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Voices from Narumi POW Camp Part 2

5/28/2025

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transcribed by Jenny Chan
Picture
On the night of 29th June 1945, while I was imprisoned at Neuri[Narumi] prison of war camp, we were awakened in order that roll call could be taken. The Japanese guards discovered at this time that 1st. Class Petty Officer Wagner, U.S. Navy, who slept in the same barracks as I did, was missing. An immediate search was started but we were allowed to go back to bed. The next morning when we awake I saw Wagner standing in front of the guard house with a stick tied between his legs and his hands tied in front of him. The Japanese guards were kicking and beating this man and this torture continued for the next 72 hours. We heard through the Japanese guards that this man had been found in the kitchen and that he had stolen some food there. Wagner remained in the above described position for 72 hours and was beaten at the whim of the guards and on innumerable occasions. He had only a G-string and it was quite cold during the nights. During this 72 hour period, in addition to seeing the guards beat this man, I saw Lt. Karamira (phonetic) the Japanese commandant, beat this man and also saw Kamieko (phonetic), the civilian interpreter, beat him. 
This was not a pleasant sight and I did not watch this man as he was beaten unmercifully. After the passing of 72 hours, he was placed in solitary confinement in the guard house. We were told by 2nd Lieutenant Kissel, Infantry, Phillipine Army, the American camp commander at this camp, that Wagner had been tried and that although the usual penalty for Wanger's offense was death, the Japanese had mercifully sentenced him to 30 days in solitary confinement and two to three spoonfuls of rice per day and about one ounce of water per day. Wagner remained in the guard house existing on this diet for 17 days. I did not see him during this period. About noon of the 17 day I was on the top of a hill within the compound on a work detail. I saw the Japanese guards take a wooden coffin into the guardhouse and then come out in a few minutes with the coffin and placing this on a cart, the guards then called for a detail of prisoners to draw this cart. Only two of the guards carried this coffin into the guardhouse but about eight of them were carrying it as they brought it out and loaded it onto the cart. I answered the detail called to pull this cart but when I started to leave the compound as part of this detail, I was taken off of this job. However, I stood and watched as this cart containing this coffin was taken off to the crematory. As I stood near the coffin I could hear slight noises coming from within as the sound of one knocking or kicking against the coffin from inside. The guardhouse was open and empty. I could see this plainly as the cart had been halted just in front of it. There was no doubt that Wagner was inside the coffin. The Japanese guards told us that at the time and that the man and coffin were to be taken to the crematory and burned. The cart containing Wagner in the coffin was moved out of the compound. The detail of prisoners and guards returned in about two hours and returned the cart empty. There were no Americans on this work detail. In addition to myself, others had volunteered when the guards called for men but all the Americans were rejected for this detail. All of the prisoners on the detail were Dutch and British. I talked to some of these men as did other American prisoners and we were all told that Wanger was still alive at the time he was cremated. These men said that they heard him knocking and kicking against the inside of the coffin on the way to the crematory and while being burned and that the Japanese guards just ignored these noises and accomplished the cremation of the man. Judging from pervious similar incidents, this man must have lapsed into a coma after his torture and confinement and could only knock or kick against the coffin instead of yelling out. I do not know the identity of any of the Japanese guards who beat and tortured this man and finally carried out his cremation. The only ones whose identity I am certain of I have stated previously. Neither the camp commandant nor the interpreter went to the scene of the cremation. Wagner's ashes were turned over to Lieutenant Kissel. I do not recall the name of any of the Dutch or British prisoners who were on the detail which took Wagner to the crematory. 
Lieutenant Kawamira (phonetic) was the Japanese commandant at the time of this incident. He had arrived at this camp as commandant in March 1945 and remained here until our liberation. In addition to beating Wagner himself, this man at least condoned the continued beating and torture of Wagner by the camp guards and finally, the cremation of Wagner. The only physical evidence that I know of in connection with this crime, were the burned remains of Wagner. I was told that these had been turned over by Lieutenant Kissel to the Champlain of the Navy Hospital Ship "Rescue". The following men were witnesses in whole or in part to this incident: 
Paul Gelly, Chief Machinist Mate, U.S. Navy;
Lt. Kissel, Infantry, Phillipine Army;
Champlain Riley, Major, U.S. Army;
1st Lieutenant Schultz, M.C., U.S. Army. 
