As
Brigadier General (ca early 1950s)
For the WAR CRIMES OFFICE
CIVIL AFFAIRS DIVISION, SS
United States of America
In the matter of the mistreatment of Walter A. Ditto and other prisoners of war by the Japanese from 7 May 1942 to 15 September 1945.
Perpetuation of Testimony of Walter A. Ditto (formerly Cpl., USMC, #296464).
I, Walter A. Ditto, being duly sworn, depose and say that the following facts are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and beliefs:
I was captured by the Japanese at Corregidor on 7 May 1942, while a member of the 4th Marines. I was taken to Cabanatuan, P.I. on 12 May 1942, where I remained until 15 July 1942. I only stayed at this camp for a few months and was very sick all of the time while there. I was too sick to remember much. On 1 August 1942, I was transferred to a camp at Palawan, P.I., where I remained until February 1944. This camp was located at Puerta Princess, Palawan. We lived in a large U-shaped building and slept on the floor. No blankets or bedding were issued, and sleeping quarters were very crowded. For toilets, we dug trenches, which were always covered with flies. We received very little medical treatment. We did get some shots in the chest -- for what, I do not know.
Our food consisted of rice and sweet potato vine-tops. The rumor in camp was that the Jap Mess Sgt. Mishitani traded our food for pleasures returned by native girls. I once helped carry rice to a girl's house. Most of the time our rations were very small.
I stayed over 18 months in this camp and never received any mail. I received one and one-half boxes of Red Cross food (about 20 pounds). The guards had our Red Cross cigarettes and candy before we did. The Japanese responsible for this were the Camp Commander, Lt. Kisamoto, the Mess sergeant, Mishitani, and the interpreter, Ogeri. I saw the Jap soldiers eating Red Cross corned beef and candy in the presence of Lt. Kisamoto, and if we had enough American money or other valuables, we could buy Red Cross food from the Mess sergeant. So much rice was allotted each man and when Red Cross food came in, our ration was decreased. When we did not get all that was coming of the Red Cross food and short rice rations, the rations were slim.
I was beaten and kicked for about fifteen minutes sometime in June 1943 by a 2-star private Ogeri (nicknamed "John, the Bastard") and a 3- star Pvt. named Watanabi, for spilling gasoline while fueling a truck. Again in August of 1943, I was beaten and kicked for about fifteen minutes by Ogeri and Watanabi, because someone had been late for roll call in our group. In November 1943, for talking with natives, I was given six months in solitary. I was beaten each day for seven days until I passed out. My hands were tied behind me and I was pulled up so my feet left the floor, then struck across the back with rubber hose filled with lead. All those in solitary received this same treatment. We had one meal per day, no salt in food, and one pint beer bottle of water each day. I was kicked in the lower intestine and could not pass urine for quite a few days. After that I had to sit down to pass urine for the next year.
I was also mistreated by the military police, a lieutenant (Jap name unknown) nicknamed "The Bull", and a soldier nicknamed "Caesar".
Robert May, USMC, was beaten by Lt. Kisamoto, who was in charge of the camp, in November 1943. May was held for six months in solitary with small food rations. He was strung up to the ceiling and beaten.
James Barna, USMC, a man named Taylor, USMC, Bob Yoder, Navy, and a man named Smith, USN, in about February 1943, were mistreated by Kisamoto, Ogeri, Mishatani and Masido for stealing food. They were held in a cell for many days without food, taken out and tied to a cocoanut tree, and beaten with long clubs until they passed out. Then revived with water and beaten again. Their backs and kidneys were injured.
In June 1943, Billie White, USMC, and a man by the name of Wilson, USN, attempted to escape and were made to kneel in front of the guard house in the tropical sun without hats, food or water, and beaten and kicked by each soldier who passed. These two men died.
In the summer of 1943, a man named Richards, USN, Yoder and Smith were accused of stealing food and received the same treatment as Barna and Taylor described above.
Red Cross supplies were used to supplement the Jap soldiers' rations, and sold by the Jap Mess sergeant. These supplies were stolen by all Jap guards. I have cleaned up Jap quarters and seen our corned beef in their mess kits. I traded my clothing and a ring for American white sugar and cocoa. I paid a Jap Mess sergeant (name unknown, but I would remember him) $50.00 in American money for corned beef and vegetables.
The Japs responsible for the misappropriation and misuse of Red Cross supplies were Lt. Kisamoto, Lt. Kanoshica, Mess Sgt. Mishatani, another mess sergeant whose name I don't recall, Warrant Officer Tomyaka, Warrant Officer Masida and Pvt. Ogeri.
Food was withheld for great lengths of time and placed so Jap soldiers could help themselves. As a result, morale in the camp was very low. Some men would try and steal food and would be beaten, and when we did get Red Cross food, some of the items had spoiled or were missing. In general, this camp was run by Ogeri with permission from Lt. Kisamoto and Lt. Kanoshica to beat men when they pleased. I have skipped some things because of failure to remember names and dates. Our work consisted of building airfields.
I left Palawan in February 1944 and was taken to Bilibid in Manila, where I spent five months in solitary, with two small meals per day, never having a bath and sleeping on a cement floor. I contracted malaria and my weight fell from 165 to 110 pounds. I was released in June 1944 and taken to a camp at Cabanatuan, remained only a short time and was then taken back to Manila, where I was put aboard a ship bound for Japan, the "Nishio Maru". I spent the next thirty to forty days in plain hell on this ship enroute to Japan. There were 1600 of us taken to Pier #1 and made to take off our shoes; then forced two abreast to start running into the hold of the ship. As we passed, the guards would hit us with rifle butts. The hold of this ship was built into three wooden decks, with just enough room to sit up between decks. There was no ventilation and so hot, it was hard to breathe. We were packed in so tight, we could not move. Sweat from the top tier was running like water on the lower decks. We could not stand this so we all started pushing and trying to get back up the ladder for air. A Jap soldier was standing at the top of this ladder and striking the men back down into the hold with his rifle butt. I managed to get out and hid under a life raft. While under the raft, I saw a Jap repair man take a claw hammer and strike an American soldier behind the ear, killing him. Later that night, the men were split up and I slipped in with 833 men in the front part of the ship, where we were so packed in that all of us could not sit down at one time and there was no ventilation. On this trip we were given one-half canteen cup of water per day. The men could not eat because of thirst and every once in awhile one would go insane.
While at Takcon, Formosa, the Jap soldiers took fresh water baths while our ship was tied up to the pier, but we were told that fresh water could not be given us to drink because it was too scarce. The first night out of Formosa, many men went crazy and started screaming. The Japs were going to shut the hatches and close off the air if we did not keep quiet. A Catholic priest, Father Riley, pleaded with them and repeated Catholic service all night long to keep the men from screaming. Early that morning, one of the ships in our convoy was hit and the Japs then partly closed the hatches and set up machine guns pointing down into the hold. I do not know how many men died on this trip. We landed in Moji, Japan, in September 1944. After landing in Moji, we were taken to Futasi [Futase], Japan. My weight had fallen from 110 to 96 pounds and my body was covered with sores. When we arrived in this camp, we were told we would have one month's rest, but after about three days, we were taken out and learned the Jap close order drill. The American in charge of this camp, Captain Price, was a disgrace to the American army. After learning the drill, we were put to work in the coal mines at Futasi. We worked in two mines, Honko and Shinko.
EXPERIENCES AT POW CAMP #10 -- FUTASI, JAPAN
I was held at Camp No. 10, Futasi, Japan, from September 1944 to December 1944. We lived in small unheated barracks and were given very little medical attention. The medical orderly was very mean and would give us a good working over if he felt like it. When men were injured in mine accidents, they were given very little treatment and exposed to the cold for long periods of time.
Food consisted of a small ration of rice or bread, and a little soup. We received no mail or Red Cross supplies while in this camp, but there was a store-room full of Red Cross supplies that was visited at times by the Jap guards. The Camp Commander, nicknamed "Emma" and the Jap doctor were responsible for this. I have seen guards with our Red Cross food. One was a Jap nicknamed "Jatoni". I have seen American candy in the Jap doctor's office, being eaten by an orderly.
I was injured in a mine accident in November 1944 and as a result was subjected to a beating by a small Jap nicknamed "Pack Rat" (his name Tanaka), who was in charge of the mines. After being injured in the mine cave-in, I was unable to work as fast as they wanted me to, so I was punished. I was beaten and kicked, my front teeth were knocked out and my lips were cut. Almost every hour, someone was beaten or kicked by the mine and camp guards for not working fast enough. The Jap commander told us we were living only because he could use us for work.
Red Cross food was taken out of camp by the Camp commander and guards under cover and at one time food was used for a party at the Commander's office.
I left this camp because I was unable to do heavy work and was then taken to Fukuoka, Japan, Camp #1.
EXPERIENCES AT FUKUOKA, JAPAN -- CAMP #1 -- Dec. 1944 to Sept. 15, 1945
The first camp was on the outskirts of Fukuoka near a large airfield. The houses were made of straw and mud; we had no heat or any medical care. When a man became ill, he was taken to a large building made in the same way as our shacks, and left to die or get well. There was one small bathhouse, but I did not take a bath because it was too cold. The camp was full of bed bugs, body lice and crabs. We later moved to another camp near town where conditions were the same. Here our rations consisted of a small amount of rice and sweet potato vines. The guards in this camp were bold about taking the food. At Christmas, we were given one 15-pound box between four men, but the Jap commander first had all the meat and fish taken out of the boxes. After this, we did have a little meat mixed with our rice once or twice, but very little. The guards would come around at night and steal the food we had not eaten. Some of the Japanese personnel connected with this camp that I especially recall were the Camp Commander, Lt. Sakamoto, and the camp doctor. There was a camp guard called "Smiles", who lived near Fukuoka; Pvt. Honda, nicknamed "The Beast", and Pvt. Hashimato, nicknamed "The Monk", who also lived in Fukuoka.
Pvt. Honda and Hashimato stole a candy bar and two packages of American cigarettes from me, and slapped me for saying I was going to tell on them. I saw American canned milk and meat in the camp doctor's office. Rations were cut when Red Cross food came into camp.
