Statement Concerning Minoru Nakamura

Statement of Nakamura (20 October 1947)

32, had charge of.the cremation of American flyers who were executed at WAH on 20 June and at Aburayama on about 12 and 15 August. On 15 August, shortly after 1500, Major Kusumoto called Nakamura to his office, told Nakamura to bring along a few soldiers and coffins for the bodies, to cremate the bodies of those killed that day. He picked up 12-13 coffins.

Nakamura went to W.O. Noji, but had to wait 1 1/2 hours to get coffins from him, got about 10 soldiers and Corporal Okada, loaded the coffins on a truck, left for Aburayama about 1500. They arrived at 1600, the executions over, everyone walking towards the road. Nakamura reported his orders from Kusumoto to Sato, who told him to proceed with the cremation.

Nakamura went to the crematorium, learned that there were many Japanese to cremate in its six ovens, that he might cremate them in the open in front of the crematory. Nakamura went back, apprised Kusumoto, who OK'ed it, saying the bodies would have to be cremated by the next morning.

Nakamura went back to Aburayama. The soldiers had brought the coffins con­taining the bodies plus bodies without coffins, the latter being Prisoners who had been executed before, he learned. Since Nakamura had only been ordered to cremate the Prisoners executed on the 15th, he returned to Kusumoto, who told him that it couldn't be helped, to cremate all the bodies, but to take the bones from those Prisoners executed the 15th and bury them in the nearby hills.

Nakamura returned to the crematorium about 1930-2000; the crematorium was prepared. The coffins were piled on a pyre of logs and wood placed on stones and iron pipes. The other bodies were placed over the coffins. There was a pile about 10' x 4'. Gasoline was poured over the pile. Nakamura opines there were 32-33 bodies.

Nakamura applied a match to the pile; galvanized sheets of iron were then placed over the bodies to retain heat. 1st Lt. Murata then told Nakamura he was going home, would return at 0500 to get the ashes. Okada with 5 soldiers and Nakamura stayed all night; the bodies were cremated by about 0400. Murata arrived by truck about 0530. They buried the ashes of those killed on the 15th first, because of Kusumoto's instructions.

Murata and Nakamura took a piece of skull, hand, rib, pelvis, spine and leg to represent the bones of each Prisoner from 13 remains, put them in separate envelopes to represent the 13 executed on 15 August, then placed the 13 en­velopes in a small wooden box about 12" x 30" x 30" which Nakamura had brought when he first brought the coffins. The remaining bones and ashes were placed in a large box about 40" x 30" x 30"; the box was filled and held all remain­ing. They then searched the ashes for personal effects; found nothing.

The 2 boxes were placed on the truck. Nakamura told Murata that Kusumoto had told him to bury the remains of the 15 August execution in the nearby hills; Murata suggested they bury them in the military cemetery near Ropponmatsu, did so bury the smaller box on the way back, then drove back to Headquarters

NAKAMURA -2-

with the large box at about 0900, and Murata said he would take care of the boxes from then on.

Since Kusumoto was hot in, Nakamura reported to Capt. Yukino, who ordered Nakamura to go back to the military cemetery and get the box of ashes that Murata and Nakamura had buried there. Corporal Okada and Nakamura walked to the military cemetery, dug up the box, and brought it to Yukino. (Nakamura now states there may have been more than 13 envelopes in this box)

1-2 days later, someone from LS told Nakamura that Murata was going to get rid of the large box of ashes, wanted Nakamura to go along as witness; he went to the LS, found that the larger box was on the truck with 3-4 rice sacks, which contained ashes from the large box to make the box lighter.

Murata, Nakamura, the driver and 3-4 soldiers got in the truck, drove to Nagahama on Hakata Harbor, took the large box and dumped the ashes a little at a time into the water next to the breakwater, also emptied the rice sacks into the water at the same place.

On 25 August, having already moved to Hirao, Yukino came to Nakamura, said he would bury the bones, that Nakamura should go with him; he had a package wrapped in cloth. They took the package and a couple of shoves and went to a small mountain about 5 minutes walk from Hirao Headquarters. Yukino chose the spot, ordered Nakamura to dig a hole. They dug a hole about 12" wide and 24" deep. Yukino then unwrapped the package, took out 13-16 envelopes, dumped the bones into the hole. These were the same bones and ashes Nakamura had placed in the envelopes at the crematory at Aburayama. Nakamura knew they were in the same envelopes because each was stamped "Fukuoka, City Office." They filled the hole, left. In July 1946 Tait and another were shown where they were; they were dug up and Tait and the other officer have the ashes.