PRIOR, RONALD Feb 1, 1945 age 27 MIA Luzon

RONALD  PRIOR, b. April 28, 1918 Bamfurlong, England d. Feb 1, 1945 MIA Body Non recoverable, Luzon, Philippines

Pvt 36869453 Army 5^th Calvary Reg 1^st Cavalry Div

Buried Manila American Cemetery, Tablets of the Missing, Philippines

Parents: William & Minnie (Jackson) born England. Minnie and the two boys arrived in the U.S. May 2, 1923 on SS Athenia from Liverpool.

Siblings: Clifford (Pfc wounded on Leyte), Iris Joan

Ronald attended both Redford and Northwestern High Schools. He had worked as a nurseryman then worked at Ford Rouge plant and at enlistment worked for Motors Metal. When he registered for the draft Oct 16, 1940 he was 130 lbs, hazel eyes, brown hair, 5’6”. He enlisted Aug. 10, 1943 in Detroit.  

On 27 January 1945, the men of the 5th Cavalry Regiment landed at Lingayen Gulf on the island of Luzon. As there was no resistance  the Battle of Luzon began with quiet start. With the objective of pushing south and southwest, the regiment assembled at Guimba and received this order from General MacArthur:

"Go to Manila! Go around the Japs, bounce off the Japs, save your men, but get to Manila! Free the internees at Santo Tomas! Take the Malacanan Palace and the legislative building!"

The next day, elements of the 5th Cavalry joined the infamous "flying column" formed by the 1st Cavalry Division and cut 100 miles deep into Japanese territory and managed to rescue the internees at the Santo Tomas prison camp on 3 February; the prisoners were freed, but the troops of the flying column were too far ahead of the advanced American positions to be safe. 

He received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart