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NAKAMURA [Marginal Note: (jailor ] Statement of Nakamura (l Dec 47)• 28, at WAH from 15 June 1944 to 8 Sept 1945, a civilian attached to the Army until June 1945, then a Sgt. Nakamura was a jailer, at Legal Section detention barracks, took Prisoners out for exercises, guarded them. 2 jailers were on duty at all times, the other would take care of the documents for the Court and transferring the Prisoners. The Prisoners were Japs, Chinese, Koreans and American flyers. The American flyers were kept in the guard house at the 4.6th Unit stationed next to WAH and the Legal Section barracks, but after 19 June (Fukuoka bombing) they were kept in the Legal Section detention barracks and in s small building attached to the Court Martial bldg. Nakamura first saw American flyers at t'AH in the fall of 1944, they were transferred to Tokyo, Nakamura believes there were American Prisoners at WAH on 1 May 1945, but he guarded Jap Prisoners until about 1 June 1945, when he guarded American Prisoners, Prior to the Fukuoka bombing, three Prisoners were rounded, oneon the leg, one had a bandage on his left forearm, one had a bandage around his chest under his arms. They all came in together. The ones with the leg and shoulder wounds had to be assisted, Nakamura believes these 2 were removed by truck (believes they were taken to KIU after reading the paper concernin' the experimental operations). The one with the -rounded arm was no longer there after the first part of June. The shoulder would was evidently in front (chest). On being shown pictures, Nakamura recognizes Calvin as one executed 20 June. Nakamura also recognizes the picture of Plambeck, and Poncka as the one with the shoulder would who,was taken from the detention barracks after a few days with another Prisoner by a Staff Officer (Sato), and a medical PO, with grey hair (Komori). Nakamura recognizes picture of Baumgarten as one executed 20 June, since he was one of 8 lined up at the Legal Section detention barracks just prior to being executed. At the 20 June execution, Nakamura escorted 1 Prisoner. Wako executed the first Prisoner. About 1100 on 20 June, 1945, Wako ordered Nakamura to dig a grave at the bow and arrow range. He and 3 or 4 other guards dug a hole about 4' wide. 6 1/2 long, and 4' deep. They returned to the barracks, were Wako ordered them to escort the Prisoners to the execution grounds. 3 Prisoners were taken out of the Legal Section detention barracks, 5 from some other place. The Prisoners were lined up single file about 6 paces apart, each with guard, then marched down. Nakamura's Prisoners was the first beheaded. A huge crowd watched the execution. Nakamura kept the crowd back helped cover the body, after the 8 were executed. Nakamura only observed the first two, heard Lt. Toji executed some. Kubo, Okamoto, Araki, Muto, Ahiri, Suwa, Uchiye and Nakamura escorted the Prisoners 20 June to the execution. After 20 June, the first Prisoners was brought in about middle July Jack Royne (Roy). He was one of 7 or 8 brought in about the first of August. Statement of Nakamura contd ... About 8 August, Nakamura and other guards escorted a Japanese Prisoner to Aburayama to be executed,‘along with Capt. Wako, 1st Lt. Yoshida, 2nd Lt. Ono, Sgt. Maj Uyemura, Kubo , a Medical Officer, and 2 Jap soldiers. Kubo, Uyemura and 2 NCOs took the Japs body to the crematorium. As they left, a truck with American Prisoners to be executed drove up. then Nakamura got back to the detention barracks Jack Royne (Roy) and the others were gone, One of the guards on duty told Nakamura they had been taken out to be executed. Other Prisoners were brought in before the end of the War, On being shown a picture of George Huck, Nakamura states he believes he was the one with the black eye. The day the War ended the rest of the Prisoners were executed, including the ones with the black eye (Huck). On 15 August, 1500, Nakamura assisted in digging up the bodies of the 8 Prisoners executed 20 June, under the supervision of Wako. They were wrapped in blankets and taken to Aburayama for cremation. When they arrived, there was a pile of executed Prisoners ready for cremation, and they added the 8 to the pile. There must have been about 3 bodies altogether. |