Major Claude Armenus Thorp

Other Events and Attributes:

• Military: 1943, World War II, Philippines

Notes:

per Ken Thorp Burrell:
"My grandfather, Claude Armenus Thorp (same middle name as Charles Splawn) did spend some time at Fort Sam Houston. I have a photo of him when he was there, as well as a trophy he won in horsemanship."


Military:
From: Ken Burrell scitek@pacbell.net
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2014 7:50 AM
To: 'Sherry'
Subject: more updates to genealogy

Sherry,
One other thing I should mention is that my grandfather, Claude Armenus Thorp (his initials are the same as his grandfather, Charles Armenus Splawn), died in November 1943 as a prisoner of war of the Japanese in the Philippines.

Here is the record of my mother, from the 1950?s (there is a lot more, but there is too much to copy in this e-mail):

On May 19, 1940, Capt. Thorp was assigned to Troop B, 26th Cavalry, to train a regiment of mounted Philippine Scouts, who had maintained a long and proud tradition at Ft. Stotsenburg, Philippines. While there he became a member of a polo team. Around October, 1940 he was promoted to Major and appointed Provost Marshal at Ft. Stotsenburg. He was instructed to make maps of the area and to find places where ammunition could be hidden.

Wayne Sanford, Military Historian, planned to write about Claude, and in his Chapter II is the following information:

?Gen. MacArthur planned the secret military unit into enemy territory. He had Gen. Wainwright authorize Maj. Thorp of the 26th Cavalry to select a team to perform such a detached duty. The odds of succeeding were enormous but selecting Maj. Thorp added to its potential success. He was rugged, fearless, and every inch a soldier; his sense of good judgment and practical knowledge were proven traits; and his popularity among both officers and enlisted men was universally known. Wainwright knew of no other officer on Bataan who was better qualified to carry out this mission. He would make it work or he would die trying.?

In a letter from Claire Phillips, dated October 1, 1952, he states:

?The reason Thorp was never listed as being a prisoner was due to the fact that Maj. Thorp was sent through the lines on or about Jan. 30, 1942 to organize the Philippine guerrillas behind the Japanese lines. The Japanese never reported special prisoners, or guerrilla prisoners as they were considered as captives. All prisoners taken in Bataan until late 1942 were considered as captives by the Japanese. Rev. John Duffy joined Thorp's scattered forces around Oct. 14, 1942. Philippinos who had escaped at the time of a Japanese raid on Thorp?s camp reported to John his capture. John said he was taken prisoner on or about Oct. 14, 1942 and incarcerated in the Provost jail at Ft. Stotsenburg until Jan. 1943. Thorp was reported to be in Santiago dungeons. In July, of 1943, Maj. Thorp and a number of other American soldiers were brought into Bilibid Prison and confined as special prisoners in the old death cell block. John stated that he saw Thorp for several months in this special cell block and was able to get tobacco and other extra supplies to him and his companions. About Nov. 20, 1943, Thorp and 14 other special prisoners were taken out of this cell block and marched out of Bilibid prison.?
Ken

Claude married Helen Irene Smith on 3 Sep 1922 in Ellensburg, Kittatas Co, Washington. Helen was born on 7 Sep 1897; died after 1925. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Caroline married Robert Burrell [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]