, a little before 5PM, two torpedoes struck the Shinyo Maru outside the mouth of the Sindangan Bay sinking her. 83 POWs survived out of 750. Some swam to land which was the Bay approximately 2 to 3 miles from the sinking ship. In 2004, my Mother who was 94 then, I told her I wanted to go dive on the site and just meld with the spirits. But of course things and opportunities came and went and prevented that. Now, I am preparing to go in July 2020 with some family members. Among other things I have done in my life, I became a very adept scuba diver and have been for 40 years. We operate a dive facility and it is part of our lives. Now, I want to find the site and see how or what we will do. Of course the longs and lats and the depth is the most important. That is one thing I have searched the internet for and can’t find. I must be looking in the wrong places, it must be recorded somewhere. Secondly, we need a local scuba diving facility close by that can assist us, but I think it will all come together. If there is anything anyone out there knows about this, please let me know. From articles and interviews, I found that my Uncle Gordon was true to his home town personality to the end. I was told he was last seen at the entrance of one of the Holds, helping other POWs out and avoiding the machine gun fire. Consensus is that he went down with the ship. I will be 75 next year and although I don’t let age have any bearing on my life, I fear I will getting a tad to old to make any super dives beyond 200 feet, but I just want to get close to the area and feel the vibes as we said in the 60s, ha. For those of you that made it to the end of this message, thank you. I have always been known to ramble on, but if there is any info or direction someone can give us, it would be greatly appreciated.
Miss Kara: A blessed greetings to you. To make it short: I had an Uncle that died on the Shinyo Maru. I am a Master Dive Instructor as is my wife and my family are all Divemasters. We own a diving facility in Port Antonio, Jamaica. Lady G’Diver. I researched my Uncle’s experience in the Philippines; Battle of Manila, Bataan Death March, served in two or three POW camps and was on the Shinyo Maru when it was sunk in September 1944. A bucket dream of mine and a promise to my deceased Mother is I would someday go to the site. We are trying to organize a pilgrimage to Sindengan in July 2020 to accomplish this. Right now I am having a hard time finding dive facilities in the area and more so, what the longitude and latitude and Depth of the wreckage is. Depth being the most important right now. Can you give me any information on this or direct to where I may get such information? Thanking you very much in advance. Cheers.
Hello Steven. I’m sorry but I’m not really from that area or knowledgeable about the site of the actual wreck. I just happened to attend the unveiling of the historic marker in the town of Sindangan in Zamboanga del Norte. It’s not a site normally visited by tourists and I don’t think there are any dive shops operating nearby. Perhaps this can give you leads: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?59632. Or maybe you can message this page on FB since they do Scuba Dive tours in Zamboanga (though it’s a very large area). Sindangan is still a couple of hours away by land from the nearest airport. https://www.facebook.com/SCUBA-Diving-IN-Zamboanga-276193909663180/
Try the Department of the Navy Historical Department. My cousin was one of the survivor,s of that terrible time. Also you could try the WWII Museum in New Orleans. I would try the WWII Museum first . They could better direct you to the Navy contact office. 1SGT,USARetired
Mike,
I ttried leaving you a message here before, but I guess you never got it. I would love to get in contact with you on the Simkins family. I have a lot to share and photos, too. Please read my message of Nov. 16, 2016. You can find it at this link below:
https://www.traveling-up.com/70th-shinyo-maru-commemoration-in-sindangan/
Please e-mail me at ” eyoung1962 @ gmail.com ” without the spaces of course. I will give you my address and phone number in case you want to call and talk. You have family here in Texas. I look forward to your e-mail.
Your cousin,
Ernest D. Young
Hello Ernest, I hope you two are able to get in touch with other!
Kara,
Thanks. I hope so, too, but my reply to him was first posted back in 2016 I think and I have heard nothing from him. I wonder if he opted to be notified when a reply was posted to his message. I also can’t find any way to get in touch with Traveling-Up o ask if they could forward my information I posted on to him. I may have to resort to Facebook to see if I can track him down.
Steven,
Do you still plan that trip for July 2020?
Martha Jo Smith
Huntsville, Al.
Steven,
The co-ordinates are, Off Sindangan Point, Mindanao Island (08-12N, 22-37E), this from Japanese Records. Apparently, she was hit by 2 torpedoes and broke in two and there was a large explosion.
