A 95-year-old World War II veteran from Oklahoma who received his Prisoner of War Medal and other honors last fall after a decades-long wait has died.
The Muscogee Creek Nation says tribal member Phillip Coon died Monday in Tulsa. Coon traveled to Japan in October and received an apology from Japanese government officials for treatment he received during the war.
Coon was the last remaining Native American survivor of the Bataan Death March, where tens of thousands of soldiers were forced on a 65-mile trek by the Japanese military.
Muscogee Creek Nation Principal Chief George Tiger said in a statement that the tribe has lost a hero and that Coon was a pillar of strength.
Funeral services are scheduled for Friday in Okmulgee.
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