This is a photo of the Hellship Memorial that has just been inaugurated in Olongapo Bay, Philippines, in honor of the many thousands of victims of the infamous Hellships. My grandfather, Lt N Minter Dial, after whom I was named, died on one such ship, the unmarked Oryoku Maru, on Dec 15, 1944. Anyone thinking of going to visit the Philippines, there are many interesting historical sites to see, specifically concerning the WWII. Highly recommend visiting Corregidor and Bataan (scene of the Death March, note that this wikipedia article is currently being disputed for its lack of neutrality). And, for the courageous, go to the west side of the Bataan peninsula and you will find this memorial pictured above! If you are interested, there are several sites dedicated to this story, including the ADBC, scrap book.

And, I’d especially invite a look at the Google Earth shot of the sinking of the Oryoku.