What This Story Is About
- The remains of Private Lewis Bolton, a World War II prisoner of war who died in the Philippines in 1942, have been identified. His next of kin lives in Gatlinburg.
Why It Matters
- Bolton’s identification comes more than eight decades after his death. His remains had been buried as unknown at the Manila American Cemetery.
- Bolton’s remains are scheduled to arrive at McGhee Tyson Airport on Friday morning. A graveside service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, at East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery in Knoxville.
For Context
- Bolton was captured after the American surrender of the Bataan Peninsula in April 1942 and was forced into the Bataan Death March.
Catch Up
- Bolton was buried with other prisoners in a common grave. After the war, unidentified remains were buried as unknowns at the Manila American Cemetery. They were disinterred in 2019 and sent to a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency laboratory for analysis.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – A World War II veteran’s remains have been identified as Private Lewis Bolton, according to funeral directors at Atchley Funeral Home.
Private Bolton’s next of kin now resides in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Private Bolton died during WWII on June 28, 1942 in a Prisoner of War (POW) camp in Cabanatuan, Philippines…