Statistics of the 7th Material Squadron
Total number of men in the 7th Material Squadron as of 31 October 1941
 335     
100%   
The number of men who died 1941 - 1945
193
 58%
The number of men KIA or MIA before they were surrendered 9 April 1942
 12
 3.5%
The number of men who died after they were surrendered
181
 54%
The number of men KIA or MIA after they were surrendered 9 April 1942
 44
 13%
The number of men killed by disease after they were surrendered
 137
 41%
The number of men who made the Bataan Death March (this squadron)
 304
 91%
Of the number who made the Death March, the number who did not survive the war
 174
 57%
The number of men who did not make the Death March but were alive 9 April 1942
 19
 5.5%    
Of the number from the previous line, the number who did not survive the war
 7
 37%
The number of men who are still alive (as of September 2000)
 49
 15%

Some Conclusions
      
    The first thing to notice is that the percentage of men from this squadron who died during the war is quite high, almost 60 percent, but the next thing you must appraise is that only about 4 percent of them were killed in combat or before they were surrendered.  This means that around 54 percent of the 7th Material Squadron died after they were surrendered to the Japanese!  A staggering number of them were killed by disease, 137 men or 41 percent.   This is much higher than the figure quoted for deaths in German POW camps, about 2 percent, and even higher still than the 30 percent usually attributed to deaths in Japanese POW camps.  A further breakdown shows that the reason may be that a very large number of men from the 7th Material Squadron made the infamous Bataan Death March after months of fighting in extreme conditions on Bataan. Comparing their survival rate to those in the squadron who fought elsewhere or were transferred to Corregidor yields a difference of about 20 percent.  Although this is quite substantial, it is in keeping with other studies emphasizing the hardships suffered by these men.  Also rather appalling are the 44 men, 13 percent of the total squadron, that are listed as KIA or MIA after they were surrendered.  This is due, in part, to the Japanese practice of transporting prisoners in unmarked "Hell Ships", to be targets for Allied bombs and torpedoes.