Theodore Crane served in the U.S. Army as a Major in the 33rd Infantry Regiment, 31st Infantry Division, in World War II. A prisoner of war, Major Crane was being transported from the Philippines to Japan on the transport ship Arisan Mura when, on October 24, 1944, it was struck by two torpedoes from an American submarine in the Bashi Channel of the South China Sea. All 1781 POWs survived the explosion, but were abandoned on the ship by the Japanese. When the ship sank, all but nine died. Major Crane was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals.