The last named individual was the camp doctor at Narumi. This was all the information that I have concerning this incident. 

Source:
  1. Department of the Army, The Adjutant General's Office, Washington, “War Crime Files: Kawamura Kameki,” Pacific Asia War Archive, accessed May 29, 2025, https://pacificatrocitiesedu.reclaim.hosting/items/show/1267.
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  • Home
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      • Unit 731 - Guide >
        • Background of Biochemical Warfare Development
        • Imperial Japan's Chemical Warfare Development Program
        • Map of Unit 731
        • Personnel of Unit 731
        • Duties of Unit 731
        • Human Experimentation
        • [GRAPHIC] Germ Warfare Attacks
        • Cover Ups After the War
        • [OLD] Cover Ups After the War
      • Philippines' Resistance - Guide >
        • Philippines World War II Timeline
        • The Japanese Invasion & Conquest of the Philippines
        • Bataan Death March
        • Formation of Underground Philippines Resistance
        • Supplies of the Guerrilla Fighters
        • The Hukbalahap
        • Hunter's ROTC
        • Marking's Guerrillas
        • United States Army Forces in the Philippines of Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL)
        • The Aetas
        • Chinese and Filipino-Chinese Nationalist Guerrilla Units
        • The Female Faces of the Philippine Guerrillas
      • Rising Sun Flag - Guide >
        • History of the Rising Sun Flag
        • Atrocities Committed Under the Flag
        • Rising Sun Flag in Pop Culture
      • Pinay Guerrilleras - Guide >
        • Japanese Occupation of the Philippine Islands: Pinays Answering the Call to Arms
        • The Fierce Heneralas and Kumanders of the Hukbalahap Guerrillas
        • Amazons of the Pacific Theater
        • Filipina American Veterans: Recovering the Extraordinary Feats of the Ordinary Pinays
        • The Legacy of the Asian Women Soldier
      • Fall of Singapore - Guide >
        • Singapore World War II Timeline
        • History of World War II in the Pacific
        • History of Singapore
        • Japan's Conquest in Asia
        • Japan's Invasion of the Malay Peninsula
        • Sook Ching Massacre
        • Double Tenth Incident
        • Social Changes and Challenges in Singapore
        • Voices from Syonan
        • Return to British Rule
      • Three Years and Eight Months - Guide >
        • Hong Kong before WW2
        • Buildup to World War 2
        • The Battle of Hong Kong
        • Life during 3 Years and 8 Months
        • East River Column Guerrilla Fighters
        • Prisoners of War Camps
        • End of Japanese Occupation
        • War Crimes Trials
      • Siamese Sovereignty - Guide >
        • The Land of Smiles
        • The Thai-Japanese Relationship
        • Phibun’s Domestic and International Policies
        • The Free Thai Resistance Movement
        • Post WW2 Aftermath of Thailand
      • The Khabarovsk War Crimes Trial - Guide >
        • Defendants of Khabarovsk War Crime
        • The Japanese Empire and USSR in WW2
        • The Employment of the Bacteriological Weapon in the War
        • Planning of Japan invasion to USSR
      • Unit 731 Cover-up : The Operation Paperclip of the East - Guide >
        • Establishing Manchukuo
        • The Development of Unit 731
        • Plan Kantokuen and Bacteriological Warfare
        • The Downfall of the Japanese WW2 Era
        • Three Stages of Interrogations
        • Lasting Impacts
      • Marutas of Unit 731 - Guide >
        • How did Ishii Shiro start unit 731?
        • A Beta Testing Site
        • Establishing Pingfan
        • Experiences at the Human Experimentation Complex
        • Vivisection at the Unit 731
        • Anta Testing Grounds
        • Overall Advance from the Laboratory Creations
        • The End of the War
      • Prince Konoe Memoir - Guide >
        • Who is Prince Konoe?
        • Preparation to Tripartite Pact
        • Emperor Hirohito and Prince Konoe
        • The End of Prince Konoe
      • Competing Empires in Burma - Guide >
        • What was the China-Burma-India Theater?
        • When did the China-Burma-India Theater Happen?
        • Who Fought in the China-Burma-India Theater?
