Source: RG 331 Box 940Source: RG 331 Box 940

Taken at: Greenville Army Air Base, Greenville, South Carolina
Date: 10 December 1946
In the Presence of:
Theodore J. Hieatt, Major, AC, O-274061, 313th AAF Base Unit, Greenville Army Air Base

Reporter: Paul S. Dodson, CAF 3, Greenville Army Air Base

Questions by: Major Theodore J. Hieatt

Q. State your name, rank, serial number and address.
A. Robert Vaughn Cartee, Staff Sergeant, RA 6383466, Squadron "A". 313th AAF Base Unit, Greenville Army Air Base, Greenville, South Carolina.

Q. When did you return to the United States from overseas?
A. 21 October 1945.

Q. Were you a prisoner of war?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. In what places were you held, and state the approximate dates?
A. I was captured on Bataan April 1942. I remained a prisoner in the Philippines at Camp O'Donnell, Cabanatuan, Lipa Batanga and Bilibid. I left the Philippines 2 July 1944, arriving in Japan September 6, 1944. From there I was taken to Funatsu Camp No.1, Nagoya area, where I was liberated September 9, 1945.

Q. Are you familiar with the circumstances of the beatings of Earl Thurman, Steve Vargo, LeRoy Roland, John DiSerio and Sam Stevenson, USA, which occurres at Funatsu Prison Camp No. 1?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Were you an eye-witness to any of these beatings?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. State what you know of your own knowledge, and what you saw, regarding the incident which occurred about June, 1945, when the following names men: Earl Thurman, Steve Vargo, LeRoy Roland, John DiSerio and Sam Stevenson, received severe beatings over some stolen cigarettes?
A. I occupied the upper floor of my barracks when the incident happened and was aware that something was wrong when the entire camp was alerted and a "shake-down" search was made. The cigarettes that the Japanese alleged had been stolen were found near the bunk of the above-named men and they were marched from the building and taken out into the compound where they were severely beaten by the guards. This beating took place outside the barracks and in full view of those of us who were standing at the windows.

Q. Did you see these men being beaten?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Do you know, or could you recognize, any of the guard who took part in this beating?
A. Yes, sir. One of them was known to us as "Little Napoleon", or Tanaka who later changed his name to Shimizu, and he took part in the beatings. A Japanese who was known to us as "Clark Gable", or Yamanaka, also took part in the beatings. A guard known to us as "Nigger", or Hori, was also one of the Japanese guards who took part in the beatings. A Japanese guard known to us as "Club Happy" also took part in the beatings. A Japanese guard known to us as "Quartermaster" also took part in the beatings.

Q. Do you know the Japanese name of the guard whom you referred to above as "Club Happy"?
A. No, sir, I don't remember.

Q. Do you know the Japanese name of the guard who you referred to above as "Quartermaster"?
A. No, sir, I don't know his Japanese name.

Q. Do you think you could recognize and identify any of these guards who participatged in this beating?
A. Yes, sir, I could identify all of them.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, I hand you a photograph with the name covered and ask you if you can identify it as a photograph of one of the persons who took part in the beating of Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, he was known to us as "Little Napoleon" whose Japanese name was Tanaka which he later changed to Shimizu.

Q. What is his general description?
A. He was rather short for a Japanese, very muscular, between twenty and thirty years of age, wore short cropped hair, thick lipped, slightly flat nose, and he had a bullet wound on one arm but I don't recall which arm.

Q. Was he a soldier or civilian guard?
A. I think he was a soldier as he wore a uniform.

Q. Did you see him beating any of the men mentioned above?
A. Yes, sir, I did.

Q. Do you know which of the men mentioned above he beat?
A. He beat all of them. They were lined up and since he was the number one guard he went down the line and beat each one of them followed by the other guards in turn.

Q. What did he beat them with?
A. He beat them with his fists and a wooden club.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, I uncover the name on this photograph showing the name of Shimizu Shijeji and will ask you if this is the same person that you referred to as "Little Napoleon", or "Tanaka" or "Shimizu" in your answer to the questions above?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Is he one of the Japanese guards who participated in the beating of Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, he is.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, I hand you this photograph with the name covered and ask you if you can identify it as a photograph of one of the persons who took part in the beating of Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, he was known to us as "Clark Gable".

Q. Will you give me as good a description as you can of the guard known to the prisoners as "Clark Gable"?
A. He was of average height for a Japanese, his features were a little unusual for a Japanese, so that we nick-named him "Clark Gable" as he was rather good looking for a Japanese. His age appeared to be between twenty and thirty. His nose was slightly flat.

