Database of POW's in Japan - Interesting

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by spidge, May 10, 2006.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

  2. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

    Good stuff. Do you know of one for Germanys prisoners?
     
  3. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Not off hand.
     
  4. Marina

    Marina Senior Member

    What a tale of wretched misery those death lists tell. Eric Lomax's book 'The Railwayman' gives a very moving account of his time as a POW of the Japanese.

    I see from the list of camps that POWs were kept near Nagasaki and Hiroshima does anyone know if they became casualties of the Bombs?
    Marina
     
  5. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Memorial For U.S. POWs (Former Chugoku Military Police HQ)
    [​IMG]Installed in 1999, by the efforts and personal funds of Hiroshima resident, and A-bomb survivor, Shigeaki Mori. At least 11 American POWs were killed in the atomic bomb blast, while being held at the Kempei-Tai HQ, near the hypocenter. These POWs were from the crews of four American aircraft that went down in the area. Today, the former HQ, today an office building. Cartwright, the pilot of one of B-24 "Lonesome Lady" who was shot down near Hiroshima wrote the words of the memorial. He describes himself as one of the few Americans who lost personal friends (his crew) in in the atomic blase: "The Atomic bomb devistated the city and its people with a force beyond any known before. US Air Force and US Navy airmen interned as POWs at the Chugoku Military Police Headquarters, which was located at this site, near the epicenter, were among the victims of this holocaust. This plaque is placed in the memory of these brave and honorable men. May this humble memorial be a perpetual reminder of the savagery of war."


    Lester Tenney, a World War II veteran who lives in La Jolla (San Diego County), couldn't agree more. He was a prisoner of war in Fukuoka, about 100 miles from Hiroshima, when the atomic bomb was dropped. He's convinced the Allied decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima and on Nagasaki three days later saved his life. "The atomic bombs saved my life and the lives of at least 140,000 POWs who were in Japan at the time," said Tenney.

    At the time of its bombing, Hiroshima was a city of considerable industrial and military significance. Even some military camps were located nearby, such as the headquarters of the Fifth Division and Field Marshal Shunroku Hata's 2nd General Army Headquarters, which commanded the defense of all of southern Japan. Hiroshima was a minor supply and logistics base for the Japanese military. The city was a communications center, a storage point, and an assembly area for troops. It was one of several Japanese cities left deliberately untouched by American bombing, allowing an ideal environment to measure the damage caused by the atomic bomb. Another account stresses that after General Spaatz reported that Hiroshima was the only targeted city without POW-camps, Washington decided to assign it highest priority. (debatable)
     
  6. Marina

    Marina Senior Member

    Thanks. Spidge. I just wondered. I think Tenney's statement that the dropping of the bombe must have saved a great many Allied lives is right.
    Marina
     
  7. Mary

    Mary Junior Member

    Does any one besides me believe there are still POW's from WWII? I buried my brother in Dec. and am having a hard time dealing with it.
     
  8. Marina

    Marina Senior Member

    There were many from the Burma Star Association on parade a little while back, Mary. My own father is a veteran, although not a POW. He's 81, not such a great age these days. There must be many more.
    Srry to hear about your brother.
    Marina
     
  9. Kiwiwriter

    Kiwiwriter Very Senior Member

    Bookmarked it. Thanks for sharing. :)
     
  10. BulgarianSoldier

    BulgarianSoldier Senior Member

    For the japs to surender was really bad and dishonered (if that was the right word :) ) thats why the was so bad with the prisoners.
     
  11. jean09

    jean09 Junior Member

    Hi all Ime a new memeber.
    My father was a POW in Rangoon Burma for about 3yrs and never spoke of his experience.Sadley he died in 2001and I am trying to piece together that part of his life he never spoke about. Have any of you out there got any tales to tell
    :icon_sadangel: Jean
     
  12. jean09

    jean09 Junior Member

    does any one have any info on the rangoon POW camp in Burma my father was a pow there and never spoke of it although he did have terrible nightmares sadley he died in 2001 and i am trying to piece together a part of his life he never spoke about
     
  13. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Welcome Jean,

    Good luck with your quest.
     
  14. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Can you place his full name and his regiment?
     
  15. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

  16. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

  17. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

  18. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

  19. 52nd Airborne

    52nd Airborne Green Jacket Brat

    :welcome3: to the forum Jean, Good luck with your research.
     
  20. Kyt

    Kyt Very Senior Member

Share This Page