        • The Second Sino Japanese War
        • Japan in the South
        • Operation U-Go
      • Battle of Shanghai - Guide >
        • The Battle of Shanghai. Background
        • Shanghai Before War
        • The First Battle of Shanghai 1932
        • Battle of Shanghai 1937
        • Aftermath of Battle for Shanghai
      • Ishi Shiro - Guide >
        • History of Biological Weapons and The Young Ishii Shiro
        • Establishment in Manchuria
        • Pingfang District - Harbin
        • Failures and Corruption
        • Post War
      • Taiwan The Israel of the East - Guide >
        • Background of Formosa
        • Industrialization of Japan
        • China During WWII
        • Taiwan under Kuomintang
        • New Taiwanese National Identity
      • Seeking Justice for Biological Warfare Victims of Unit 731 - Guide >
        • Introduction of Wang Xuan
        • Colonel Memorandum
        • The Beginning of Biological Warfare
        • The Bacteriological Warfare on China
        • Victims in Zhejiang’s Testimonies
        • After the War
      • Rice and Revolution - Guide >
        • The French Colonial Period
        • Anti-Colonial Resistance
        • The Rise of the Communist Movement
        • Imperial Japan’s Entry into Indochina
        • The Portents of Famine
        • The Famine (1944-45)
        • Legacy of the 1944-45 Vietnam Famine
      • Clash of Empires - Guide >
        • Japan’s Imperialist Origins
        • Japan’s Competition against the West: Nanshin-ron and Hokushin-ron
        • Japanese Imperialism Through the Lens of French Indochina
        • The U.S.-Japan Relations and the Pearl Harbor Attack
      • Hunger for Power and Self-SufficiencyI - Guide >
        • The Influence of War Rations on Post-War Culinary Transformations
        • How World War II Complicated Food Scarcity and Invention
        • American Military Innovations
        • Government-Sponsored Food Inventions in Europe during World War II
        • Feeding the Army: The Adaptation of Japanese Military Cuisine and Its Impact on the Philippines
        • Mixed Dishes: Culinary Innovations Driven by Necessity and Food Scarcity
      • Denial A Quick Look of History of Comfort Women and Present Days’ Complication - Guide >
        • The Comfort Women System and the Fight for Recognition
        • The Role of Activism and International Pressure
        • The Controversy over Japanese History Textbooks
        • The Sonyŏsang Statue and the Symbolism of Public Memorials
        • Activism and Support from Japanese Citizens
        • The Future of Comfort Women Memorials and Education
      • Echoes of Empire: The Power of Japanese Propaganda - Guide >
        • Brief Overview of Imperial Japan
        • Defining Propaganda
        • Propaganda Encouraging Action​
        • The Rise of Nationalism
        • The Formation of Japanese State Propaganda
        • Youth and Education
      • Shadows of the Rising Sun: The Black Dragon Society and the Dawn of Pan-Asianism - Guide >
        • Origins of the Black Dragon Society
        • The Influence of Pan-Asianism
        • Relationship with Sun Yat-sen
        • The Role in Southeast Asia
        • The Spread of Ideology and Espionage
        • Disbandment and Legacy
      • Chongqing Bombing: The Forgotten Blitz of Asia and Its Lasting Impact - Guide >
        • Introduction and Historical Background
        • The Class Divide During the Bombings
        • Resilience and Unity of Chongqing
        • Key Incidents - Great Tunnel Massacre
        • The Aftermath of the Bombings
        • Legacy and Commemoration
      • Shanghai's International Zone: A Nexus of War, Intelligence, and Survival - Guide >
        • Historical Background
        • The International Zone
        • Battles in Shanghai
        • Civilian Intelligence Efforts
        • Wartime Brutality
        • Aftermath & Legacy
    • Lesson Plans >
      • Reparations
      • Ethics in Science
      • Writing the Narrative of a Pinay Fighter
      • Privilege Journal
      • Environmental Injustices
      • Female Guerrillas
      • Hunter's ROTC
      • Scientific Advancements
      • Seeking Justice: A Humanities Lesson Plan
      • The Hukbalahap
      • Trading Immunity
      • Bataan Death March
      • Biochemical Warfare Development
  • History Remembered
Contribute