Source: NARA, RG 331 Box 942- Nagoya Files
Statement of Chief Pharmacist Mate Lonnie C. Merritt regarding camp commander, Captain Keiji Nagahara's treatment of the sick; 16 Dec 1947
Addition for clarity or fact by Center For Research in [red].

I, Lonnie C. Merritt, being duly sworn depose and say as follows:

That I was born in Piedmont, South Carolina, U.S.A. in 1905 and now reside in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A. I was captured by the Japanese while serving with the U.S. Navy on Guam [US Naval Hospital, Agana] on or about 10 December 1942 and remained as a prisoner of the Japanese in Japan until released by American forces on or about 2 September 1945.

That I was a Prisoner of War at Branch Camp Number 10-B at Nomachi, Toyama Prefecture, Nagoya Area, Honshu, Japan from 22 June 1945 to 2 September 1945. I was a Chief Pharmacist Mate and took over the medical work at Camp Number 10-B for the Prisoners of War until the arrival of Captain James Keeley, a Medical Officer, U.S. Army about 1 August 1945 after which I assisted him in caring for the Allied Prisoners of War in the camp.

I personally know Captain Keiji Nagahara who was nicknamed "The One Armed Bandit" because he had only one arm. I have examined this unidentified photo hereto attached [picture] and recognize it as a true likeness of Captain Nagahara. It was shown to me as well as to Lowren A. Arnst, together with other unidentified photos of other Japanese, by A.N. Jones, Prosecutor.

This Captain Nagahara made frequent visits to Branch Camp Number 10-B while I was there. Whether Lt. Toshio Toda, the Camp Commander, was there or not, Captain Nagahara took command of the camp the moment he arrived. He went to the camp office first then inspected the barracks. After that he visited the men sick in quarters and ordered all the sick men out who could walk or drag themselves outside. There was no hospital until about 15 August 1945. I have seen him strike those remaining on the floor, too sick to move, with his cased saber until they were black and blue. He would strike them on the head or body or any place he could reach and often kick them. After this he would line up the other sick men outside and strike them with his cased saber in the same manner. I went with Captain Nagahara when he made his inspections and stayed with him to protect as far as possible the men who were very ill in quarters. I went with him into the yard where the other sick men were lined up to try and protect them as well. I protested to the Captain Nagahara each time that he beat the men but it did no good. He never struck me but everyone else in the camp was beaten by him at one time or another.

I personally recall seeing him beat the following sick men during July and August 1945 viz: K.W. Hooper (Aus), S.N. Hansen (Aus), C.W. Atwood (USA), S.N. Vance (USA), W.J. Walls (USA), D.A. Benedict (USA), F. Limpkins (USA), L.G. Ambos (USA, V.G. Dickson (USA). All of these men were sick in quarters in the camp during July and August 1945.

L.G. Ambos was a civilian on a merchant marine ship [L. George Ambos, SS Humphrey] captured by the Germans and the survivors were turned over to the Japanese. He was an old man but was forced to do heavy manual labor by the Japanese on the docks until he collapsed and was sick in quarters where he came under my care.

C.W. Atwood, P.H.M. 2/c U.S. Navy [Clayton Woodrow Atwood, USNH Guam] had tuberculosis and asthma. He was forced to work on the docks until he collapsed. He was left at the camp and beaten by Captain Nagahara regularly until I had him appointed my assistant to save his life. He is now in a Naval Hospital for tubercular patients.

S.N. Vance [CRM Shelby Nolan Vance, US Navy, Manila] and H.J. Prickett [Hiram Jefferson Prickett, Pita Yard, YP-17, Guam] were both Navy men and had been Prisoners of War for several years. They had become nearly blind from malnutrition and had to be lead around at night. Vance was an old man. Both were forced to work on the docks by the Japanese until Vance collapsed and was put sick in quarters under my care. After he was sick in quarters, he was beaten by Captain Nagahara on two or three occasions.

W.J. Walls [William J. Walls, Med Corps] was an Army man. He suffered from malnutrition so badly that he was covered with boils and had beri-beri. He was totally unfit for work and remained under my care during all the time I was at Branch Camp Number 10-B. I saw Walls beaten regularly by Captain Nagahara in spite of the painful condition of his boils and his weakness from beri-beri.

F. Limpkins [Floyd Limpkins (Lumpkins?), USS Penguin, Guam] was a Fireman 1/c U.S. Navy and was captured with me in Guam. He suffered severely from malnutrition and developed a high fever from time to time from 99 degrees to 100 degrees which rendered him unfit for work and hospitalized him. I have seen Captain Nagahara beat Limpkins during the time he was on the sick list in spite of his weak condition.

All of the Prisoners of War were suffering from malnutrition and overwork which resulted in many being sick in quarters all the time. In fact, of 300 Prisoners of War, 150 were sick in quarters constantly. I remember distinctly the case of J.R. Stuart (Australian). He had an old shrapnel wound which became infected so that his leg swelled up and he ran a temperature of 105 degrees for several days. I appealed to Captain Nagahara. I explained the man's condition through the camp interpreter and asked for a Japanese doctor to treat the man and lance the leg to remove the pus. This was refused by Nagahara. I then begged him to obtain surgical instruments for me to treat the leg. He refused to do that. Thereafter, I sterilized a safety razor blade and operated on Stuart by opening the leg near the ankle and removed over a pint of pus. He finally recovered and his leg was saved.

During the latter part of June 1945, when we first arrived at Branch Camp Number 10-B [and] before we were put to work in the docks, we had only two meals a day. About half of the 300 Allied Prisoners of War were then sick and very weak from malnutrition. Captain Nagahara came to the camp every day. I spoke to him each time he came with the aid of the interpreter and requested more food for both the sick and other Allied Prisoners of War. He replied each time that the Prisoners of War who did not work did not need full rations. About ten days after we arrived at the Camp we were all permitted to go to work for the Fushiki Land and Sea Company at Fushiki. Although half the men were sick, all went to work to get some food. About half the men collapsed at work and were sent back to the camp by the company.

I discovered that these sick men at the camp were receiving half rations a few days later. When Nagahara came to camp again, I asked him the reason why the rations were reduced for the sick Prisoners of War. He stated that sick men did not require full rations and they would not get full rations. Captain Nagahara came to the camp on the average of twice a week. Each time I demanded more food for the sick Prisoners of War and each time he refused to give it.

/S/ Lonnie C. Merritt

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 16th day of December 1947
/S/ John K. Prtichard
Captain, JAG