| Osaka POW Camp #5-B Tsuruga |
| Osaka POW Camp
5-B TSURUGA (TSURUGA
KOWAN UNSO) FUKUI-ken, TSURUGA-shi, JINMU 9721 KOJO Satellite View Area Map Time Line: 23 Apr 1945: Established as Osaka-20-B; first located at TSURUGA-shi, SAKURA 165. 25 Apr 1945: 180 Americans and 20 Dutch arrive from Tanagawa. Date of transfer to Minami TSUNAI unknown (both camps within city limits of Tsuruga). 20 May 1945: 200 Americans arrive from Umeda, some from Narumi ex Tanagawa. Later, one American transferred to Sendai, date unknown. Aug 1945: Renamed 5-B Sept 1945: Rescue effected (399 men rescued) Morita Report: Details the history of camp and movement of the POWs. Photographs: Aerial 1948 (courtesy of Japan Map Archives) Camp aerial 1 - Camp aerial 2 - Camp aerial 3 |
Labor: Slave labor as stevedore services and farming service. TSURUGA Transportation Company - POWs worked docks carrying bags of beans and grain from warehouse to freight cars; operated cranes and unloaded iron from freight cars. Mr. HASHIMOTO in charge of company; his assistant was Mr. IMURA. Hell Ship: Numerous sources for prisoners from other burned out camps- no specific ship. Roster: Total men in camp on 2 Sept 1945: 399 per Morita report. Partial roster of Americans and listing those who perished Japanese Camp Staff- includes rank, dates of service and position on staff. Includes Yokkaichi roster (mixed). OSA-05 Roster (WO 361-1963) - American, Dutch Affidavits: Affidavit of USMC TSgt Jesse L. Stewart from Wake Island. Discussing brutal treatment and action of specific guards; Second affidavit regarding Lt Namba at Umeda and at Tsuruga. Affidavit of S/Sgt Robert T. Rohmer regarding the severe beatings of Cobb, MacCurdy and Dorsey. Affidavit of Alexander L. Benishake 60th CAC (Pending). Original documents (PDF) - affidavits for Brettman, Bowersox, Causey, Crocker, Farwell, Gallegos, Gruber, Hesson, Light, Nichols, Perry, Porter, Robertson, Rohmer, Stewart, and Kimura. Includes document list. |
