by King, Dan
After leaving Angel Island, Ōmagari's group of POWs took a train to Texas. Tunnel engineer Kiichi Abe was placed in a POW camp south of San Antonio called Camp Kenedy (Kenedy Alien Detention Camp), which experimented in the re-education of pro-democratic Japanese POWs. "We were treated well and had plenty of good food to eat," Kiichi Abe said. He added, "After the war, the Americans offered us the chance to stay in Texas and apply for US citizenship. Some of us considered it because we were ashamed to return to Japan." Abe didn't say if anyone took advantage of the offer.
Another POW who was housed at Camp Kenedy was an army reservist corporal named Toshiharu Takahashi, an older man who had been with the Independent Combat Engineers, 1st Mixed Brigade, on Iwo Jima. Takahashi had completed two tours of duty when he was recalled and sent to Iwo Jima, leaving behind a wife and daughter. He was wounded and captured on March 18, 1945, following Kuribayashi's banzai attack. Takahashi said he met Ensign Kazuo Sakamaki, the two-man "midget sub" commander who was captured during the Pearl Harbor raid. Ensign Sakamaki was the very first POW (from any country) taken during the Pacific War.167
Still another POW who found himself in southern Texas was radioman Sergeant Shōichi Kawai, the man who was tasked with sending false radio messages from LtGen Kuribayashi's HQ bunker. He said he arrived at Camp Kenedy on July 30, 1945. Kawai learned about the end of the war at a special assembly. The following day, the Americans began playing Japanese folk songs over the loudspeakers. The highest-ranking POW, Captain Moriji Yamaga, gave an encouraging speech about returning to Japan to rebuild their homeland. The music and speech were coordinated by camp officials to discourage suicides. Captain Yamaga was chief of the 4th Weather Observation Section, 4th Fleet, stationed at Truk Lagoon. The 4th Weather Observation Section was transferred to Guam in April 1944, because Truk Lagoon was considered too dangerous due to US Naval air attacks. Captain Yamaga and a few of his technicians were captured on Guam on September 2, 1944. Ironically, Truk Lagoon was never invaded, and had Captain Yamaga remained there he would have been able to continue his work.
Sergeant Kawai wrote that in addition to POW #1, he also met Commander Kanjirō Ono who was Vice-Admiral Chūichi Nagumo's communications staff officer of 1st Mobile Force (Dai ichi Kidōbutai). Commander Ono was aboard the aircraft carrier Akagi when it was sunk at Midway. Sergeant Kawai also claimed that there were three staff officers that held the rank of either Lieutenant Commander or Commander, and thirty officers with the rank of Lieutenant or Lieutenant (jg). In addition to the thirty-five or so officers, there were 140 – 150 non-commissioned officers in the camp when Sergeant Kawai was held there. It seems that the Americans concentrated their high ranking Japanese POWs at Camp Kenedy.
After passing through Texas, Ensign Satoru Ōmagari's journey continued on to Pine Grove Furnace POW Camp in Pennsylvania.168 Ōmagari spoke little about this camp and seems to have been there for a short while before being driven to Fort Eustis POW Camp on a bus with blacked-out windows. According to Ōmagari, when they got off the bus, the exhausted Japanese fell onto the grassy lawn like cats in a sun puddle. Ōmagari heard manly voices singing and looked up to see a row of German POWs behind a wire fence clad in dark uniforms with the letters PW on the sleeves, back, and pant legs.169 "The Germans knew we were coming and serenaded us in an act of friendship. The Germans tossed things through the wire fence: bars of soap, toothbrushes, and cigarettes." Ōmagari watched his countrymen scramble for the items like kids under a broken piñata, and recalled the looks of disdain from the Germans.170
Fort Eustis was home to an experiment set up by the Special Projects Division of the US Army's Provost Marshal General. The Americans gathered German POWs who displayed anti-fascist views to undergo a re-education process before being repatriated. The goal was to seed post-war Germany with "pro-Democracy" Germans.
While these re-educational activities were offered to the Germans at Fort Eustis, they were not offered to the Japanese. However, there was a re-education program for the Japanese POWs held in Texas at Camps Huntsville, Kenedy, and Hearne.
