CORPORAL CHARLES BALL (then Private) Company “B”, 31st Infantry, U.S. Army. For extraordinary heroism in action in the vicinity of Abucay Hacienda, Bataan, Philippine Islands, on January 24, 1942. Wounded while his company was occupying an exposed front line position under heavy rifle and machine gun fire, Private Ball refused to be evacuated to the rear, but dressed his own wound and maintained the fire of his automatic rifle, thereby assisting materially in repulsing several strong enemy attacks on his position. When his company was ordered to withdraw, this gallant soldier remained in position, effectively covering the withdrawal of his platoon by fire from his weapon.

(Additional information provided by Karl Lowe, historian of the 31st Infantry Regiment – World War II.) On April 6, 1942, in a heavy battle near the vicinity of Mount Samat, Luzon Philippine Islands, between two Philippine Army Divisions and the Japanese Imperial Army, the two Philippine Divisions collapsed. Under heavy enemy artillery fire the 31st Infantry Regiment was ordered to counterattack. Under a heavy Artillery barrage, Cpl. Charles Ball was killed. Of the 2,200 men originally assigned to the 31st Infantry Regiment, 800 could barely walk. Only 120 men were able to attack. Cpl. Charles Ball’s body was never recovered despite efforts by the military to do so. On March 31, 1950, his remains were considered non-recoverable.