I was beaten by Honda and Hashimato on 17 January 1945, because I had scraped some old bean paste out of an old keg which the Japs were going to use for fuel for the fire. I was made to get down in spread eagle position, the same way a fellow does while doing push-ups, and was beaten by the guards for about fifteen minutes, until I could not walk. I had to be carried back to camp. My legs were frozen on the way back to camp and I could not walk for five days.
The guards in this camp were the meanest I ever came in contact with. The Camp commander hated us and would tell the guards to beat us. I know of five men who died because of these beatings, but do not remember all of their names.
Cpl. Iversen was beaten to death by a Jap soldier in February 1945. Wm. Heath was beaten at the same time, but survived the beating.
A few days before the war ended, Hashimato gave me a general working over with his rifle butt for not saluting fast enough.
I have nothing further to add.
STATE OF IOWA
SS
COUNTY OF MARSHALL
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 12th day of February 1948.
(signed) Mary Hayes
Summary Court Officer
or
Notary Public
My commission expires: July 4, 1948
For The WAR CRIMES OFFICE
Judge Advocate General's Department -- War Department
United States of America
In the matter of treatment of American prisoners of war at Camp #1, Fukuoka, Japan.
Perpetuation of Testimony of Ellsworth L. Edmiston, Cpl., RA 6571014
Taken at: Post Intelligence Office, Fort McClellan, Ala.
Date: 5 August 1946
In the Presence of: Harold L. St. John, Investigator, Post Intelligence Office, Fort McClellan, Ala.
Questions By: Harold L. St. John, Investigator, Post Intelligence Office, Fort McClellan, Ala.
Q: State your name, rank, serial number, permanent home address and present military assignment.
A: Ellsworth L. Edmiston, Cpl., ASN RA 6571014, 929A Winstanley Ave., East St. Louis, Illinois. My present military assignment is Co D, 15th Bn., 5th Regt., IRTC, Ft McClellan, Ala. but I am transferring to the Replacement Training Center, Ft Bragg, N. C. tomorrow.
Q: When and where were you born?
A: East St. Louis, Illinois, 30 April 1915.
Q: What is your education?
A: Three (3) years High School.
Q: What was your civilian occupation?
A: Paper hanging and painting was my first occupation. Cooking was my second occupation. I joined the U. S. Army when I was 22 years old.
Q: Were you ever a prisoner of war?
A: Yes, I was a prisoner of the Japanese.
Q: When did you return to the United States from overseas?
A: 12 November 1945.
Q: In what prison camps were you confined while a prisoner of the Japanese and during what period were you confined in each of these prison camps?
A: Bataan, PI -- 9 Apr 42 to 27 May 42; Bilibid Prison Cp, Luzon -- 27 May 42 to 3 Jun 42; Cp #3 Cabanatuan, Luzon PI -- 5 Jun 42 to 27 Oct 42; Cp #1 Cabanatuan, Luzon PI -- 27 Oct 42 to 12 Dec 42; Cp #10 Lipa Luzon PI -- 12 Dec 42 to 27 Jan 43; Bilibid Prison, Luzon PI -- 27 Jan 43 to 2 Apr 43; Cp #1 Cabanatuan, Luzon PI -- 2 Apr 45 to 28 Jun 44; Bilibid Prison Cp, Luzon PI -- 28 Jun 44 to 16 Jul 44; Cp #17 Omuda [Omuta], Japan -- 2 Jul 44 to 5 Dec 44; Cp #1 Fukuoka, Japan -- 5 Dec 44 to 30 Jan 45; and Cp #17 Omuda, Japan -- 30 Jan 45 to 12 Sep 45.
Q: Please state in your own words how prisoners of war were treated at the prison camp at Camp #1, Fukuoka, Japan, while you were a prisoner there at that camp?
A: The prisoners were subject to beating day and night. The guards would come through the barracks at night and if they saw something they didn't like they would wake up the whole barracks and punish them. The food was very slim which consisted of rice and greens soup, very little meat. The only whose nickname I recall was known as "The One Armed Bandit." I don't know his true name.
Q: Can you describe this guard who was known as The One Armed Bandit?
A: The only way I can describe him is he only had one arm. I believe it was the left arm that was off, but I am not positive of this. His arm was off at his shoulder.
Q: Do you know the name of the Camp Commandant or his nickname?
A: No.
Q: Do you have anything else to state or any further information to give about this particular camp?
A: No, I don't.
(signed)
Ellsworth L. Edmiston, Cpl.
ASN RA 6571014
State of: Alabama
SS
County of: Calhoun
I, Ellsworth L. Edmiston, 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 true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
(signed)
Ellsworth L. Edmiston, Cpl.
ASN RA 6571014
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 5th day of August 1946.
(signed) Harold L. St. John
(Notary Public)
My commission expires: 23 Feb 50
For The WAR CRIMES OFFICE
Judge Advocate General's Department -- War Department
United States of America
In the matter of mistreatment of Burton C. Ellis, Private First Class, Specialist 5th Class, 7061411, while a prisoner of war held by the Japanese from 8 May 1942 to 19 September 1945.
Perpetuation of Testimony of Burton C. Ellis, Private First Class, Specialist 5th Class, 7061411
Taken at: Minnesota Military District for Organized Reserves, The Armory, 500 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis 15, Minnesota
Date: 20 November to 21 November, 1946, inclusive.
In the Presence of: Arthur H. Fry, CWO USA, W2109829, Minnesota Military District, The Armory, 500 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis 15, Minnesota
Questions By: CWO Arthur H. Fry
Q: State your name, rank, serial number, permanent home address.
A: Burton C. Ellis, Private First Class, Specialist 5th Class, 7061411, Route 8, East River Road, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Q: State the date and place of your birth and of what country are you a citizen.
A: 5 August 1921, Wright, Minnesota. American citizen.
Q: What educational institutions have you attended and for how long?
A: Ninth grade, Waseca School, Waseca, Minnesota
Q: At what places were you employed as a civilian and what was the nature of your occupation?
A: I was in the Civilian Conservation Corps until I went into the Army. CCC Camp No. 3703, Isabella, Minnesota.
Q: What is your marital status?
A: Married.
Q: Have you recently been returned to the United States from overseas?
A: About 20 October 1945.
Q: Were you a prisoner of war?
A: Yes.
Q: At what places were you held and state the approximate dates.
A: First of all, I was held in the hospital on Bataan for two months, and then we were moved to Bilibid Prison, 17 June 1942. We left there the 27th and went to Cabanatuan Prison Camp No. 1. I stayed there until 21 September 1944.
Q: What unit were you with when captured?
A: Medical Detachment, 31st Infantry.
.
.
[8 PAGES ON PHILIPPINE EXPERIENCES OMITTED]
.
.
Q: How long were you at Bilibid?
A: We were held there until the 13th of December [1944].
Q: Where were you taken after you left Bilibid Prison?
A: We were taken down to Pier 7 in Manila.
Q: Could you describe the movement?
A: It was a march. They herded us all out one day -- on the 13th. It was right after a bombing raid on the city.
Q: Could you describe the general condition of the prisoners during the march from Bilibid to Pier 7?
A: The heaviest man in the group weighed only about 140 pounds.
Q: Were any of the prisoners suffering injuries?
A: Some of the prisoners had broken arms and a lot of them had ulcers, malaria, and everything else in the books.
Q: Were these broken arms in splints and properly cared for?
A: As good as we could do with what we had.
Q: Were you moved by truck transportation or did you walk from Bilibid to Pier 7?
A: We walked.
Q: Approximately what distance?
A: I should say three miles.
Q: Where were you taken after you reached Pier 7?
A: We were put on the Oroko Maru [Oryoku-maru].
Q: Describe your living conditions aboard ship.
A: We were packed into the bilge of the ship, and it was about the distance of 40 feet from the hatch to the deck of the bilge. There were I don't know how many hundred. It was so packed we couldn't sit down and couldn't move our arms. The Japs kept telling us to move over to make room for more. The Japs finally pushed the last few prisoners in, and these were killed instantly as well as the ones they fell on.
Q: Was the loading of this ship supervised by Japanese officers?
A: Yes.
Q: Were they Naval officers or Army officers?
A: Naval officers.
Q: Could you name any one of the officers that caused these atrocities while loading?
A: No.
Q: What was your destination?
A: Japan.
Q: What happened after you got under way?
A: The hatch was covered over and we got under way. I don't know exactly how long we were under way. Probably all that night. The next morning we were attacked by American airplanes and had several direct hits on the ship. Bombs dropped in the hold directly behind us killing all that were in the hold. During that day we were attacked four different times. Each time there were several direct hits with small bombs on the ship. The ship just rocked and bounced. During that first night, too, there were several who died from suffocation. It got pretty hot in there, at least 130 degrees.
Q: You were offered no ventilation?
A: No ventilation. It was so hot you could just barely breathe. Several died -- we didn't know how many.
Q: After your ship was bombed describe the efforts to protect the prisoners.
A: There was no effort at all. The hatch was blown off by a direct hit on the hold I was in, and the bullets and rockets from the planes went right in the hold. There was an anti-aircraft gun directly over the top of the hold. The ship was crippled then and was limping along all that day. The next morning we were sunk right off Lingayen Gulf. We were attacked again and the ship set fire. The ammunition caught fire, and during the evacuation of the ship all the guards took off and went ashore in boats. The prisoners were left on the ship and told to swim for it if they could. While we were evacuating the ship American airplanes were bombing and strafing the ship. Many of our men were in other holds where the hatches were still on, and it was impossible for them to get out. The ship was burning pretty badly, and there was no attempt made to release the hatches. Just as I left the ship another wave of American planes came over. The prisoners were all waving and shouting and I guess they noticed we were American prisoners. One plane dipped its wings and took off.
Q: Did the Japanese make any effort to identify their ship by markings?
A: There were no markings of any kind on it other than the Jap flag. No red cross. The only flag on it was the Jap.
Q: How did you reach shore?
A: I swam ashore. I had a piece of shrapnel in my ankle from the bombing of the first day. It was swollen up and infected.
Q: How far from shore were you?
A: I don't know exactly. You could just barely see the land in the distance. I imagine it was a few miles out. It took about two hours' swimming time.
Q: Where did you reach shore after your swim?
A: We reached shore at Olongapoa Naval Base.
Q: Approximately how many American prisoners reached shore after this bombing?
A: I couldn't say. I don't believe there was any count. Probably about 600.
Q: Describe what happened after you reached shore.