Martha Jo
Hi Steven: I had been sitting on your email for some time and apologize for not responding sooner. My first cousin 1X removed was also on that ship. Major Robert B. Blakeslee. He was one of the survivors. He wrote an account of his experience but I think he was very careful in what he wrote in not to upset his wife. At least that is my take. Of shows I had seen on TV they were much more graphic than he describes about that march. He was in the Army Air Corp, with the 454th Ordinance Company, Aviation Bombardment, FEAF, Philippines. I never did know him. He does have a living son and I have been trying to get genealogy information from him but he has not be very forthcoming. So, I don’t expect to much. I will forward your email on to him. If you want a copy of his encounter, I’d be glad to send you a copy. Let me have an email or address. My had was also in the Philippines. He was an amphibious tractor commander. My uncle served at the Battle of Remagen in the field artillery,a aunt that served in the 1st Marine Corp female band, and my grandfather was a Navy Bandmaster in Washington late 30’s-40’s. Had two uncles from N.H. that served here in Chancellorsville, VA. I didn’t know until I started working on my family genealogy. My mom’s side came before the Civil War and have several who fought against the Indians. Working on a special project for almost five years in identifying those who have served our country. Currently have a grandson serving in the Army going through Ranger training as I write. He has about two weeks left. Currently stationed in Germany and should rotate I think in May. After this training he’s off to airborne training. He plans to re-enlisted for the Ranger Battalion. I myself put in 21 1/2 years. Wouldn’t have traded it for anything. Ross
Steven:
As far as the location of the ship sinking. You might be able to get that information from the Department of the Navy or the Army. I’d try the Army first. Check the website and you should be able to get some idea on what office to contact. I’ve gotten order of battle information and unit movement on my dad’s unit with the Department of the Army. I am sure it is available. If you need some help, let me know and I’ll see what I can figure out. Ross
Here is a link to a web site that gives a lot of information on the Shinyo Maru. It is: http://www.submarinesailor.com/history/pow/paddlesinksshinyomaru/ . According to this article the Shinyo Maru was sunk a couple of miles off Sindangan Point, Mindanao. For an exact location of the sinking I would think that the log book of the USS Paddle would tell where the submarine was when she torpedoed the Shinyo Maru. The Navy should have that log book in the archives somewhere. My first cousin, Marcus Newton Simkins, was on that Hell Ship and was one of the few survivors who made it to shore and lived. I am still trying to connect with Marcus’ descendant who posted on here, but have not had any luck with that so far.
Johnrusse@aol.com
Steven, please let me know if you hear anything of the wreak site. My Uncle Donald W. Petersen was killed during the Shinyo Maru sinking.
Sincerely, Jeffrey Petersen
blueliner6@yahoo.com
My great uncle Toby Perea (PVFC Medic, Albuquerque, New Mexico) was among those who perished. I would love to hear about what you find on your dive.
Greetings All, Steve Widener. I have written a couple of messages here before. Just to advise, I did find the coordinates of the ship and unfortunately it lies about 400 meters on the floor, or 1200 plus feet. That is about 1100 feet too deep for scuba divers to go. I know small commercial submarines are available and I have been in contact with one, but their fee would be unrealistic in our circumstances. It would make a great documentary and perhaps a filming of it would bring in some money. If any of you hear of such a thing being proposed, please let me know. It is my bucket list to see the deck of the Shinyu Maru. Cheers.
Hi, I’m Mary Josephine G. Rollorata, a junior Historian and a Faculty from Mindanao State University-Main Campus, Marawi City. I also regularly teach in our extension campus in MSU-Sindangan Campus since 2021 until now. I am currently working on writing a wholistic historical account of Sindangan which also includes the Shinyo Maru. I had already collected some pictures and accounts, but I think it’s not yet enough. If anyone wanted to collaborate and work with this historical research, please feel free to reach me at maryjosephinerollorata@gmail.com The goal of this research is to give a historical account and recognition of our heroes–both the American soldiers and the locals in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.
Good Day! My team were doing a research about the Shinyu Maru in Sindangan. I would gladly want to hear any information from you to serves as our primary source. I am hoping for you response God bless and thank you.