Q. Did you see him beat Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. I did.

Q. How did he beat them?
A. He beat them with his fists and with a club. He went down the line following "Little Napoleon" and beat each one of them in the same manner as "Little Napoleon" did.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, I uncover the name on this photograph showing the name of Yamanaka, Takanori No. 624; Is this the same person that you referred to as "Clark Gable:, or Yamanaka, and whom you saw participating in the beating mentioned above?
A. Yes, sir, it is.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, I hand you this photograph with the name coverfed and ask you if you can identify it as the photograph of one of the Japanese guards who took part in the beating of Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, he was. He was known to us as "Nigger".

Q. Do you know his Japanese name?
A. Hori.

Q. Will you give as good a description as you can of Hori who was known to the prisoners as "Nigger"?
A. He was of average height for a Japanese, wore his hair Crew Cut, he has a flat nose, his lips were thick Negroid type, eyes not very slanting and he appeared to be between thirty and thirty fives years of age. He had an impairment of one arm caused I believe by a wound.

Q. Did you see Hori or "Nigger" beat Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, I did.

Q. How did he beat them?
A. He removed on of his shoes and he went down the line beating each man in the face with the sole of his shoe to such an extent that each man's face was lacerated so much that he was unable to shave for two or three weeks.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, I uncover the name on this photograph showing the name of Hori Yoshio No 542; is this the same person that you refer to as "Nigger" and whom you saw beating Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, it is.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, I hand you this photograph with the name covered and ask you if it is one of the persons who took part in the beating of Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, he was known to us as "Club Happy".

Q. Do you know his Japanese name?
A. I believe his name was Tanaka.

Q. Is this the same person referred to by you before as "Tanaka" or "Shimizu"?
A. No, it is a different person.

Q. Is this the same person referred to by you above as "Club Happy" and the same person whom you saw beating Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, will you give me as good a description of the guard known to you as "Club Happy" as you can?
A. He was average height for a Japanese, closely cropped hair, his face was slightly puffed, pug nose almost flat, lips thick Negroid type, blank vacant look on his face at all times.

Q. I uncover the name on this photograph showing the name of Tanaka, Tokuichi; is this the same person you referred to above as "Club Happy" whom you saw beating Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, it is.

Q. How did he beat Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. In the same manner as the other guards did, with his fists and club.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, I hand you this photograph with the name covered and ask you of it is one of the persons who took part in the beating of Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, it is. He was known to us as "Quartermaster".

Q. Do you know his Japanese name?
A. No, sir.

Q. Is this the same person referred to by you above as "Quartermaster" and the same person whom you saw beating Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, will you give me as good a description of the guard known to you as "Quartermaster" as you can?
A. He was short for a Japanese. Medium build, eyes were not very slanting, he had a stupid look, blank state on his face at all times. He had a high forehead with receding hair line. He wore a crew hair cut. He had a peculiarity of speech best described as blubbering speech. His age looked to be between thirty and forty years.

Q. I uncover the name on this photograph showing the name of Kamiyasumiba, Ryotatatsu, Bo.151; is this the same person you refer to as "Quartermaster" whom you saw beating Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, it is.

Q. How did he beat them?
A. He removed one of his shoes in the same manner as the guard "Nigger" did and went down the line beating each man in the face with the sole of his shoe.

Q. Sergeant Cartee, did you see all of the Japanese guards mentioned above beat Thurman, Vargo, Roland, DiSerio and Stevenson?
A. Yes, sir, I did.

Q. Did you see the condition of these men after this beating occurred?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Will you describe what that condition was?
A. Their faces were swollen and lacerated and all of them required medical attention from the medical officer of our camp. Captain Keeley.

Q. About how long did this beating continue?
A. They were beaten about one half hour each day for about three days. This beating lasted about thirty minutes each day over a period of three days.

Q. About what month and year did this occur?
A. It was about June 1945.

Q. Do you know anyone else who has personal knowledge of these beatings?
A. Yes, sir, the medical officer Captain James Keeley and the American Commander Captain Wayne Lyle.

State of South Carolina
(State Seal)
County of Greenville

I, Robert Vaughn Cartee, of lawful age, being duly sworn on oath, state that I have read the foregoing transcription of my interrogation and all answers contained therein are tru to the best of my knowledge and belief.

/S/ Robert Vaughn Cartee
ROBERT VAUGHN CARTEE
Staff Sergeant, RA 6383466

Subscribed and sworn to before me this the 10th day of December 1946.
/S/ Theodore J. Hieatt
THEODORE J. HIEATT, Major, A.C.
Summary Court Officer