A: We stayed down on the beach. There was a tennis court right on the beach. We stayed there in the sun for three days without water or food.
Q: Were you guarded by Japanese forces?
A: Yes.
Q: Were they Navy or Army?
A: Both.
Q: Can you recall the names of the Japanese sentries at this beach?
A: Lt. Tachino (he started out with us and we didn't see him until we got on the beach and he was there then) and also interpreter Massoda.
Q: Was this interpreter civilian or military?
A: Civilian.
Q: Were you offered medical attention or food while you were on the beach at Olongapoa?
A: All during the time we were there they gave us one spoonful of raw rice apiece and no medical attention. One spoonful of rice for a three-day period.
Q: Where were you taken after you left Olongapoa?
A: We were taken by truck to San Fernando, Pampanga.
Q: Describe the camp conditions at San Fernando.
A: We were put in different places. I was put in the courtyard of the former Philippine constabulary.
Q: Did you suffer any different mistreatment or witness any different atrocities while at this camp?
A: Just the usual beatings, and they slapped most of us around. I couldn't walk on account of my ankle. If we didn't walk fast enough, the Japs would get up behind us and jab us.
Q: Were the general medical treatment and food and water conditions improved at this camp?
A: We had water, but we were fed only once while were there.
Q: How long did you remain at this camp?
A: I believe we stayed there a day.
Q: Do you know the names of any of the Japanese officers or sentries at this camp?
A: Massoda and Lt. Tachino were there, and I have forgotten the names of the sentries.
Q: Lt. Tachino and Massoda were still in Japanese military authority?
A: Yes.
Q: Were there any deaths while you were at San Fernando?
A: Yes.
Q: Could you describe the conditions of those deaths?
A: There were from shock, malnutrition, and exposure. We were all pretty badly burned from sitting out in the sun for three days -- all blistered. Some of the prisoners were shot.
Q: Could you state the reasons for these shootings as you saw them?
A: No. Whenever a prisoner got too close to the fence the Japs would shoot him. At one time they had us divided up in shooting squads. If one fellow escaped out of a squad, the Japs would shoot the whole squad.
Q: This happened at Camp Cabanatuan as well as San Fernando?
A: Yes.
Q: How were you warned as to when you would be shot?
A: If a prisoner did anything wrong the Japs would have a court martial and then take the prisoner out and shoot him. The prisoner never got back to his own side of the camp.
Q: Were these warnings written in English or were they verbal?
A: Verbal.
Q: The verbal warning was in English?
A: Yes. I believe it was written, too.
Q: Were there any further atrocities you witnessed or experienced while at San Fernando?
A: Many beatings, but that happened every day. I can't remember anything other than the usual.
Q: Where were you taken after you left San Fernando Camp?
A: We were loaded in boxcars and from there we went to San Fernando, La Union. During that trip the doors again were closed, and many of the prisoners were bayoneted while being loaded. As we passed Clark Field the Americans were bombing and strafing the field and they bombed and strafed the train we were on.
Q: The train had no identification other than Japanese?
A: None.
Q: Was there any protection afforded from bombings or strafings?
A: No. Several prisoners were killed by that.
Q: Were there any unusual atrocities?
A: No. We were just locked in the boxcars until the next day. We stayed in there all that night, and they let us out the next day. We stayed on the beach in the sun all the next day. There were guards all around us. All that time we didn't have any water or food. None of us had shoes.
Q: What was your destination on this trip?
A: Japan. We were loaded on the boat by barge. We had to jump off the pier into a landing barge, about an 8-foot drop. The water was pretty rough and the barges were heaving, and we had to catch them at the right time or there was a 16-foot drop. There were several broken legs from this. Some prisoners fell in the water and we never knew what happened to them. From the barges we were loaded on Japanese Troop Ship #2 [Brazil-maru]. No name on the ship; just a big "2" on the smokestack. It was one of the Japanese victory ships. From the back it looked just like a two-by-four whittled out. We were put in the bilge of the ship again. There were rafters around the ship about 30 feet high and these were all packed with prisoners who were suspended in mid-air almost.
Q: Could you name the master of this ship?
A: No. We never saw him.
Q: No means of identifying any of the military persons responsible for this movement?
A: We saw Massoda and Lt. Tachino and a few of the guards. That is all we saw. There was no means of washing.
Q: Nothing provided for sanitation or ablutions?
A: No. None.
Q: Were there any unusual atrocities committed upon the prisoners during the loading of this ship?
A: Not while loading, but then the fun started. We got one canteen cup of rice that day between six men. Then we weren't fed for three days -- food or water.
Q: How long were you aboard this Ship No. 2?
A: Nineteen days. I think we had ten meals in nineteen days. Just plain rice. We went up to Formosa then. The men were dying aboard ship right and left. There would be one Nip on top and one below, and they would just pull the dead out by ropes around their necks and then throw them right overboard. The hatches were kept closed and we were in the dark all that time. At first it was so packed that we couldn't lie down; there were so many of us.
Q: No way of knowing approximately how many died during that crossing?
A: Well, no, I don't think so. It was impossible to keep count. When we landed there were about 200 left out of 1619.
Q: Could you describe the landing at Formosa?
A: We were out beyond the breakwater. We stayed out there about two days and then we were bombed by American planes. Several bombs dropped in the hold, and in the bottom of the hold there were about 300 men and 100% casualties.
Q: Was there any medical treatment for those who suffered this bombing?
A: None. The dead lay there for two and a half days. Almost everyone else in there was wounded.
Q: No medical treatment provided during this entire crossing?
A: None.
Q: Where were you taken from the beach at Formosa?
A: We were put on another boat [Enoura-maru] and headed for Japan.
Q: Anything unusual happen during this crossing?
A: No. Other than the fact that it was getting pretty cold then, and the most any of us had were these tropical shorts. No shoes or blankets. We were in the bilge again in that ship, and I think we were given about three tablespoonfuls of water a day and one-half canteen cup of rice a day. Sometimes there would be four or five days in between times. I think when we landed in Japan there wasn't a man who weighed over 100 pounds.
Q: Could you identify this ship or its master?
A: No.
Q: Was there any medical treatment provided on this crossing?
A: None.
Q: Where were you taken after you landed in Japan?
A: When we landed it was January, and the Japs provided clothes for some of us. There wasn't enough to go around, and the ones that didn't have any clothes had to walk about six blocks barefoot in the snow. It was pretty cold. It must have been down around zero anyhow. We were taken to an unheated warehouse where they gave us some clothes, cast-off Japanese uniforms, all dirty.
Q: Was there any food or medicine provided after you reached shore?
A: Not then. The next day. We never did get a lot of medicine. Just some kind of chalk was the only thing. I don't know what it was. My foot was all swollen up and I could hardly walk. I was bayoneted by the Japanese that day in the thigh. I received no medical attention for that.
Q: Could you give the reason for the bayoneting?
A: Because I couldn't walk very fast. My foot was all swollen up and infected from the shrapnel wound.
Q: Could you name the sentry who did this?
A: The sentries were new to us. They picked us up on the shore.
Q: Where were you taken after you were clothed and fed?
A: We were put on a train and went to Fukuoka.
Q: Approximately how long did it take to reach your destination?
A: I think about four hours.
Q: Anything unusual happen during this four-hour trip?
A: Some of the wounded who couldn't walk very fast were beaten. We hadn't eaten for quite a while and hadn't any water all this time. We were all pretty well dehydrated.
Q: This place in Fukuoka, was that a prisoner of war camp?
A: Yes. It was No. 1 Camp. The name of it was Fukuoka Prison Camp [Hakozaki location].
Q: Can you name the camp commander?
A: No. We never did see him.
Q: Could you describe your reception at this camp?
A: There were a lot of British soldiers there. They had some Red Cross food and we all ate some. It was the first we had eaten in a long time. There were a lot of Americans there who were captured on Guam. Civilians, I guess they were.
Q: Were you offered any medical care at this camp?
A: Well, the only thing was some kind of powder. It was supposed to be sulpha powder -- Japanese stuff.
Q: There were no attempts to inspect or examine the wounds?
A: None. A few days later some Dutch doctors looked at the wounded and did the best they could with what they had.
Q: Could you describe your general treatment and living conditions at this camp?
A: We slept in unheated huts, six men to 10 square feet. If we lay down we were just packed. The Japs gave us a blanket. All of us stayed in the barracks most of the time. We were too weak to walk. It was about two weeks before any of us could get strength to walk.
Q: What was the temperature at this time?
A: We never saw a thermometer, but it was pretty cold. This was in February. There was snow on the ground. We were all given tennis shoes then. Most of us had to go out on working parties in a lumber yard close by, about three miles -- that was considered close by the Japs. One day we would pile lumber on one side, and the next day we would carry it back and pile it on the other side.
Q: These movements of lumber were made only to keep the men busy, or was there some apparent reason for it?
A: The Japs just wanted to work us until we dropped. That was the idea. That is what one of the guards told us. Our officer in charge told the guard that the men were too weak to work and would die if they kept working. The guard said that was all right with him. B-29s started bombing us. Almost every day they would come over and bomb us. We weren't permitted to get in any foxholes or anything. We had to just stand out there and watch our men get killed by our own bombs. Finally, our whole camp was bombed and burned [June 19, 1945 air raid?]. All the men sick in the barracks at the time were lost. We were all marched down to the dock and went by boat over to Korea. From there we got pretty decent treatment. A couple of prisoners were beaten to death a few days after we got there. We got some new Jap officers then, and they were pretty good to us. The war just about over then. The last couple months of the war the Nips were pretty good to us.
Q: Could you name the persons who beat these two men to death?
A: There was a Jap doctor who was moved out (I forget his name). I can give you the name of one officer they just about killed. Our commanding officer, Lt. Col. Charles T. Beecher, U. S. Marine Corps, Saratoga, California. These two men were beaten for just being out of line a few inches. This Colonel was beaten up -- he was in charge of us and we were all supposed to be in line but some weren't.
Q: At what camp did this beating take place in Korea?
A: Chosen Prison Camp. I think that it was No. 1. The name of the town was Jinsen. Our camp was right among a group of foundries and iron works, right in the heart of the city.
Q: Approximately what dates did this occur?
A: Soon after we got there. It must have been in June 1945.
Q: Were these atrocities committed by Japanese or Koreans?
