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Donald Martin Modrow

World War II - U. S. Navy

Donald M. Modrow
RADIOMAN THIRD CLASS
Petty Officer Third Class
Born: September. 17, 1921
Died: March 1, 1942 or after.
Circumstances Undetermined
Killed In Action March 1, 1942,
Drowned At Sea March 1, 1942
or Executed As A Japanese Prisoner Of War later in the War
burial: At Sea or Unidentified Grave
Memorials at:
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
Manila, Metro Manila
National Capital Region, Philippines
Fort William Mckinley, Manila, the Philippines
and Evergreen Cemetery, Oconto, Wisconsin

AWARDS

Purple Heart

World War II Victory Medal

American Defense Service Medal

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal

SHIPS & MILITARY HISTORY

USS Langley

USS Langley was the first vessel powered by electicity when it was built in 1914. Later it became the first Aircraft Carrier in existance. It was converted from another purpose vessel in 1923 as a successful experiment for the viability of launching aircraft at sea. Early aircraft had proven their worth in World War I but had limited fuel and flight time. The first Langley was the prototype for all aircraft carriers built.

As new aircraft carriers were built, the USS Langley was reconverted with a total engine replacement, in 1937, to a Sea Plane Tender, bringing the versatile planes, crews, parts, tools and personnel to the "Hot Spots" in the early battles of the Pacific in World War II. It also served as battle escort.

This is how the Langley looked while Radioman Donald Modrow serve aboard.

The USS Langley is photographed from another ship as it was being attacked and torpedoed by the Japanese 21st and 23rd Naval Air Flotillas on February 27, 1942, during Donald Modrow's service aboard.

Donald Modrow was listed as one of the total 453 survivors of the USS Langley being evacuated in this photograph. The attack damaged the USS Langley so severely that she had to be abandoned. After evacuation on February 27, the helpless ship remained afloat and was skuttled (purposely sunk) by the US Navy. Donald Modrow was one of 177 survivors taken aboard the USS Edsall.

USS Edsall

The USS Edsall was the ship listed as carrying Donald Modrow away from the USS Langley after the February 27th attack in 1942. Records state that although most of the USS Langley survivors had been transferred to the USS Pacos on February 28, 1942, the USS Edsall was ordered to retained 32 USAAF personnel from Langley to be used to assemble and fly 27 P-40E fighters being shipped to Tjilatjap aboard the transport USS Sea Witch, and to return these 32 "fighter crew members" to that port.

Donald Modrow was one of those retained as a communications specialist. Following orders, the USS Edsall reversed course, headed back to the northeast for Java, and was never seen again by Allied forces, with Donald Modrow aboard.

USS Edsall under Japanese attack and sinking on March 1, 1942. The photograph was part of a film taken by a Japanese ship and later found in archives. Japanese records report that only a few, probably 11, of the many survivors in the water were picked up and the rest left in the Indian Ocean, unrescued. Those picked up were transported to a Japanese base later in March, 1942 and evenutally executed.

A mass burial sites found and opened in 1946 in the East Indies contain 6 bodies of USS Edsall crew and probably 5 bodies from among the 32 of the USS Langley crew being carried aboard the Edsall when it was sunk. Identities of these bodies were not determined and the American bodies were reinterred in U.S. cemeteries between December 1949 and March 1950. Donald Modrow was among either those left in the Indian Ocean immediately after the USS Edsall was sunk on March 1, 1942 or was one of those very few who were picked up and later executed.

For more information: World War II Day-By-Day

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