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Sendai #3 Hosokura Formerly Tokyo #3B Also Known as Uguisusawa |
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Location:
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Overview: Hosokura mine was owned and operated by Mitsubishi Mining Co, (MITSUBISHI KOGYO HOSOKURA KOZAN) during WWII. Enslaved by Mitsubishi were 231 American POWs and 3 civilian Americans plus some 50 British who were forced to mine and produce lead and zinc. Short History of arrival: Departing Moji by train, about a dozen men were removed in Osaka area for hospitalization. Upon arrival in Sendai, changed to a narrow gage railway high into the mountains. From the Uguisusawa RR Station, the men were required to walk last few miles through deep snow. Hellships: Melbourne Maru from Taiwan Most men arrived in Taiwan on the Hokusen Maru Special Notice: The motion picture of the rescue at this camp with interviews of 4 men is now avaiable on DVD- unedited. Some sound was missing for the first 16 minutes but all four interviews are extant. Contact us. Rosters: Americans (with one possible Dutch) British All men arrived January 1945 on the Melbourne Maru via Formosa and Moji. Mr. Louis B. Read submitted a partial roster and Ernest Bales submitted the Chaplain's roster. Download Roster Spreadsheet (xls) 102kb; contains additional information. Ross Report: Describes trip to the camp from departure in Manila Affidavit: Alonzo C. Meredith's story from capture on Corregidor until rescue in 1945. Memoir: Alonzo C. Meredith's story entitled "A Long Trip". Relates story of hell ship, work on Taiwan and Sendai #3. Rescue: Three (3) POWS killed by air drops of food. Rescue effected 15 Sept 45. One British (Ward, D.) and two Americans, Carl Burk Gann and Orrin E. Crandell, 45.8.22. One American (Anderson) died on a rescue ship en route home. The mine was closed in 1987 and is now a theme park where visitors can walk through its major tunnel. Here and there are life-size mannequins of mine workers. (attached photo.) (large picture 24Kb) There are explanation boards throughout the tunnel, but the wartime use of Allied POWs or Korean workers is never mentioned. (Mine Entrance- 2003) Images: Courtesy of Kinue Tokudome Camp Buildings: Barracks contained double deck sleeping areas. Standard clapboard exteriors with no heat and no insulation. Tables in center were used for eating when food was brought from the cook shed. Only three barracks used. Buildings on south end used mostly for storage and one used as a sick bay. Japanese guard barracks also served as Administrative HQ for a number of camps in the area. |