A: The Japanese doctor did it all. He was the only mean one in the bunch.
Q: Was he replaced by a Korean or a Japanese doctor?
A: He was replaced by a Japanese doctor.
Q: Have you anything further to add to your experiences in this camp?
A: We had pretty decent treatment there. Got a lot more to eat and got some Red Cross food there. The last month or so the Japs went out of their way to give us more food and stuff. Some of the English had been there from the start of the war, and these same Jap officers (the Commanding Officer and the second in charge) had been there all the time, and they had never beaten up a man during the war. The Japs were pretty decent to the English all the time.
Q: And you believe it was only the two American prisoners that were beaten to death?
A: Yes. They did that because it was the Americans who were bombing them. The Americans had to do all the work around the camp.
Q: Did your medical treatment improve?
A: Yes. It was too late, though. There were only 140 or so left.
Q: Did your food conditions improve?
A: Yes. We had three meals a day. It was rice, though.
Q: Did your workload lighten?
A: They kept us working pretty hard all the time. From about six in the morning to five at night.
Q: That was essential work or was it just work to keep the men busy?
A: The mills made uniforms for the Jap army. We had to pull the heavy carts, about four men on a cart. Had to pull them about three or four miles, up and down the hills.
Q: Was there any further effort to segregate those who were not able to work?
A: Yes. The ones that were unable to work were put in the camp hospital.
Q: Do you know of any vivisectional operations or any atrocity that caused death while these men were in this hospital?
A: None. This one Jap doctor used to go out to drugstores in town to buy medicine to give us. I think he was doing it without the commander of the camp knowing about it. He had been doing that since about June when he came to the camp.
Q: Do you have anything further to add that we may have overlooked so far?
A: We have covered almost everything. I could have said something about this second ship [Brazil-maru]. There were rough seas and there was nothing to hold on to. There was just a steel wall. Just a three-foot ledge and a lot of the prisoners were rolling off of that. There was quite a drop, about 20 feet down. The last ship we were on we were attacked by submarines. Our engines were crippled, I think. The Japs claimed they sunk the submarine. They were dropping depth charges all around.
Some of the men were temporarily insane and had to be kept by themselves. This was caused by overcrowding, lack of water, food, and unsanitary conditions caused by condition of ship before loading and lack of means of disposal of human waste. Prior to loading of human cargo, the ship had been used to transport horses and had not been cleaned.
The temporarily insane passengers would create acts of violence to the other passengers such as strangling, beatings and often murder. Conditions aboard ship were so bad that one prisoner would murder another for a spoonful of water, a scrap of food, or a figment of clothing. Starvation for food would cause the passengers to drink their own urine and pick edible figments from the horse manure and consume as food. Several of the prisoner passengers had suffered severe eye infections during the crossing caused by the fermentation of human waste and horse manure in the hold of the ship. Most open sores on the bodies were covered by maggots. The blind were not unloaded with the rest of the prisoners. I have no knowledge of what happened to them. All of those that I knew on that boat that had serious and minor injuries have died because of lack of medical care. On one occasion the Japs dropped a fragmentation grenade amongst a group of prisoners in the hold in an effort to quiet them. On other occasions cold salt water was sprayed on them in an effort to quiet them. On some occasions the food which consisted only of cooked rice was lowered from the hatch into the hold in a bucket on a rope. Other times the rice was merely thrown into the hold in a manner such as emptying a bucket of water or similar to feeding a flock of chickens. Those that were not near the place the food landed got none. The buckets were never clean, and most of the time the rice contained floor sweepings such as coal dust. Almost every day Massoda would come to the top of the hold to ask how many were dead and would remark that it would do no good to remain alive. When reaching Japan all would be shot and would never reach the States alive. This prisoner passenger list consisted mostly of officers. When we landed one Jap was observed to be displaying a handful of gold teeth presumably taken from the mouths of helpless prisoners. It was a general practice of the Japanese to remove all jewelry by means of cutting or any way except humane to get it, including gold teeth.
Q: Were any of these ships properly identified as carrying prisoners of war?
A: There were no markings other than the Jap flag.
Q: Was there any Japanese or Korean, or any member of the enemy forces you would like to name as guilty of committing atrocities upon yourself or anyone you know?
A: Really the only ones I know were those I mentioned -- the doctor in Manila, this Nogii, Lt. Tachino, and Massoda.
Q: Would you recognize any of these guards if you met them?
A: Yes, I would remember their faces, and, if called, I am more than willing to assist in any identification and testimony necessary to deal out justice.
(signed)
Burton C. Ellis
State of Minnesota
SS
County of Henepin
I, Burton C. Ellis, of lawful age, being duly sworn on oath, state that I have read the foregoing transcriptions of my interrogation and all answers contained therein are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
(signed)
Burton C. Ellis
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 5th day of December 1946.
(signed)
WILLIAM C. HOFFMANN
Lt. Colonel, Infantry
Summary Court
CERTIFICATE
I, Arthur H. Fry, CWO USA, W2109829, Minnesota Military District, The Armory, 500 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis 15, Minnesota, certify that Burton C. Ellis, personally appeared before me on 20 November and 21 November 1946 and testified concerning war crimes; and that the foregoing is an accurate transcription of the answers given by him to the several questions set forth.
Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date: 5 December 1946
(signed)
ARTHUR H. FRY
Minnesota Military District
The Armory, 500 So. 6th Street
Minneapolis 15, Minnesota
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
SS
City and County of San Francisco
ALVA REVISTA FITCH, Lt. Colonel, AUS, ASN O-18113, being duly sworn, deposes and says:
My permanent home address is Fort Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska. I was imprisoned at Fukuoka Camp No. 1, 29 January 1945 to 27 April 1945, and within this period of time approximately fifty prisoners of the 180 who arrived on 29 January died. Fifty men were quartered in a wooden barracks without windows and with a sand floor and wooden platforms on which to sleep. (Compound: Wooden fence topped by electrified barbed wire). The dimensions of the building were about fifty feet by sixteen feet and not more than 25 men should have been quartered there. The barracks were not heated except for an occasional bucket of live coals allowed us by the kitchen and the prisoners suffered severely from the cold. The rations consisted of about 250 grams of barley-rice mixture, 50 grams of boiled seaweed and radishes and 3 grams of meat or fish per person daily. (Working Conditions: 10 hours hard labor, inadequate food, beatings by guards and stoning by civil populace.) Medical supplies were extremely limited and the Japanese usually did not issue medicine in any particular case until it was too late to save the life of the patient. As a result of beri-beri, my left arm was paralyzed and the treatment I received was three injections of one-half milligram of thiamin chloride, although the prison doctor repeatedly requested proper dosage of same which should have been continued intravenous injections of approximately 50 milligrams per day until recovered. In my opinion at least 45 of the 50 men who died while I was at the camp could have been saved by proper medical care and sufficient food. Sanitary conditions would have been adequate had the men been ambulant but 85% of the men were bed patients not physically able to go to the latrine. Two-quart enamel buckets were used as bedpans and a five-gallon wooden tub was used to receive the contents of the buckets. It was kept in the barracks and emptied twice a day. We were allowed to bathe once a week in a common tub, six feet by six feet by four feet and the same water was used by all the prisoners. The tub was approximately 100 yards from the barracks and the water used in it was hot and the weather cold. Because of the danger of pneumonia, the sick prisoners were unable to bathe. The prisoners were required to work before they had recovered from their sicknesses and at least one prisoner, Major Marshall Hurt, 31st Infantry, class of 1930, West Point, a native of Tuskagee, Alabama, died because he was required to work before he had fully recovered from an illness. As soon as we were declared well we were required to remain outside the barracks from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., except for an hour at noon, and because the weather was very cold, our recovery was considerably impaired as a result of this regulation. Three months after I arrived at the camp after having made the trip from Manila to Moji on the Oryoka Maru [Oryoku-maru] and two other vessels, I had gained only ten pounds, advancing from 90 pounds to 100 pounds. My normal weight is 150 pounds and the loss of weight was due to malnutrition and illness. (Aside from deprivation and indignities, we were treated poorly. A healthy pig would have died.) I cannot name or identify any of the Japanese responsible for the conditions at the camp. Major Kostecki, United States Army Medical Corps and Colonel Curtis T. Beecher, Fourth Marines, should be able to identify the Japanese in authority at the camp.
(signed)
ALVA R. FITCH, Lt. Col.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 17th day of October 1945.
(signed) ?? Walton, Capt. JAGD
Interviewed by: Charles O. Dupont, Agent, SIC.
PHOTOS (courtesy of Tom Fitch, Alva Fitch's nephew):
Alva Revista Fitch, LTG, U. S. Army - retired (b. 10 Sep 1907; d. 26 Nov
1989).
Graduated from U. S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1930.
As
Brigadier General (ca early 1950s)
As
Major General (ca late 1950s)
Formal
photo (ca mid 1960s)
Command
photo - Pentagon (ca 1961)
Alva R.
Fitch (ca 1988)
PERPETUATION OF TESTIMONY OF HARRY J. FORSBERG
(Civilian Employee at 2nd Naval Air Base)
Clayton, Washington
My name is Harry J. Forsberg. My permanent home address is Clayton, Washington. I am now thirty-four years old. I was formerly an employee of the Second Naval Air Base. I went overseas in June, 1941 to Wake Island and returned to the States in December, 1945.
I was captured on Wake Island on December 23, 1941 by a Japanese Naval unit, the name of which is unknown to me. I was held at Wake Island until October, 1942. I was then sent to Camp 18, Fukuoka, Japan and kept there until about September, 1943. I was then transferred to Camp 1, Fukuoka and kept there until about September, 1944, when I was sent to Camp 23, Fukuoka, located outside a town named Karata. I was liberated about the first of September, 1945.
We called Camp 18 the "Death Camp". That was the worst of the bunch. We were under the Navy when we first came in for about six months and then the Army took us over. A this camp Egowa Haso would pose as a friend of the prisoners and he would find out what they had been doing and then he would send the guards in to beat them up. Every night when we would come in from work we had what we called the "floor show". They would pick out a group of men and beat them until they were unconscious and then they would throw a bucket of water on them. They had two buckets of water, one to throw on the victim when he passed out, and the other to soak their clubs in. This was a continual occurrence every night for about six months. During the time we were in the camp we lost 52 men out of 250. Most of these died indirectly from beatings, starvation and malnutrition. When the Army took over they put in their commander -- Eka Gombi. The camp did not improve any under him.
