Fred T. Jewell was born May 23, 1916 in Lundale, Logan County, West Virginia to Thomas and Dixie Jewell. The family remained in the Logan County area throughout Fred's younger life, and it was in Logan that he entered into the armed forces.
Fred enlisted in the United States Army on May 17, 1939 and was placed on active duty on October 22, 1939. Fred was able to serve the United States in its domestic service until July 14, 1941. The next day, Fred entered the foreign service and was shipped overseas to the Pacific to be stationed in the Philippines serving with the 60th Coast Artillery Regiment.
Fred served courageously in the Philippines throughout the Japanese assault on the islands in 1941-1942. However, on May 7, 1942 Fred was captured as a prisoner of war when the remaining US forces on the islands were forced to surrender. Fred was held as a prisoner of war in the Philippines for two years. While being transported to Japan on the Arisan Maru, Fred lost his life on October 24, 1944 when the unmarked ship was torpedoed by an Allied submarine in the South China Sea. His death was received by the War Department on June 16, 1945.
Fred was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and his body was buried at sea. In recognition of his honorable service in World War II, and for his ultimate sacrifice, Fred T. Jewell's name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines, and Fred's was one of the original names inscribed on the West Virginia Veterans Memorial.