| Original caption: “Corporal Noel Havenberg [sic] is one of the many United States Army internee nutrition cases at the General Hospital in Luzon.” Corporal Noel Marvin Ravneberg (November 19, 1918 – May 18, 2002), known as “Marvin” by his family, grew up in Devils Lake, North Dakota. He enlisted in the United States Army on March 7, 1941. After basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, he was assigned to Headquarters Company, 194th Tank Battalion of the Provisional Tank Group. The 194th Tank Battalion shipped out for the Philippines in August 1941. After the Pacific War began for the Americans on December 7, 1941, the 194th was in combat for the next 4 months. After the surrender of the Allied Bataan garrison on April 9, 1942, Ravneberg was marched with the men of the 194th to Camp O’Donnell. During the march, he had 1 meal in 10 days. Ravneberg was sent to Tarlac Prison Camp on May 20, 1942, where he served as a hospital orderly. This small 52-man detachment soon grew by the hundreds, including Senior officers. Ravneberg later recalled being bored most of the time in camp, as there wasn’t much to do. American Prisoners of War at Tarlac boarded the Nagara Maru, a “hell ship,” on August 11, 1942. After a brutal 3-day trip that ended in Takao, Formosa, Ravneberg and other Prisoners of War were loaded onto the Suzuya Maru, a smaller ship. The next day Ravneberg disembarked at Karenko. He mined rock and developed a lifelong interest in geology. There, he and the other Prisoners were beaten regularly; the guards targeted the enlisted men, like Ravneberg. He later said, “The Japs were great for group punishment. If one of the prisoners failed to bow or salute a Jap guard or committed some minor ‘offense,’ all of us were punished. We were paired off and made to slap each other. If we didn’t slap hard enough, a Jap would show us how he wanted it done. Some of them took great delight in this ‘sport,’ one in particular.” “He would stand out behind our barracks in the pitch dark, waiting for men to pass them on the way to the latrine. We never knew when he was there or where he was until he shouted at us for not bowing to him. One night, he had sixteen of us out there slapping each other for forty-five minutes. It seems funny now, looking back, but it wasn’t at the time.” Ravneberg was sent to Heito Prisoner of War Camp in June 1943. He cleared land and wetlands for sugar cane planting. In 1945, he was sent to Taihoku Number 6 Prison Camp. He was quickly transferred to another camp, which Ravneberg and others were forced to build. Ravneberg’s right leg was amputated, so he was sent back to Taihoku when the Japanese surrendered. After liberation, Ravneberg was sent to Manila for medical treatment. A 180 pounds (80 kilograms) at his draft appointment in October 1940, he weighed 85 pounds (39 kilograms). In the Philippines and the United States, Ravneberg spent 8 months in hospital. He was discharged on May 16, 1946, as a Sergeant. On the GI Bill, Ravneberg attended Columbia University at night while working at Bulova Watch Company as a repairman. He earned a Bachelor’s in February 1953 and a Master’s in June 1954 in Geology. Ravneberg worked as a geologist for the State of New York and was a highly regarded consultant to numerous companies. He died a month after receiving a Purple Heart for his wounds as a Prisoner of War. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1465.jpg |
| Image Size | 742.04 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2338 x 2946 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | September 21, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | Manila |
| State or Province | Luzon |
| Country | Philippines |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NRE-338-FTL(EF)-3134(8) |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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