Biography
James Bernard Cavanagh was born on October 31, 1915, to Hugh and Angeline West Cavanagh. He was one of nine children and grew up on the Neola family farm. Master Sergeant Cavanaugh died Feb. 10, 1943, aged 27, in a Japanese prison camp- Karenko of a disease. The Neola post of the American Legion oversaw the military funeral.
Excerpt about Karenko Camp with information on Cavanagh: Food was always a problem and the Japanese enjoyed playing games with the POWs when it came to withholding food and supplies from them. As a result of the poor diet and withheld medical supplies, three of the POWs died in this camp. British Maj/Gen. Merton Beckwith-Smith was the first on November 11th 1942, followed on February 11th 1943 by M/Sgt. James Cavanagh and later by Col. Paul Bunker on March 16th - both of the US Army. The Story of the Taiwan POW Camps and the mean who were interned in them.