Fukuoka 18-B Sasebo

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Fukuoka 18-B
(SASEBO KAIGUN SHISETSU-BU)
NAGASAKI-ken, MATSUURA-gun, YUNOKI-mura [exact map location]
Apparently had prior location- see time line
Area Map- location in relation to other camps in Fukuoka POW Command.

Timeline: (Rogge Report)

14 Oct 1942: We arrived at Camp No. 18 the 14th of October 1942 and stayed there for eighteen months. Most of our fellows died there. We lost, thirty-five men in March 1943. We were divided in groups of twenty men. In March 1943 we lost six of our group. They all died of pneumonia. The Japanese worked us terrifically long hours. One time they worked us thirty-six hours without sleep. We worked in a rock quarry.
10 Aug 1943: Camp established at Sasebo Airport
17 Apr 1944: Camp closed; 100 surviving prisoners transferred to Fukuoka 1-B then located at the airport [Mushiroda] between Kashii & Fukuoka

Description by Japanese scholar Toru Fukubayashi, Translated by Yuka Ibuki
(Used with permission)
Soto Branch Camp (Fukuoka 18-B)
A temporary POW Camp was established at Yunoki-mura, Kitamatsuura-gun (current Yunoki-cho, Sasebo City), Nagasaki Prefecture in December 1942 and the POWs taken from Fukuoka POW Camp. [They] were forced to work for the construction of Soto Dam by Sasebo Naval Hdqs.
Established to be Fukuoka No.18 Branch Camp on October 10, 1943.
Closed on April 17, 1944 when the dam was completed, and the POWs were transferred to Fukuoka No.1 Branch Camp.
The POWs were used by the Facility Department of Sasebo Naval Hdqs.
53 POWs died while imprisoned. [many more died shortly after camp was closed as a direct result of conditions at Sasebo]

Labor:
Slave labor building airfield and facilities. Also a large detail [245 POWS- 132 survived] used for construction and quarry work at the Soto Dam. Very harsh conditions and excessive death rate. Men were mostly civilians from Wake Island who were from the second shipment from Wake Island. (see Rogge Report)

No roster found--- yet.


Known to have been at this camp (all ex Wake Island civilians):
Leonard Roy Ward
Edgar Franklin Burns - affidavit of Wake civilian produced for the War Crimes Trials- very extensive description of the camp and work conditions.
Harry J. Forsberg
Donald M. Williams (deceased)- a remarkable tribute from his sister. Worth reading.

Deceased Roster:
Accurate Deceased roster: Based upon diaires (Wilcox) and cross referenced against CPNAB and NARA records. Special thanks to Barry Kelso (Nephew of a deceased POW in this camp) and Philip D. Eakins (US Navy).

Men (31 of 113) erroneously thought to have perished according to Japanese Memorial at site of camp. Very INACCURATE.

Japanese Staff:
Lt Ikegami, Uichi- Camp Commandant; Tried for war crimes and sentenced to hang.