William H. Plant
Ensign | PT-31 Officer | POW, died aboard Enoura Maru (9 January 1945)

Overview

William H. Plant was initially listed as missing after the loss of PT-31, but later records strongly suggest a much longer and tragic path.

PT-31 Incident

Plant was last seen on the raft after abandonment. He did not rejoin the nine survivors ashore and was recorded as missing in the 23 January 1942 report.

Wartime Fate

 Listed as missing in DeLong’s roster and among the three men absent after the raft breakup; his ABMC Manila American Cemetery record identifies him as Missing In Action, entered from California, awarded the Purple Heart, and still without a rosette, which supports that he remains unrecovered and is commemorated on the Manila Tablets of the Missing. That same ABMC record gives a date of death of 9 January 1945, a discrepancy with the PT-31 loss chronology that appears to reflect later administrative treatment rather than the January 1942 loss event itself. Later POW records identify him as part of the prisoner system following Bataan. He ultimately died aboard Enoura Maru on 9 January 1945.

Research Notes

Confidence: Strong (Reconciled)
Early “missing” status likely reflects separation during escape, not death.