|
Statement of Munehiro (30 September 1946) 27, presently a sales manager. About 24 July, Munehiro was stationed in Kurume, Fukuoka-ken as a 2nd Lt. in the communication section of Kurume Divisional Headquarters. On the morning of 26 or 27 July 1945, Munehiro passed by the guard house in the Divisional Headquarters Compound in Kurume, saw about 5 PWs inside the guard house, their hands tied behind, but the door open. They were yelling in English for water, apparently none of the guards understood, so Munehiro, knowing a little English, told the guards. 2 PWs had minor leg injuries bandaged with parachute cloth. The other had a hip injury and a leg injury and appeared to be suffering quite a bit of pain. The guards brought water; each drank a large amount. Munehiro stayed with the PWs for about 15 minutes. Munehiro is quite sure they were all Americans, One PW told him his name was Noshun, another was named Hayward, was dark complected, about 5' 6", black hair, said he was 19; the chevrons were torn from his shirt. Another was named Edward J. Stearns; his hands were not tied and he v/rote his name on a piece of paper, stated that he was born and lived at Long Island, N.Y., showed him a picture of his wife, said he had 2 children, that he was a pianist, a radio operator in the air corps; he was in his 20’s, about 5’4 H, slight in build, round shoulders. Munehiro doesn’t recall much about the other 2, except one was an officer, was the one seriously injured, and the guards would not let Munehiro go near him. Before Munehiro could talk to the 5th PW, the guards ordered him to leave. The day after Munehiro heard that they were taken to the WAH prison. A lt. in Divisional Headquarters was in charge of them. He believes they went by electric street car. One PW mentioned that his plane was based at Guam. |