The interpreter at Fukuoka Camp No. 1 was Capt. Kasoura [Katsura] (we nicknamed him Katsie). Do not remember the Camp Commander's name. I saw this Captain in one instance beat the Dutch doctor (name unknown) across the face until it looked like a mass of raw beefsteak. The reason he did this was because the previous day this same interpreter had broken the arm of a prisoner and the Dutch doctor tried to get the prisoner who received the broken arm off from work. Another instance in which he did the same thing was on a fellow from Boise, Idaho. At this time I cannot remember the man's name. He was a large man normally weighing about 240 pounds, about 6' or 6'1". He had dark hair which was turning gray. He was the master mechanic in our outfit who took Bill Pasetti's place when Bill came back to the States before the war broke out. The interpreter gave him the same treatment for supposedly eating lunch that was taken out to someone else. He beat and threatened workers all the time. He was in charge of workers. He used to sit up in the guard tower and watch the prisoners who were working and if he saw anyone who was not working, he would call the squad leader up to the guard tower, which was about thirty feet high. One time he pushed one of the fellows off the guard tower for not making his squad work. This one who was pushed off the guard tower was a young fellow from Guam -- Seuese Garcia. He also stood him up and beat him on the head with a bamboo club. Beatings usually lasted about an hour.
There was a mess sergeant there at Camp 1 -- Oke Son. He would come through the barracks and pick out men at random and slap them for no reason at all.
Another one at Camp 1 -- I don't remember his name but we called him "buck tooth". I believe he killed a prisoner there. And he was continually beating the men.
The only bad one I knew at Camp 23 was the medic who was in charge of the medical supplies and hospital. He used to beat the sick men and cut their rations down to where they didn't have enough to exist on. At this camp we didn't get much food and would get an occasional slap across the face but didn't get beat by anyone there other than the medic.
In all camps there were numerous incidents of beatings by guards but since the guards changed very frequently, these incidents were too numerous to mention.
The name of the man from Boise, Idaho, was Dick Elliott.
(signed) Harry J. Forsberg
State of Washington
SS
County of Spokane
I, Harry J. Forsberg, of lawful age, being duly sworn on oath, state that I have read the foregoing statement consisting of two pages, and that it is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
(signed) Harry J. Forsberg
Subscribed and sworn to before me at Spokane, Washington, this 24th day of August, 1946.
(signed) J. R. D?onnie
Notary Public
Spokane, Wash.
Buffalo, Oklahoma
September 25, 1946
Subject: Crimes and Atrocities Committed by Japanese on American Prisoners of War
To:
Paul Geissler, Representative
Veterans Administration
323 Federal Building
Enid, Oklahoma
1. At request of War Crimes Branch of Judge Advocates Office, I should like to submit the following information concerning my knowledge of Japanese atrocities committed against American prisoners of war.
2. This information is true and correct and it is hoped it will be of use in punishing those who have ruthlessly committed the atrocities.
A Japanese sergeant, named Hihara, in charge of the farm at Cabanatuan Prison Camp in the Philippines, has beaten many American Prisoners. I myself was beaten mildly but many were beaten more severely for no reason at all. Many times when an interpreter was not available, prisoners were beaten merely because they didn't understand the orders. A three-star private, whose name I don't recall, was in charge of the tool house. He beat Lieut. Sidney DeBriere, of Second Observation Squadron, most severely, kicking him in the face and knocking out some teeth. All prisoners were so weak and undernourished, which made such an act even more cruel then were it committed against a stronger and more healthy individual. Lieut. DeBriere, at that time, had one eye removed due to ulceration caused by Vitamin A deficiency. A Lieut. Colonel Biggs, a Naval Ensign, and a Lieut. Colonel Brighton from Salt Lake City, were caught attempting to escape one night at Cabanatuan. They were beaten, turned over to a Judo expert who proceeded to break arms and bones wholesale. The next day they were left tied up at the main gate all day, marched out that evening to a hole prepared by an American detail and were shot, standing by their grave.
The Death March out of Bataan is well known. Also the years of starvation with no medicine or comforts. Two individuals, who especially deserve punishment, are a Japanese Lieut. Toshino and a civilian interpreter, Mr. Wada. These two were in charge of the Prison ship that left Manila December 13, 1944, We were crammed into a small hold on the Oryoku Maru on decks that would not permit standing and no room to lie down. We were given no water or food after the first evening. American planes bombed and strafed the ship. Prisoners were frantic, insane, and dying of thirst. Many drank urine, some tried to suck blood from the wounded and dead. Latrine buckets were overflowing and yet the Nips kept threatening to shoot down the hold and cut off our meager air supply if we didn't quiet the crazy. Many prisoners committed suicide, some were killed by Americans and thus quieted, to keep the Jap from shooting down the hold. Of the 1619 prisoners that started on the voyage, less than 500 arrived at Moji Japan, January 31, 1945. Here again no medicine or food was furnished. The prisoners were divided and sent to various camps. One Hundred Ninety four of us were taken to Fukuoka Camp No. 1. Of these 53 died before April 25, 1945. Two more died after we were taken to Jensen [Jinsen], Korea.
At Fukuoka, a Japanese Sergeant Katsuri [Katsura] was very cruel to prisoners. This sergeant had spent much time in the United States before the war, spoke good English, but was mean by nature. A Major Roby of Veterinarian Corps was made to stand by the guard house all night during extremely cold weather. Beatings were a specialty with Katsuri. English and Dutch prisoners were his favorite victims.
It is well known that Japanese would not give us Red Cross parcels sent to us from the States. They would rob packages of cigarettes, food, etc. They denied us the bare necessities of food, medicine, clothing and warmth. According to General Wainwright, in his recent address at Oklahoma City, less than 25 percent of the prisoners taken at the fall of Bataan and Corregidor lived through imprisonment.
Personally, I think Japanese Commanders in charge of the various prison camps are largely responsible for atrocities committed by those under them. Stories I have heard of the treatment in many camps in Japan also sound believable, knowing the Japanese as I do. Undoubtedly these should be investigated. Men held at Fukuoka Camp No. 17 have bad reports on treatment received there.
I should like to say that a Japanese officer, Lieut. Asobi at Jensen, Korea, during the last months of the war was a most understanding Japanese. He was definitely of a higher type and tried very hard to run his prison detachment in a business-like fashion. This officer once slapped me as an offender, and punished others for misdemeanors, but nevertheless he was admired for his principles and efforts.
(signed)
William J. Fossey, O-411956
Captain, A.U.S.
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
SS
COUNTY OF WOODWARD
Before me, the undersigned, a Notary Public, in and for said County and State, on this 1st day of October, 1946, personally appeared William T. Fossey, Captain, A.U.S., to me personally known and known to me to be the identical person who executed the foregoing statement, and acknowledged to me that he executed the same as his free and voluntary act.
Witness my hand and official seal the day and year last above written.
(signed) Helen Ha????
Notary Public
My Commission expires on May 31, 1949
CHECK LIST for Capt. Goodpasture
March 29, 1946
1. Date of your arrival at: Fukuoka #1
On or about 30 January 1945.
2. Please state its exact location if possible, or if this cannot be done, please describe its location with reference to other cities or prominent land marks.
The camp was located approximately five miles inland from the City of Fukuoka in a level sandy, soil, location consisting of approximately 1½ acres which was partly covered with Japanese pine trees. The camp site was about 1000 feet from the mainland railway, trains passing approximately every hour. This camp was also within a few miles of coal mines and very close to new military installation fully equipped. We would have been greatly endangered in event of attack.
3. When was camp first occupied by prisoners of war? Were the first occupants Americans, British, Dutch or Australians?
It is my belief that the camp was about two years old. It was first occupied by British, Dutch, Australians and a very few Americans. The camp had not been fully completed upon our arrival.
4. Number of Americans in your group and name of senior American officers.
Approximately 125 senior officers consisting of Col. Beecher, Col. Schwartz, Col. Amaroso, Col. Johnny Johnson.
5. Please give figures on personnel in this camp to the best of your knowledge. Your own group should be included in these figures.
Americans: 150
Army: 100
Navy: 15
Marines: 10
Civilians: 25
British: 150
Dutch: 50
Australians: 50
Chinese: None known of.
Any other nationality: No other nationalities known of.
Total: 300
6. Names and titles of Japanese camp officials.
I do not remember.
7. Please describe the condition of the following facilities:
a. Housing
1. Number of barracks:
Approximately 8 dwelling barracks and probably 5 or 6 miscellaneous barracks.
2. Size of barracks:
16 ft. wide, 50 ft. long, 10 ft. high.
3. Type of construction:
Very cheap frame buildings with about 25% above the ground, balance dug in somewhat like a subway. The building was covered with mud plaster insofar as possible to protect against the weather.
4. Type of roof:
Thatched grass or leaf material.
5. Type of floor:
Dirt floor down the middle aisle with raised wood platform about 3 ft. high on either side which we slept upon without mattress.
6. Type of interior construction:
Wood, plain, very rough. No heating facility, no washing facility and no toilet facility other than one wooden tub at each end of the building which was absolutely inadequate. The lights were very poor and were frequently turned off for various reasons.
b. Latrines
1. Location:
Located convenient to all barracks, of wooden construction, of Japanese design, viz., of concrete pit construction. Probably as sanitary as would be found in any Japanese prison camp.
