Mildred N. Simon was notified that on Dec. 11, 2019, at 1:30 p.m., the Department of the Army would be at Sun Tower to present military awards and decorations for her brother, who was a POW/MIA during WWII.

"Today we honor Private Virgle L. Hamock. Based on the Past Conflict Repatriations Branch for replacement set of military awards and decorations, Private Hamock is entitled to the following decorations:
1. Bronze Star Medal
2. Purple Heart
3. Prisoner of War Medal
4. Army Good Conduct Medal
5. American Defense Service Medal with Foreign Service Clasp
6. Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Bronze Service Star
7. World War II Victory Medal
8. Presidential Unit Citation with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
9. Combat Infantryman Badge
10. Philippine Defense Ribbon

Private (PVT) Virgle L. Hamock entered the service from Arkansas on 26 November 1940. He served with Company C of the 31st Infantry Regiment in the Philippines in World War II. With the surrender of U.S. Forces, Pvt. Hamock became a prisoner of the Japanese, and he died in Cabanatuan POW camp on 12 December 1942. Camp records associate his burial with Common Grave 901. After the war, remains of American prisoners from Cabanatuan were recovered by U.S. forces but complications in the burial and recovery process prevented identification of many individuals, including Pvt. Hamock. For his service he received a Bronze Star, and he is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. Details of this loss are recorded in the Philippine Archive Collection at the ”U.S. Causalities and Burials at Cabanatuan POW Camp #1.”
It is an honor that these awards are presented in recognition of Pvt. Hamock’s dedicated service and sacrifice to our nation. In recognition of Pvt. Hamock’s service these awards are presented to the family this day, Dec. 11, 2019."

POC: Mildred N. Simon
6 North 6th St. # 504
Yakima, WA
Phone 509-731-6339