Last ’42 Muster survivor passes away

The last Aggie survivor of 1942’s legendary “Muster on the Rock” at Corregidor in the Philippines passed away Jan. 4, 2018.

Lt. Col. William A. Hamilton, Jr. ’40 arrived in the Philippines on Nov. 1, 1941 and was stationed at Camp Mills on Corregidor Island.

As April 21 approached, an Aggie general in command at Corregidor called for the names of all A&M men on the island. Under nearly constant bombardment, they were not able to physically gather together, but a story radioed back to the U.S. of their San Jacinto Day roll call became famous nationwide. The tradition of Aggie Muster became legend, and Aggies returned to Corregidor in 1946 for a famous “Victory Muster” and photo (AggieNetwork.com/Corregidor).

Of the couple dozen Aggies on Corregidor in 1942, only 12 survived the battle and the POW camps.

Services will be Jan. 12 in Overland Park, Kansas.