John M. Connor, 89, a government printer and survivor of the Bataan death march, died of lung cancer December 15, 2005, at Holy Cross Hospice. He was a resident of Silver Spring, Maryland.A native Washingtonian, Mr. Connor spent all but 10 years of his life in the area. He graduated from Gonzaga College High School and spent five years as an apprentice printer in the Government Printing Office. He was drafted into the Army in April 1941 and in November was sent to Manila. The troops surrendered to the Japanese the next April and were then marched by the Japanese 100 miles without food or water. Mr. Connor spent 3 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in Japanese camps.
He wrote a book about his experience, “The Japanese Extermination Camps,” which was privately published in 1987.
Upon his discharge, he returned to the Washington area and was a printer in government agencies for his entire career. He retired in 1974 from the old federal office of civil defense, now the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Mr. Connor was a man with a great sense of humor, his wife said, and he loved to tell stories. He was an avid fisherman, golfer and woodworker, making clocks that he donated to charity raffles. He also volunteered for many years at the Veterans Administration Hospital.
His first wife, Thelma Brown Connor, died in 1958.
Survivors include his wife of 29 years, Alyce Connor of Silver Spring; a son, Frank Connor of Hyattsville; and three grandchildren.
CONNOR, JOHN M. On Thursday, December 15, 2005, JOHN M. CONNOR, of Silver Spring, Maryland. Beloved husband of Alyce Connor; father of Francis James Connor; grandfather of Michael James, Trevor T. and Kelsie Lynn Connor. Also survived by his nephew William J. Connor, Jr. and family.
Mass of Christian Burial at St. Camillus Church, 1600 St. Camillus Drive, Silver Spring, Maryland, on Wednesday, December 21, at 6 p.m. Interment Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, December 29 at 9 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013 or to American Defenders of Bataan in Corregidor, 18 Warbler Drive, McKees Rocks, P
CONNOR, JOHN M
- CPL US ARMY
- WORLD WAR II
- DATE OF BIRTH: 06/25/1916
- DATE OF DEATH: 12/16/2005
- BURIED AT: SECTION 69 SITE 1974ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard