Surviving the Hellships: The Harrowing Journey of Lieutenant Colonel Jack William Schwartz and His Fellow POWs

by John Mikhailik

The concept of the "hellship" first originated during the American Revolutionary War, where the British Navy converted outdated ships-of-the-line into floating prisons, often docked in loyalist ports. These ships were stripped of their armament and had their portholes barred to prevent escapes. They became infamous for their insalubrious and cramped conditions. In World War II, the term hellship was brought back into use by Allied prisoners of war (POWs). The hellships used by the Japanese in WW2 consisted mostly of declassified patrol boats, converted civilian steamers, and a select number of purpose-built transports. Japanese transports for POWs bore a striking resemblance to these earlier hellships but differed in one key aspect: they were mobile and used to transport POWs to labor camps across Japan, Korea, and other territories. One such ship was the Ōryoku Maru.

The Ōryoku Maru: A Floating Nightmare

The Ōryoku Maru was originally a civilian passenger liner, not a purpose-built military vessel. Its name translates roughly as "Yalu River Circle," reflecting a common naming convention among Japanese ships. In December 1944, the ship was docked in Manila Harbor, awaiting orders to transport approximately 1,619 Allied POWs—mostly officers—and around 1,900 Japanese civilians and soldiers to labor camps in Japan and Korea.
One of these Allied POWs was Lieutenant Colonel Jack William Schwartz from Fort Worth, Texas, who served as the Chief of Surgical Service at Bataan General Hospital #2. He was captured on April 9, 1942, during the surrender of American and Filipino forces on Bataan. After enduring the horrors of the Bataan Death March and subsequent imprisonment in Cabanatuan, Schwartz was among the thousands herded onto the Ōryoku Maru in December 1944 as the Americans landed in the southern Philippines, prompting the Japanese to evacuate their prisoners.
On December 13, 1944, the POWs were divided into three groups and forced into the ship's cargo holds. The conditions were unimaginable: overcrowding led to an oxygen shortage, with temperatures estimated at over 135°F. Those with weaker respiratory systems or preexisting conditions, such as asthma, quickly succumbed to suffocation. Schwartz recounted that a Lieutenant Colonel Conaty of the Quartermaster Corps died within minutes after showing signs of respiratory distress—a fate ignored by the Japanese guards.
No food or water was provided, and the darkness inside the hold was absolute. Allied bombers repeatedly attacked the ship, causing bomb fragments to penetrate the holds and kill or wound additional prisoners. The POWs screamed for help, but their cries were met with silence from the Japanese guards. Desperation drove some men to drink urine or even blood to quench their thirst. Mass hysteria set in, exacerbated by the trauma of Allied airstrikes.
When the Japanese ordered the evacuation of the ship, they prioritized their own personnel. On December 15, 1944, as the POWs disembarked, an Allied fighter-bomber attacked the Ōryoku Maru, sinking it off the coast of Olongapo. Approximately 200 POWs drowned or were killed during the attack. Survivors swam ashore, only to face machine-gun fire from Japanese soldiers stationed on the beach. Schwartz described how those unable to swim were left clinging to wreckage and were shot down without mercy.

The Enoura Maru: Conditions Worsen

After surviving the Ōryoku Maru , the remaining POWs were transferred to another hellship, the Enoura Maru . This vessel had previously been used to transport cattle and horses, and its interior reflected that grim history. When the POWs boarded on December 27, 1944, the horse stalls remained intact, cluttering the already limited floor space. Manure littered the hold, attracting swarms of flies that tormented the weakened prisoners.
Each day, the POWs received a small bowl of thin soup with rice and only about four ounces of water. Dysentery spread rapidly, and the death toll climbed to 10–20 men per day. Bodies were left to rot in the hold, ignored by the Japanese guards. The stench of decaying flesh combined with the manure created unbearable conditions. Schwartz noted that many prisoners suffered from dehydration and exhaustion, while others succumbed to despair.
On January 9, 1945, Allied bombers attacked the Enoura Maru in Takao Harbor (modern-day Kaohsiung, Taiwan), killing approximately 300 POWs in the forward hold. Despite repeated requests, the Japanese refused to allow the removal of bodies. By January 13, the ship was deemed unseaworthy due to damage sustained during the bombing, and the surviving POWs were transferred once again.

The Brazil Maru: The Final Leg of the Journey

The Brazil Maru, built in 1919, was the oldest and deadliest of the three ships. Like the Enoura Maru, it had been used to transport livestock, leaving the hold filthy and crowded with remnants of its previous cargo. When the POWs boarded, there was no food stored aboard for them. For 17 days, they endured extreme cold as the ship steamed north toward Japan. Temperatures plummeted, and the prisoners were given no additional clothing. Their tattered uniforms, worn since their capture years earlier, offered little protection against the freezing weather.
Food and water were scarce, and dysentery continued to ravage the ranks. Buckets were provided for waste disposal, but most prisoners lacked the strength to reach them. Flies multiplied unchecked, feeding on excrement and spreading disease. Schwartz described how some prisoners traded their last remaining valuables—such as West Point rings—for empty rice sacks, canteens of water, or cigarettes.
The death rate soared to 30 men per day. Bodies were thrown overboard, though the process was slow and chaotic. On January 30, 1945, the survivors finally disembarked at Moji Port in Fukuoka, Japan. Of the original 1,619 POWs who boarded the Ōryoku Maru, only 556 remained alive. Six more died shortly after arrival while changing clothes in freezing conditions.

Aftermath and Legacy

Of the 1,600 Allied POWs originally taken from the Philippines, fewer than 550 survived the journey to Japan. Many continued to Korea, where additional deaths occurred. The ordeal aboard the hellships claimed the lives of nearly two-thirds of the group—a staggering loss that underscored the brutality of their captors.In blatant violation of international statutes and agreements governing the treatment of POWs, the Japanese military subjected these men to inhumane conditions with total disregard for basic human dignity. While individual acts of kindness occasionally surfaced, such as the provision of warmer clothing upon arrival in Japan, these gestures were overshadowed by systemic neglect and cruelty.

Works cited
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Schwarz, Jack L. Affidavit of Jack L. Schwarz. n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2025. http://www.mansell.com/pow_resources/camplists/philippines/Cabanatuan/schwarz_jack_l_affidavit.html
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. WWII Hellship Losses. n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2025. https://www.dpaa.mil/Portals/85/WWII%20Hellship%20Losses.pdf.
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