2. Type:
Bacterial action, concrete pit. No overflow.
c. Bathing
1. Location:
Convenient location to all barracks. In an unheated, one story frame building, concrete floor, with approximately five large wooden square vats about ten feet long, four feet wide, and four feet deep, filled with hot water which was heated by a flame underneath. The bathing facilities were not at first more frequent than two weeks and then extremely inadequate due to very limited period of time in which to bathe which usually was just at supper; due to the extreme cold weather it was quite a hazard to bathe. However, I will say that the bathing facilities of this camp were better than any I had been previously.
d. Mess
1. Type:
There was no common mess hall. Buckets of food consisting of rice and watery soup were given out at the kitchen to representatives from each barrack who were physically able to carry them. This representative then divided the food in his barrack to the best of his ability and also his moral integrity which in some instances was not too good. It would amount in quantity to approximately three-quarters canteen cup full of steamed rice, one bun, and one-half canteen cup full of soup. At first, the food was only fair in preparation, however, this seemed to have improved to some extent. It was just enough to sustain life and in many instances, failed to do so. I personally dropped in weight to approximately 85 to 90 pounds while in this camp, from a normal weight of 200 pounds.
e. Medical attention and type of hospital:
The medical attention was very inadequate due to lack of supplies and medicines and equipment, also due to lack of medical doctors. There was one medical doctor from the U. S. Army on duty, also Dutch doctors who worked to the best of their ability. One of the Dutch doctors is worthy of the highest appraise for his extreme effort in behalf of the American prisoners. There were a number of American doctors who were patients, some of whom were physically able to help but failed to do so, several of whom were of the rank of Major or higher in the Regular Army. There was a small wooden hospital building, very poorly heated and equipped, in the prison compound which was used for some pneumonia cases although there were equally as many seriously ill in the barracks as there were in the hospital. Actually there was no difference between the hospital and the barracks; it was just so designated.
f. Size of compound and type of fence:
Compound consisted of 1½ acres with wooden fence for the most part and was not marked in any way to make it known from air or otherwise as a prisoner of war camp.
8. Type of work performed by prisoners of war.
a. Officers:
This was the first prison camp that we had been in that officers were not made to work by force. Those who were able were allowed to work in a garden about 25 feet away from the barracks. Their work was not unpleasant and for the most part, I think those who were able were quite willing to do so.
b. Enlisted men:
The enlisted men who were able went outside of the camp compound to work at air field construction work and some in mining work, I believe. They were constantly being exposed to being bombed by American planes and were of course inadequately fed for manual labor. I understand that their treatment was not as bad as it had been at Cabanatuan prison camp, P. I.
9. What were the working conditions?
These men also did miscellaneous jobs such as burial grave digging details, carrying the casket to the grave site and other various jobs requiring manual labor. So far as I know, their guards did not beat them frequently as had occurred in other camps. However, this does not mean they were entirely immune from being beaten for in some instances they were.
10. Describe the conditions and restrictions on the sending and receiving of mail.
As I recall, two different times we were allowed to send a radiogram through amateur network with no assurance that it would ever be delivered. I believe we also were allowed to write one or two letters during the time we were there.
11. How much were the prisoners of war paid?
a. Officers:
I do not recall the paying rate but it was equivalent pay to same rank of Japanese Army less deductions for officers.
b. Enlisted men:
The enlisted men received as I recall ten sen per day for labor. This would be equivalent to about three cents in American money, per day.
12. Number of Red Cross parcels received and dates received.
After considerable effort on our part due to the fact we were starving to death and dying from malnutrition, we received one-third of a Red Cross box about the 10th of February 1945. This saved many lives including the writer's. About the 1st of March 1945, we received another issue of one-third box per man. We understood through our grapevine that Red Cross supplies were available and were stored not far away from our compound.
13. Clothing situation
a. What was issued by the Japanese and dates?
When we got off the ship at Moji about 30 January, we were issued clothing on the deck of a ship and had to change there while it was snowing. Clothing consisted of woolen britches, blouse, and no overcoat. The weather was freezing. That night about 9 P.M. upon arrival at Fukuoka Railway Station, we were given heavy woolen overcoats made in Australia. We were also given cotton long underwear and cotton shirts upon our arrival at camp. While the clothing was not entirely adequate, it was considerably more than we had ever been issued in any prison camp.
14. How was your treatment?
15. How was morale?
Our treatment was not as brutal physically as it had been elsewhere. However, due to lack of medical aid and food and heat, our treatment was considerably worse in this respect. Our clothes were full of body lice, our blankets were full of body lice and our morale was at its lowest ebb of 3½ years. Several of my best friends died there including Col. Tacy, F.A., Regular Army, Lt. John Gamble died in his sleep right beside me and frequently their bodies would be placed in a wooden box and left beside us for several days without being embalmed. But we of course slept sometimes between coffins.
16. What were the religious facilities?
Our religious facilities were nil. We had no chapel and about once a week a British Army Chaplain conducted service for a small group, one service of which was conducted for President Roosevelt.
17. Date of departure from this camp?
We departed about 25 April 1945.
18. Number of Americans in this group?
There were approximately 200 men in this group.
19. Conditions en route and names of towns through which you passed.
We walked to the city of Fukuoka with full pack where we boarded a modern fast-speed passenger ship about dusk. About one hour later due to a so-called air raid, we were removed from the ship and stood out on the pier near there until about 1:30 A.M. the next morning. During this time the weather was intensely cold and at least one that I know of died from exposure. It was the nearest that I ever came to freezing in my life. We then returned to the ship and given food and warmth and went across the sea of Japan which was heavily manned by American forces and patrolled by many American submarines and American Air Corps bombers.
20. Destination.
We arrived safely at Fusan Chosen (Korea) about 7 P.M. that morning. We marched to a theater building where we were given food and either that day or the next, we were entrained and made rail trip to Keijo (Seoul) which is the capitol of Korea and from there to Jinsen railway station where we disembarked and walked about one mile to camp. Jinsen being about 175 miles from Fukuoka.
22. Name, rank and address of other officers or enlisted men who can furnish information concerning this prisoner of war camp.
I feel sure you have a complete list by now; if not let me know and I can obtain one for you.
23. Your name, rank, serial number, organization and home address.
John Albert Goodpasture, Jr., Captain, 0-320639, originally commissioned in Infantry, Officers Reserve Corps, 1934. In 1940, was assigned to the Air Corps as an administrative officer, and to date have not had either oral or written order relieving me from such assignment.
Home address: 818 Fairmount Avenue, Bristol, Virginia.
NOTE: Any other information which in your opinion will be of interest to this office should be placed on the reverse side of the check list.
I would like to emphasize that the Fukuokan camp was without question, excepting the hell ships, the worst experience of all which was probably partly due to the fact that we arrived in a very distressful physical and mental condition after having been bomb and sunk on two ships and having narrowly escaped being torpedoed on the third ship and without food or water sufficient to sustain life for many days. Contrary to expectation, we did not receive adequate food or medical attention and I personally had approximately 23 streptococcic infections on my legs and body which were running with pus and blood and I was refused any form of gauze or cloth to cover them in many instances. There is no question but what many who died here died from mental distress in a defeated attitude, as we had about reached our rope's end in hopes. There was no excuse whatsoever for our buildings not being heated as there were coal mines nearby [Kameyama and Shime Tanko; elevator and slag hills exist to this day in Shime] and we were willing to even mine the coal if necessary, those of us who were able, to provide such fuel. Due to the unsanitary conditions and body lice, this added to the discomfort and ultimate death of many of the prisoners there. I feel that the Camp Commander of this camp is directly responsible for not having taken action to save the lives of these men. I feel sure that their lives could have definitely been saved by just a little effort and more especially a few kind words of encouragement. Many men left this camp who were hardly strong enough to stand alone.
I furthermore would like to strongly emphasize that the Japanese doctors in this camp are not worthy of any consideration whatsoever, that they were very neglectful in their duties and at times refused to supply medicine to the American officers who were dying of pneumonia and whose lives could have been saved otherwise.
(signed) John Albert Goodpasture Jr.
Captain Army Air Force
O-320639
29 March 1946
Classification changed from "CONFIDENTIAL" to "RESTRICTED" by order of the
Secretary of War
(signed)
? A. Maskilansky?
Captain WAC?
by 6A-WC-3006
[DECLASSIFIED NARA Date 7/13/91?]
AFFIDAVIT
Perpetuation of the Testimony of LYLE GRAHAM, 11142 Ventura Boulevard, North Hollywood, California.
In the matter of the beating of John La Paz by Takeo Katsura, at Fukuoka Prisoner of War Camp No. 1, Japan.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
SS.
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
I, LYLE GRAHAM, being first duly sworn upon my oath, depose and state that:
My full name is LYLE EDWARD GRAHAM, and my present home address is 11142 Ventura Boulevard, North Hollywood, California. I am 39 years of age. In December of 1941, I was employed by the Morrison-Knudsen Company on Wake Island.
I was captured there by the Japanese Imperial Forces on 23 December 1941, and was held there approximately nine months. I left Wake Island on 30 September 1942, and landed at Yokohama on 11 October 1942. I was then sent to the Sesabo (phonetic) [Sasebo] prisoner of war camp, which was run by the japanese Navy. The Japanese Army took this camp over in November of 1943. I left Sesabo in April 1944, and was sent to the Fukuoka Camp No. 1. I was liberated from there by American Forces on 18 October 1945, and arrived in San Francisco, California on 28 October 1945.
The Japanese Camp Commandant of the Fukuoka Camp was a Captain in the Imperial Japanese Army. He stood about 5'7" in height, wieghed about 160 piounds, and was approximately 50 years of age. He was clean-shaven, didn't wear glasses, and was very military in appearance. I cannot recal his name. There was another commissioned officer attached to this staff, named Tomita (phonetic), and the interpreter, Takeo Katsura. They are the only ones of the Camp staff whose names I can recall.
Katsura was the military interpreter for the Camp, spoke very excellent English inasmuch as he had spent approximately fifteen years in the United States. Katsura was about 5'6" in height, and was very heavy set weighing probably 160 pounds. This man was mean, sadistic, cruel and surly at all times, and had a disposition like a rattlesnake. He was continually beating prisoners, in fact hardly a day would pass without Katsura beating someone up.
Circumstances surrounding the incident of the beating of John La Paz are as follows: This incident took place sometime in June of 1944. I don't remember exactly what led up to the beating of La Paz, except that I know it was some infraction of the regulations which the Japanese thought La Paz was guilty of. There were so many beatings that I can't remember the causes of all of them. Katsura beat La Paz with his fists and feet for about ten minutes, in the compound outside our barracks. La Paz was not particularly marked up about the face, but he was very badly hurt internally from the kicking he received from Katsura. La Paz remained in bed for two or three days after that in great agony, and was not given any medical treatment during this time. As far as I know, La Paz lived somewhere in Spokane, Washington. That is about all the information I can give you concerning this incident.
(signed)
LYLE EDWARD GRAHAM
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 12 day of July 1946 st Los Angeles, California.