According to Professor of History Arnold Krammer of Texas A & M University,
"The program was directed by Lt. Colonel Boude C. Moore, born in Japan to missionary parents, educated in the United States, and resident of Japan from 1924 until 1941. He was assisted by Dr. Charles W. Hepner, a luminary from the Far Eastern Branch of the Office of War Information, who had spent some thirty years in Japan. Together they organized a dazzling program of lectures by the faculty of Sam Houston State Teachers College, with simultaneous translation into Japanese; study of the English language and literature; comparisons of American and Japanese newspapers, books, and magazines; and the translation of material for distribution to the Japanese prisoners not participating in the program. The most important activity was the assignment every two weeks of a new "study topic" which required group and individual research and discussion. The topics ranged from an assessment of Japan's civilian and military morale to the comparison of various segments of Japanese and American ways of life. Moore and Hepner hoped that these exercises would cause the prisoners to consider the nuances of the subjects and require some measure of democratic input by all members. They also believe[d] that the reports would serve as a barometer of the POWs' morale and allegiance to the Emperor. Augmenting these pursuits was a heavy dose of American music, newspapers, movies and cartoons, and such recreational activities as softball, table tennis, and baseball. The prisoners were also encouraged to attend Sunday religious services in an effort ‘to replace their traditional Emperor-worship with a more positive philosophy, and to show them the close relationship between democracy and Christian principles.' When the program ended in December 1945 …. the authorities believed that a significant, if unknown, number of the prisoners had embraced the principles of the American dream. Unfortunately, no follow-up investigation traced the careers of the Japanese "graduates" and their impact, if any, on postwar politics."171
Satoru Ōmagari recalled that only eight of the 120 – 130 Japanese servicemen that were confined at Fort Eustis POW camp were officers. Japanese officers had separate quarters and didn't associate with the enlisted ranks, not even in the mess hall.
Soon after arriving at Fort Eustis, a guard handed Satoru Ōmagari a mop and bucket and escorted him to one of the German officers' barracks. He was met with icy stares as he quietly put down his tin bucket and dipped the mop into the water. Ōmagari looked around and noted stacks of books on the shelves. A German startled him by shouting and kicking over the bucket. The man pointed to the door. The message was clear, you are an officer, and are not to clean anyone's barracks. Ōmagari gathered up his things and quickly left.
Ōmagari said he learned that the American Red Cross had donated German-language books and other materials to the former Nazis who gathered in groups to study law, medicine, art, architecture and other lofty subjects. Ōmagari said, "The Germans studied while the happy-go-lucky Italian POWs played soccer all day. We Japanese frittered away our time gambling for cigarettes playing go, hanafuda and mahjong."[89] Looking back at the way the different groups used their free time, Ōmagari said, "We were like country bumpkins. We should have done more to educate ourselves like the Germans were doing."
One of Akikusa's first impressions of Fort Eustis POW Camp was of the American guard in charge of his enlisted barracks. He was shorter and much older than the other guards so Akikusa secretly nicknamed him "Gramps." The day after the Japanese POWs arrived, Gramps instructed the enlisted POWs to form into teams of three for work party assignments. He assigned Akikusa and two other men to the mess hall for KP (Kitchen Police) duty. The three Axis nations' POW barracks were segregated, but shared at least one mess hall and laundry duties. Akikusa said KP duty was shared by all three Axis nations with a German cook in charge; "Hans" had been a chef before the war. Hans examined Akikusa's mutilated hand and assigned him to busboy duty in the dining hall.
The other two Japanese went into the kitchen to peel potatoes.
The three Japanese POWs on KP duty arrived at the mess hall early in the morning, and stayed until post-dinner cleanup. The Axis POW groups ate separately; first the Germans, then the Italians, followed by the Japanese.[90] Akikusa said the Germans and Italians bussed their own tables, and pushed in their chairs as they left. However, he was unhappy with the behavior of his own countrymen. They left their metal trays out, didn't clean their spills, and left the tables and chairs in disarray.
As the Japanese KP team headed back to the barracks after the third day of work, a disgruntled Hans told them, using gestures, not to come back. Akikusa asked an Italian KP what was wrong, and the man replied in gestures saying, "Hans thinks the Japanese are stupid."
