A World War II soldier who survived the Bataan Death March and died in a Japanese prisoner of war camp in 1942 will finally be laid to rest with full military honors this Friday at the Fort Smith National Cemetery. The long-awaited homecoming of Technician 5th Grade William Paul “Billy” Keele follows the federal identification of his remains, prompting Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders to order all flags flown at half-staff. Read more below.
Keele enlisted in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps on September 30, 1940, at Vancouver Barracks, Washington. He entered the service as a Private and was later assigned to the 33rd Quartermaster Truck Regiment, Philippine Department.
In December 1941, Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands, initiating months of intense combat. Following the fall of the Philippines in April 1942, Keele and thousands of other American and Filipino servicemen were forced to surrender.
He survived the brutal 65-mile Bataan Death March, enduring severe heat and deprivation, only to face further suffering in the Cabanatuan Prisoner of War Camp, where more than 2,500 prisoners perished during the war.
Keele passed away at the camp on July 16, 1942, at 11:25 a.m. At the time, fellow captives recorded his death on a condensed milk can. He was buried in Common Grave 316 at the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery. In 1948, the remains in the common graves were transferred to Manila for identification efforts, but Keele remained unaccounted for until recently.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency exhumed the unidentified remains from Cabanatuan in April 2019. Utilizing modern forensic science, the agency officially accounted for Keele on January 5, 2026, and announced his identification on April 21, 2026. His remains arrived back in Fort Smith on August 4, 2026, to prepare for his final homecoming.
For his service, courage, and sacrifice, Keele posthumously received numerous military decorations. His honors include:
- the Purple Heart,
- Prisoner of War Medal,
- Good Conduct Medal,
- American Campaign Medal,
- Distinguished Unit Citation,
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the
- World War II Victory Medal.
To honor his life and sacrifice, Governor Sanders has ordered both the United States and Arkansas state flags to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on August 7, designating the day as an official day of remembrance across the state.
The graveside service is scheduled for Friday, August 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Fort Smith National Cemetery. Services are under the care of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood, Arkansas. Keele was born on December 5, 1917, in Tennessee.
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