My Uncle, Everett Clarence Leech was born on June 12, 1910 in Valier, Teton Co., Montana. He was the son of Pearl Julia Humble (my Great Grandmother) & Charles Lloy Leech (my Great Grandfather). I never knew my Uncle, but when I was born on August 28, 1947, my parents named me after him and gave me the name of Everett Dean Salisbury. At the age of 52, I became very interested in doing genealogy work so that my children and their children to come would have some idea of their roots and know who there Ancestors were. I began to research many of my ancestors and when I came upon my Uncle and then finding out what he must have gone through. I believe that there was no better person then him to dedicate my family page to. So I DEDICATE this SALISBURY FAMILY webpage to my Uncle:

From what I've been told about my Uncle, he was a very well liked individual by everyone who had come in contact with him. I have been told stories about him by two of my 1st cousins ½ removed. Even though they were very young at the time, they still remember many things that Uncle Everett did with them.

Uncle Everett was a Cook in the Army during WWII and was on the island of Corrigedor and was one of the approximate 1500 or so that went through what was called the DEATH MARCH, and then was loaded aboard a Japanese ship the Arisan Maru and was taking them to Japan and was torpedoed by a United States Submarine believed to be the U.S.S. Snook. On September 23rd or 24th, 1944.

Uncle Everett was issued the "PURPLE HEART" by the United States and being that my Uncle was not married everything was given to my Great Grandmother Pearl Julia (Humble) Leech and some where done the road these documents were given to my Uncle Morris Junior Teterud and after his death on December 27, 1997, my Cousin Wesley Teterud sent the original documents to me being that I was named after him. I'm glad that Wesley thought of me when finding these documents. So if you ever read this Wesley, thank you for your thoughts that I should have these original documents.

So that we may never forget how my Uncle Everett died here is a little bit about the ship that my Uncle died on so close to the end of World War II:

ARISAN MARU
(Oct. 24, 1944) Japanese freighter bound for Japan from Manila Bay in the Philippines. In the holds were 1,800 American prisoners of war, being transported as slave labourers to work in the mines and factories of Japan. Crowded so close together they could not lie down, the holds soon became a hell-hole as the temperature soared to over 100 degrees F. The lack of fresh air caused many to go mad as the holds became fouled by the stench of sweating bodies and human excrement. As the ship sailed into a typhoon, the odour of vomit from the hundreds of sea sick prisoners added to the wretched conditions. Four days out into the China Sea, at 3 PM on the 24th, a terrible jolt shook the ship from bow to stern as three torpedoes from the American submarine USS Snook split the ship in two. The two halves separated and sank two hours later. Only seven men survived by clinging to wreckage. Five reached the Chinese coast and two were picked up by a Japanese destroyer. As the Arisan Maru was unmarked, the captain of the submarine had no way of knowing that the ship carried POWs.

My Uncle Everett was not to survive. May God Rest his Soul in knowing that he is remembered as well as he is HONORED by a Nephew that was named after him!

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** ARISAN MARU SHIPS ROSTER, 18TH PAGE **

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