On day four, Akikusa was put on grass-cutting duty. The men on this detail were given small sickles with which to trim the grass. "Some men put their hearts into it, while others hunched over and mindlessly hacked at the dirt," Akikusa said.
Two days later, Gramps called Akikusa into his office saying that Hans had submitted a request for only one Japanese POW to work in the mess hall. Gramps asked Akikusa if he could handle it. The following morning, Akikusa reported to Hans to prove that Japanese were indeed not "stupid."
One day, Hans was in a good mood, and asked the KP crew if they had any special requests for a special meal. Akikusa replied that he would enjoy some Japanese-style curry rice. However, he felt Hans couldn't possibly know how to make it, or acquire the necessary ingredients, so quickly felt bad for even mentioning it.
One evening after Akikusa's shift in the mess hall, Hans called him back into the kitchen. The stoic German grinned as he presented him with a plate of curry rice. Tears filled Akikusa's eyes as he blurted out a stream of "thank you's" in Japanese, German, Italian and English. How did Hans do it? It tasted just like what Mother used to make. Tears of joy rolled down Akikusa's cheeks as he ate the nostalgic delicacy that he had not tasted in almost two years.
As the KP crew enjoyed the rare treat, an Italian man asked Akikusa if he had seen the latest American movies. Akikusa stated he had not seen any movies since coming to Fort Eustis. The surprised Italian said that the Americans would provide the Japanese with a projector and movies if they merely requested them. Akikusa later spoke with a senior Japanese POW who talked to Gramps about the issue. Soon, the Americans agreed to allow a one-time "movie night." The Japanese requested that event be held on Sunday afternoon. The Americans provided two films, a 16 mm projector and a German POW to operate it. The camp movie theater was unavailable, so the Japanese created one in the barracks by standing the beds and tables up against the walls and hanging a bed sheet.[91]
"The films were in English but we got the gist," Akikusa said. He recalled seeing John Ford's Stagecoach, followed by a newsreel featuring the Pacific War. One by one, the Japanese audience began to utter complaints as they watched Japanese aircraft go down in flames. The disgruntled catcalls grew louder as images of Japanese corpses filled the screen. The second movie was Tarzan, which the men enjoyed. After the double feature, Gramps turned on the lights and announced through a Nisei interpreter that since they had behaved, they could have another movie night the following weekend. The POWs applauded the welcome news.
The following Sunday, Gramps kept his promise. Akikusa can't remember what two films they saw, but the newsreel showed the battles for Guam, Saipan and the bombing of Tōkyō. On the third movie night, the opening film was Dracula. The newsreel that played before the second feature included scenes from the battles of Iwo Jima, Okinawa, air raids over Japan, and the September 2nd surrender ceremony aboard the battleship USS Missouri. Akikusa was reminded of the deaths of Kageyama and Kumakura and became depressed. Akikusa now understood why the Italians wanted the Japanese to see this footage for themselves; images don't lie. After the newsreel, the German projectionist set up the second movie, which was a shoot-em-up gangster film.
Akikusa recalled seeing several movies: Charlie Chaplain's The Gold Rush; a Buster Keaton silent comedy; an action film starring Tyrone Powers; and a western movie featuring John Wayne. The most memorable film he saw was Gone with the Wind. Akikusa still enjoys watching old American movies and is a fan of John Wayne.
Although there was no popcorn served during the films, the Japanese did enjoy something that their comrades back in Japan could never dream of. Satoru Ōmagari said, "We had cake for dessert at lunch and dinner. But against Japanese (and US) military regulations, the greedy types would sneak pieces of cake into their barracks. The guards repeatedly told them to eat only in the mess hall, but they didn't listen. Finally, the Americans had no choice but to cancel dessert for everyone. That was a big disappointment."
The hoarding mentality extended even into the laundry system. Germans, Italians and Japanese POWs shared the laundry duty. In addition to the roughly 130 Japanese POWs, Ōmagari estimated there were 3,000 Germans and 1,000 Italians at the camp, which meant a mountain of laundry each week. Ōmagari said, "For some reason, the Japanese were able to get far more than our fair share of socks and underwear. The Americans told us not to take more than three pair of underwear per man per week. But, no matter how many times the guards scolded us it didn't matter," said Ōmagari.