(signed)
PHILIPPE de C. GARNIER
Captain, MI
SUMMARY COURT
CERTIFICATE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
SS.
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
I, Ralph E. Boyd, Special Agent, CIC, certify that LYLE GRAHAM personally appeared before me on the 8th day of July at Los Angeles, California, and made the foregoing statement concerning war crimes.
(signed) RALPH E. BOYD, S/AGENT, CIC
WAR CRIMES OFFICE
When completed this document must be classified as RESTRICTED
DATE: Sept. 17, 1945
1. YOUR NAME: GRANSTEDT, THEODORE JR.
2. RANK: Civilian SERIAL NO.
3. PERMANENT HOME ADDRESS: Box 833, Carmel, California
4. AT WHAT ENEMY CAMPS AND HOSPITALS WERE YOU CONFINED AND WHEN WERE YOU AT EACH, (If never a prisoner of war or internee, then state principal places you have been from time to time while overseas.)
Wake Island -- Dec. 23 1941 to Sept. 30, 1942
Camp 18 - Island of Kyushu -- Oct. 13 1942 to Apr. 17 1944
Camp No. 1 - Fukuoka - Kyushu -- Apr. 17 1944 - Sept. 14 1945
5. DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT ANY ATROCITIES AGAINST, OR MISTREATMENT OF AMERICANS, PRISONERS OF WAR, CIVILIAN INTERNEES, OR THE CIVILIAN POPULATION FOR WHICH YOU THINK THE PERPETRATORS SHOULD BE PUNISHED, (Answer by stating YES or NO in the spaces provided below.)
(a) Killings or executions - yes
(b) Torture, beatings or other cruelties - yes
(c) Imprisonment under improper conditions - yes
(d) Massacres, wholesale looting or burning of towns - no
(e) Use of prisoners of war on enemy military works or operations - yes
(f) Exposure of prisoners of war to danger of gunfire, bombing, torpedoing, or other hazards of war - yes
(g) Transportation of prisoners of war under improper conditions - yes
(h) Public exhibition or exposure to ridicule of prisoners of war - yes
(i) Failure to provide prisoners of war with proper medical care, food or quarters - yes
(j) Collective punishment of a group for offense of others - yes
(k) Any other atrocities not specifically mentioned above for which you think the guilty persons should be punished -
IF ANY QUESTION IS ANSWERED YES, THEN STATE THE FACTS BRIEFLY ON REVERSE SIDE OF THIS SHEET
DETAILS OF ATROCITIES
KIND OF CRIME -- WHERE IT HAPPENED -- WHO WAS THE VICTIM (include name, nationality & whether military personnel or not). -- STATE IF YOU SAW IT YOURSELF. IF YOU DID NOT SEE IT, WHO TOLD YOU ABOUT IT.
1. Beheading -- Wake Island -- Babe Hoffmeister, civilian, American. Date - May 11, 1942. -- Eyewitness, of the beheading. During time on Wake Is. Military work under hazardous conditions. Brutal treatment.
2. Camp 18 Sasebo - Kyushu -- Daily beatings by guards (civilian-military)
Igawa Hacho - C.O. Brutal beatings daily.
Kemura. Provoked an assault by Geo. Dillon - Amer. Civ. Tried sentenced to number of years to military prison. Died there Dec. 1944 Fukuoka.
3. Ikegami Shoi C.O. Assault took place - rock crusher - near Sasebo Japan. Nov. 1943. I was ass't Camp Commander at Camp 18.
4. Fukuoka - Sakamoto Chui - C.O.
Hosamae - Gunsa - Katsura - Joto Hei
All three were responsible for beatings at Camp 1.
5. Food Distribution - Other inhumane treatment
HAVE YOU PREVIOUSLY BEEN QUESTIONED BY ANY MILITARY OR NAVAL AUTHORITIES ABOUT ATROCITIES OR MISTREATMENT, (yes or no) - No. IF YES, BY WHOM, WHERE, WHEN.
DID YOU MAKE A SIGNED STATEMENT, (yes or no) - .
CERTIFIED TRUE COPY
(signed) Theo. Granstedt Jr.
Sign your name here.
(signed)
WILLIAM H. BROWN
Capt., Inf.
------------------------------------------------
GRANSTEDT THEODORE JR., a Male American citizen, after being duly sworn at 29th Repl Depot, Luzon P.I. on 20 Sept., 1945, testified as follows:
Q: How old are you?
A: 36
Q: Were you interned by the Japanese or made a prisoner of war, and if so, when and where?
A: Yes. Wake Island 23 Dec '41
Q: Where did you reside at the time of your capture?
A: Civilian working on Wake Island TNAV CONTR'S
Q: By what Japanese unit were you captured?
A: Marines
Q: Do you expect to be repatriated, and if so, to what country?
A: Yes U.S.
Q: What will your complete address be after your repatriation?
A: Box 833 Carmel, Cal.
Q: Will you state the names and locations of the camps at which you were held as a prisoner of war and the dates you were confined at each camp?
Compound or Camp -- Location -- Dates
A: Wake Island -- 23 Dec 41 to 30 Sept 42
Fukuoka Camp 18 -- Sasebo, Kyushu -- 13 Oct 42 to 17 Apr 44
Camp #1 -- Fukuoka, Kyushu -- 17 Apr 44 to 14 Sept 45
Q: Do you know or have you reason to believe that the Imperial Japanese Navy & Army failed to treat prisoners of war with humanity or otherwise committed atrocities or war crimes against them?
A: Yes
Q: Will you state all facts in detail pertaining to atrocities, war crimes, violations of Rules of Land Warfare and human decency at Fukuoka No. 1, the dates thereof, the perpetrators, giving their names, ranks, units and other identifying information.
A: The mistreatment and brutal treatment at this camp were constant.
I can give no specific names and dates of these atrocities but following is the name and address of the civilian interpreter attached to camp staff who performed a lot of the mistreatment, 17 April 44 to 14 Sept 45:
Takeo Katsura
home address -
Asani Oshima Gun
Kagoshima Ken
Japan
(signed)
THEO GRANSTEDT JR.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20 day of Sept, 1945.
(signed)
THOMAS F. WEISS
2nd Lt. FA
Investigating Officer
War Crimes Investigating Detachment
CERTIFIED A TRUE COPY:
(signed)
Charles H. Sullivan?
Capt. C.M.P.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
SS
City and County of San Francisco
ROY HEATH, being duly sworn, deposes and says:
I am a citizen of the United States, 40 years of age, and my home address is 2730 Bartlett Street, Oakland, California. I am a Sergeant in the Quartermaster Corps, U. S. Army, serial number 39002085 R.A., presently assigned to the 11th Quartermaster Corps Car Company, Presidio of San Francisco, California.
I was a prisoner of war of the Japanese Imperial Forces from 8 April 1942 until 8 September 1945. I was captured on Bataan, P.I. My organization at the time was the 30th Quartermaster Corps, 19th Bomb Group. I was taken on the death march to Camp O'Donnell and on 16 May 1942 I was returned to Bataan, eventually going to Cabanatuan Camp #1 in July 1942.
I arrived by freighter at Moji, Japan, on 4 September 1944 and was placed in Camp #23 and from there I was taken to Camp #1, Fukuoka area, on 2 December 1944, and remained there until my liberation.
We arrived at Camp #1, Fukuoka area, in a group of about 400 men consisting of Dutch, English and American personnel. There were about 14 huts in the camp including the hospital, and they assigned about 50 prisoners to each hut. These huts were about 18 feet by 50 feet and about 12 feet high. Capt. Walter Kostecki, U. S. Army Medical Corps, acted as medical doctor for the American prisoners during our internment there.
At Camp #1, Fukuoka area, Kyushu, Japan, the latter part of January 1945, Cpl. William C. Ivarson was brutally beaten by a Japanese civilian guard, referred to by the prisoners as "The Beast," as a result of which Ivarson died in the camp on or about 4 February 1945. It was rumored that "The Beast" was a former private 1n the Japanese Army and was assigned to the camp as a civilian guard. He was very aggressive in his tactics and spoke very little English. "The Beast" was always clean-shaven, was about 5 feet 9 inches tall, and weighed approximately 160 pounds. I believe it was about 26 January 1945 at approximately 8:00 a.m. that Cpl. William C. Ivarson and I asked one of the prisoners for a cigarette. We were rationed on the average of one cigarette after each meal so this was a violation of the rigid rules the Japanese had laid down. Apparently, "The Beast" observed us receiving the cigarette because he immediately marched Cpl. Ivarson and me to a guard post where we were ordered to execute push-ups. After we had done push-ups for several minutes, "The Beast" obtained a bamboo pole which was about 6 feet long and about 3 inches in diameter and proceeded to beat us severely on all parts of our bodies. "The Beast" continued this for about 40 minutes until the new guard came on duty. "The Beast" conferred with the new guard in Japanese, apparently over the incident, because the new guard continued the beating for about 30 minutes. "The Beast" and the new guard used the same pole in the beatings and centered their blows on the small of our backs and on the rear of our legs. As a result, we received welts the size of our fists on our bodies. We were saved from further treatment at the time because the camp commander ordered all prisoners to line up for parade. We were helped to our feet by one of the prisoners. I do not recall his name but I believe he was later named mess sergeant at the camp. With the assistance of fellow prisoners, I do not recall their names, we marched in the parade with the other prisoners in the camp.
Cpl. Ivarson was confined to his hut after the parade and was not able to perform general camp duties as a result of the maltreatment. I visited Ivarson on several occasions after that and witnessed that he was passing blood through his urine as a result of the beating. Approximately 4 days after the beating I contracted pneumonia and was unconscious in the camp hospital for about 5 days. Upon regaining consciousness, I inquired about Cpl. Ivarson and was informed by Sgt. Malcolm T. Bull that he had died from the maltreatment administered by "The Beast" and the other guard.
Sgt. Bull, Sgt. Donald Jackson Scott of the U. S. Marine Corps, and a Cpl. Allen from Alabama, and several other men were witnesses to the beatings administered upon Cpl. Ivarson and me by "The Beast" and this other guard.
I do not recall the camp commander's name nor am I able to give an accurate description of him.
The above statements cover all the details I can supply concerning the incident I have described.
(signed)
Sgt. Roy Heath, QMC
ASN 39002085
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 8 day of August 1946, San Francisco, California.
