Cannella Completes Marine Corps Training
Private John D. Cannella, U. S. Marine Corps, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cannella, 415 Sixth street southwest, successfully completed his recruit training and was transferred to the Marine Barracks, Mare Island, Cal., for further transfer to Asiatic station, which may be either Guam, the Philippine Islands or China, it was reported by Capt. Edward B. Moore, officer in charge of marine corps recruiting, Des Moines.
Private Cannella enlisted in the United States Marine corps Jan. 6, and was transferred to the recruit depot, Marine Corps base, San Diego, Cal., the same date.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Tuesday, February 20, 1940, Page 11
LOCAL MARINE REPORTED to BE MISSING in ACTION
P. F. C. John Cannella on Corregidor When Fortress Capitulated
P. F. C. John D. Cannella, 27, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cannella, 415 Sixth street southwest, is "missing in action while performing his duty for his country," and is believed to be one of the prisoners taken by the Japs when Corregidor fortress surrendered on May 6, his parents were notified by Lieut. Gen. T. Holcomb, United States marine corps commandant, on Saturday.
Private Cannella was one of the marines stationed at Shanghai when war broke out on Dec. 7. With the other American marines he was sent to Bataan peninsula, where he fought under Gen. Douglas MacArthur. After the fall of Batann, his parents feared he had been transferred to Corregidor.
General Holcomb's message to the local man's parents said, in part: "Regret to advise you . . . your son, P. F. C. John D. Cannella, was performing his duty in the service of his country in the Manila bay area when that station capitulated. . . He will be carried on the records of the marine corps as missing pending further information.
"He may be a prisoner of war. . . It will probably be several months before definite official information can be expected concerning his status. . . Sincere sympathy is extended to you in your anxiety and you are assured that any report received will be communicated to you promptly.
Cannella enlisted in the marine corps at Des Moines on Jan. 6, 1940. He had been in Shanghai one year and eight months. Last word from him was received in a Shanghai-dated letter last August, a letter which ominously told of the "trouble we marines are having with the Japs."
The local man attended the Mason City high school. He has two brothers, Jerome and Anthony, and two sisters, Lena and Sarah, all of Mason City.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Monday, May 11, 1942, Page 14 (photo included)
NORTH IOWANS on WAR FRONTS
Marine Private John Cannella, a Mason Cityan, was at Shanghai when war broke out Dec. 7. With the other marines Cannella was sent to Bataan and joined in the fighting there. Later he was transferred to Corregidor. His fate is unknown.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Friday, June 12, 1942, Page 39
JAPS TAKE BATAAN
JOHN CANNELLA INTERNED by JAPS;
WAS REPORTED MISSING
Parents Learn He Had Been Promoted to Rank of Corporal
Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Cannella, 415 Sixth street southwest, learned Wednesday in a letter from marine headquarters, that their son, John Cannella, is not missing but a prisoner of the Japanese in the Manila Bay area. He had been promoted from private first class to corporal before he was taken prisoner, the letter indicated.
Cannella was with the marines in Shanghai at the outbreak of the war with the Japanese. He was sent to Bataan peninsula and was transferred to Corregidor when that peninsula fell. He was reported officially missing when Corregidor fell, but it was hoped that he was taken prisoner.
He enlisted with the marines in Des Moines on Jan. 6, 1940. His last letter came from Shanghai, where he was stationed for nearly two years, and said, "we are having much trouble with the Japs."
Corporal Cannella attended the Mason City high school.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Wednesday, July 07, 1943, Page 7
35 Cerro Gordo Men Killed in Action in 2 ½ Years of War
Memorial Day this year marks almost 2 ½ years since the United States entered World War II. Of the more than 11 million men serving with the U.S. armed forces at home and overseas, it is estimated that Cerro Gordo county has contributed 4,100 men.
Prisoners of war list:
Cpl. J. D. Cannella, interned by Japs, Manilla Bay area, May 6, 1942.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, May 30, 1944
ALLIES POUR INTO JAPAN
MacARTHUR'S TROOPS OCCUPY TOKYO FRIDAY
GET FIRST WORD FROM JAP POW TAKEN at CORREGIDOR
Cpl. John D. Cannella Writes From Manchuria;
Nothing About Release
The first word received directly from their son, Marine Cpl. John D. CANNELLA, since he was taken prisoner of war by the Japs at Corregidor, in May, 1942, has come to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cannella, 415 6th S. W., in the form of a typed postcard bearing the corporal's signature.
The message said nothing of his being released and as yet there has been no word from any source to that effect.
The card was written from Camp Hoten, Manchuria, but gives no date of writing. It is believed, however, to be in answer to a message sent from here a couple of weeks ago, which might possibly have reached Cpl. Cannella after the Red Cross began flying special messages from Chungking to Manchuria a short time ago.
Cpl. Cannella had written that he was well and "could take it," He said that many things had happened, which, no doubt, were known here but he was all right and not to worry about him.
Cannella was with the marines in Shanghai at the outbreak of the war with the Japanese. He was sent to Bataan peninsula and was transferred to Corregidor when that peninsula fell. He was reported officially missing when Corregidor fell and later was stated to be interned in the Manila bay area.
Cannella enlisted with the marines in Des Moines on Jan. 6, 1940. His last letter had come from Shanghai where he had been stationed nearly 2 years. At that time he had written they were having much trouble with the Japs.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Tuesday, September 04, 1945, Page 1
HERE in MASON CITY
Cpl. John D. Cannella, Japanese prisoner of war, has arrived in Mason City at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cannella, 415 6th S. W., for a 90-day leave after which he expects to be discharged. He came from Great Lakes, Ill., where he had been sent for a physical check-up before being sent home.
Source: The Globe Gazette, Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, November 05, 1945, Page 14
NOTE: Cpl. John D. Cannella was discharged from service, as he expected.