When asked if he or anyone at Fort Eustis POW camp attempted to escape, both Akikusa and Ōmagari said they had not heard of any escape attempts or even of plans to escape.
As the leaves began to change color in Virginia, Akikusa watched the German and Italian POWs depart for their home countries. Akikusa knew that his time would come soon. During their time as POWs, although provided ample opportunity and the means, neither Ōmagari nor Akikusa wrote home to their families. They worried how they would be received when they returned. They wondered if they would be ostracized.
Shūji Ishii said that shortly before the Japanese were repatriated, a new POW arrived; "a Japanese Army major by the name of Yoshida who claimed to have been an information officer on Saipan." Shūji Ishii wrote, in his book published in 1946, that the POWs treated Major Yoshida with respect since he was the senior ranking man in the camp. However, it wasn't long before rumors began to circulate that Yoshida was not who he claimed to be. A couple of the enlisted POWs recognized him as Lieutenant Colonel Takashi Hirakushi, former Chief-of-Staff of the 43rd Division on Saipan. Colonel Hirakushi maintained the charade until after the war. He went on to write several books and articles about his experiences on Saipan, which included witnessing the ritual suicides of Major General Keiji Igeta, Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saitō, and Vice-Admiral Chūichi Nagumo on the night of July 6, 1944.172 Colonel Hirakushi was captured the following day after the July 7th banzai attack.173
Homeward Bound and Beyond
On December 13, 1945, the former POWs walked over snow-dusted ground to board trucks headed to Washington D.C. where they would catch a train to Seattle, Washington. Unlike the POWs in Texas, who were given the chance to stay in the USA, Ōmagari said the offer was not extended to the Japanese held at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
At the same time that hundreds of Japanese former POWs were transiting to the West Coast for repatriation, the Japanese Government was sending official death notices to grieving families. Ōmagari and Akikusa both said their parents received notices that their sons died honorably on March 17, 1945. This was the day that was recognized as Iwo Jima's official final day, and the blanket date of death for all of Iwo Jima's defenders.
On December 16, 1945, beneath a typically overcast Seattle sky, Satoru Ōmagari, Tsuruji Akikusa, Shūji Ishii, Haruji Mita, and Kiichi Abe were five of the 200 or so former POWs that boarded a US naval transport vessel for Japan.[92]
Ōmagari said, "There was a storm that hit the Aleutian Islands that delayed our return by about a week. During the voyage we ate the same food as the ship's crew and our MP guards; steaks, stew, fresh bread and lots of cake. We had coffee, juice
and cola, too."
The former POWs arrived at the port of Uraga at Yokosuka late on the night of January 7, 1946.[93] It happened to be Akikusa's nineteenth birthday.The Naval port of Yokosuka was full of American warships and transport vessels. There were American MPs, SPs (Shore Patrol) and servicemen everywhere. The former POWs would spend one last night on the ship before disembarking. The following morning during roll call, one of the POWs was missing. An inspection revealed he had jumped to his death from an upper deck. The tunnel engineer Kiichi Abe said, "He was my friend. I think he was too ashamed to face his family."174
The former POWs went through a US Army inspection process for contraband items, and then were examined at the Japanese Naval Hospital. The POWs took a walk down to the Army's Yokosuka Coastal Artillery Battery where the Japanese Government's Department of Returning Veterans (Fukuin Kyoku) had set up shop to assist citizens and veterans returning from POW camps and far-flung islands across the Pacific. The Fukuin Kyoku issued new uniforms to the veterans from stocks of war surplus.
During the demobilization process, Ōmagari and Akikusa both learned that on May 1, 1945, they had been given a "posthumous" promotion. Ōmagari was now a Lieutenant junior grade, and Akikusa held the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class. It didn't seem to matter to Akikusa, other than he was issued a petty officer cap instead of a sailor's cap. Although many of the men had been promoted, they didn't receive rank insignia because the Japanese military was legally defunct.