(signed)
HAINES A. MACHESNEY, Jr.
Major, F.A.
Summary Court Officer
Interviewed by: Kenneth F. Heard, Special Agent, CIC
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
SS
County of San Francisco
Sgt. ROY HEATH, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:
I am an American citizen born 17 October 1905, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. I am a Sergeant in the United States Army and my A.S.N. is 39002085. I am presently assigned to 11th T.C. Car Company, Presidio of San Francisco, California. I first entered the military service 17 February 1941. I was captured by the Japanese Army on Bataan on 8 April 1942. As I have previously mentioned in my statement taken by a representative of the Military Intelligence on or about 8 August 1946, while I was a POW at Camp No. 1, Cpl. Wm. C. Ivarson and myself were beaten by a Japanese Guard whose nickname was "The Beast".
I have identified "The Beast" as the Japanese whose photograph is attached hereto as Inclosures No. 1 and No. 2, Photographs #688.
(signed)
Roy Heath, Sgt.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 9 day of December 1946, at San Francisco, California.
(signed)
KENNETH R. HARBIDGE
Second Lieutenant, AUS
Summary Court
Interviewed by: Kenneth R. Harbidge, Spec/Agt, CIC, 6th Army
Report of Interview with Lt. Col. Karl H. Houghton, MC, ASN 20411
2411 W. Blvd., Los Angeles, 16, Calif.
(until 23 April 1945)
Interviewed by Lt. Larson on 6 March 1946
During the week ending 21 October 1944, a total of from 1,200 to 1,600 American prisoners of war were moved from Cabanatuan No. 1 to Bilibid, 80 miles away in Manila. The prisoners were moved in units of 200 to 250 men a day from Monday 16 October 1944 through Saturday 21 October 1944. The majority were officers. The balance consisted of enlisted Medical Corps personnel, and about 100 civilians. All of these prisoners called "transportable cases" had been culled by the Japanese from weak and disabled personnel, the Japanese theory being that a person who would sit and ride was sufficiently strong to make the trip. Only the worst cases, about 500 in number, were left at Cabanatuan. Colonel Houghton was in the group which left Cabanatuan on 21 October 1944, reaching Bilibid on the same day, The entire detail stayed here until 13 December 1944 when, with certain additional personnel which had been added at Bilibid, making a total of 1619 prisoners including the civilians, it was divided into three groups, and the groups then put on board the same ship [Oryoku-maru]. Group #1 contained mostly officers of field grade and a medical detachment of seven or eight medical officers. The second group was composed mostly of officers, a sprinkling of enlisted men, and a medical detachment of senior medical officers. The third group consisted of the remaining numbers of the medical department, the civilians, and a large number of miscellaneous enlisted men.
Approximately 210 - 215 men were killed when the ship was bombed in Subic Bay on 15 December 1944. From 35 to 40 died of suffocation, about 350 men were killed in the bombing at Takao, Formosa, on 9 January 1945, and about 500 died on the voyage from Formosa to Moji, thus leaving only approximately 500 men, out of the original 1619, who were alive when the boat reached Moji on 30 January 1945. From 60 to 80 [Handwritten here: "Lt. Col. Jacobs said 110; see his report."] of these were hospitalized by the Japanese in Moji.
Group #2, in which Colonel Houghton had been placed, left Moji about 8 p.m. on the evening of January 30th by train for Fukuoka #1 at Kashi, a station on the outskirts of Fukuoka. There were 190 prisoners in this group at the time it reached the camp, but by the following April 50 men had been lost. It is Colonel Houghton's opinion that the losses in Group #2 were the heaviest of the losses in any of the groups.
The group was kept in quarantine for practically its entire stay at this camp, except for a short period at the end, when the men worked on the farm. 0n 25 April 1945, Group #2, which had been joined by another group of American and British prisoners, left Fukuoka on a fast packet for Fusan, Korea. Conditions on the boat were good. At the time of making this trip, Group #2 consisted of 120 American officers and 20 American enlisted Medical Corpsmen.
Fusan was reached on April 26, and Group #2 and 10 senior British officers arrived at Jinsen at 6 p.m. on the evening of the 27th. There were about 40 British enlisted men at the camp when they arrived.
The prisoner of war camp at Jinsen consisted of several typical one-story Japanese Army barracks with one barrack fenced off from the others for the use of the prisoners. It was approximately fifty feet wide and one hundred fifty feet long with separate rooms for the senior officers, junior officers, and the enlisted men.
Colonel Houghton described conditions at Jinsen as tolerable, with a minimum of beatings. Prisoners who did not work received the basic food ration consisting of a small bowl of rice and sixteen ounces of soup in the morning, a loaf of bread which had been baked in a Klim [milk] can and sixteen ounces of soup at noon, and a very small bowl of rice and sixteen ounces of soup in the evening. Officers were not compelled to work and were paid 220 yen a month, from which some deductions were made for rations and quarters. No prisoner could have in his possession more than 50 yen at one time, the excess being placed in a post savings account. At the termination of hostilities, the balances in these postal savings accounts were paid to the men. Officers who worked received approximately 60 percent more rice in the morning and the evening, and one half of a packed bowl of rice at the noon meal in addition to a basic ration.
The prisoners worked on what was called an outside farm and an inside farm, sewed work garments for the Koreans, and made paper wrappers for matchboxes. This latter detail was generally reserved for men with poor vision or those who were unable to sew. Every other Sunday one Red Cross parcel was distributed for every 2 men.
The camp commander was a Lt. Col., apparently a retired Army officer who had been recalled to active duty. He did not take an active part, in the camp administration as far as the prisoners were able to tell. A Japanese officer by the name of Sobi was adjutant and executive officer. The prisoners were punished on the spot for minor offenses by the Japanese enlisted men, generally by slapping. Those accused of more serious offenses were sent to Sobi, the Adjutant.
Colonel Houghton remained at Jinsen until the landing of the 7th Division on 8 September 1945. He prepared a history of conditions in this camp for Admiral Kinkaid, but has an extra copy which he said he would send to this Branch as soon as he reaches home. I promised him we would return it to him by registered mall as soon as we had examined it and had extracted the information which we needed. He also says that five Medical Corps officers, including Lt. Col. Raymond M. Williams and Colonel J. 0. Gillespie, will report to the Surgeon General's Office for the purpose of preparing reports. Some of the officers are expected today. Colonel Gillespie has a great deal of information on camps in Formosa.
LT. J. R. LARSON
CHECK LIST for Houston P. Houser, Jr.
1. Date of your arrival at: Fukuoka No. 1
2. Please state its exact location if possible, or if this cannot be done, please describe its location with reference to other cities or prominent land marks.
Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan
3. When was camp first occupied by prisoners of war? Were the first occupants Americans, British, Dutch or Australians?
About Dec '44. Am, Br, D, Aus
4. Number of Americans in your group and name of senior American officers.
About 250. Lt. Col. Beecher U.S.M.C.
5. Please give figures on personnel in this camp to the best of your knowledge. Your own group should be included in these figures.
Americans: 380
Army: 275
Navy: 10
Marines: 5
Civilians: 90
British: 100
Dutch: 25
Australians: 25
Chinese:
Any other nationality:
Total: 530
6. Names and titles of Japanese camp officials.
7. Please describe the condition of the following facilities:
a. Size of compound and type of fence: 300 yd X 100 yd, wooden stake.
b. Housing
1. Number of barracks: 12
2. Size of barracks: 60' X 20'
3. Type of construction: frame
4. Type of roof: Tar paper
5. Type of floor: Dirt
6. Type of interior construction: none
c. Latrines
1. Location: 50' away
2. Type: Closed pit
d. Bathing
1. Location: imm. vicinity
2. Type: Two large tubs. one additional for 25 Br. officers.
3. Size: 6' X 4'
d. Mess
1. Type: Buckets to barracks.
2. Amount of food: Very light.
3. Preparation: Poor.
4. Quality: Poor.
f. Medical attention and type of hospital: No medicine from Hosp.
8. Type of work performed by prisoners of war.
a. Officers: farm.
b. Enlisted men: farm.
9. What were the working conditions?
Light.
10. Describe the conditions and restrictions on the sending and receiving of mail.
No mail.
11. How much were the prisoners of war paid?
a. Officers: 150 yen day departure warning to turn in at next camp.
b. Enlisted men: none
12. Number of Red Cross parcels received and dates received.
1/3 of small pkg 5 feb 45.
13. Clothing situation
a. What was issued by the Japanese and dates?
One uniform upon arrival 30 Jan 45.
14. How was your treatment?
Arrived 30 Jan 45 250. Departed April 45 160
15. How was morale?
Very low.
16. What were the religious facilities?
none
17. Date of departure from this camp?
April 45.
18. Number of Americans in this group?
160
19. Conditions en route and names of towns through which you passed.
ferry to Southern Korea by train to Jinsen.
20. Destination: Jinsen, Korea
21. A rough sketch of the camp's lay-out showing the approximate size of the buildings. Please make sketch on reverse side of check list.
22. Name, rank and address of other officers or enlisted men who can furnish information concerning this prisoner of war camp.
23. Your name, rank, serial number, organization and home address.
Houston P. Houser, Jr.
Lt. Col. Inf. O-18615
Perry, Ga.
NOTE: Any other information which in your opinion will be of interest to this office should be placed on the reverse side of the check list.
STATEMENT
I, Harvey T. HUBBARD, a citizen of the United States, was captured on Wake Island where I was a civilian employee of the Pacific Naval Air Bases, on 23 December 1941. From that date until the close of hostilities, I was held a prisoner of war by Japan. I wish to make the following statement concerning the commandant of Camp One, Fukuoka, a Japanese named SAKAMOTO.
I was imprisoned in this camp from April 1944 until August 1945. SAKAMOTO was commandant for this period, except for the last two months when he was transferred to Camp Six. We felt that SAKAMOTO was responsible for much of the brutal treatment we received at Camp 1. The guard changed at the camp monthly. When each new group of guards came in, SAKAMOTO lectured them. After each of these lectures, the guards beat us severely on the first possible excuse.
Signed
Harvey T. Hubbard
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 23rd day of October 1945 on board the U.S.S. Tryon en route from Honolulu, T.H. to San Francisco, California.
(signed)
D. D. NEWSOM
Lieut., U.S.N.R.