Morita Report:

Prepared by: Hiroyuki MORITA, employee of the Central Demobilization Office, Demobilization Section, Osaka.

XXI. Original 20th [Osaka] Branch, later 5th Branch - TSURUGA

Address: Original Camp: Sahura 165, Tsuruga City, Fuhui Prefecture.
Moved to: Minami Tsunai, Tsuruga City.
Location: Within city of Tsuruga.

History:

Camp established 23 April 1945. First prisoners, 200 in number, arrived 25 April 1945 from Tanagawa, 180 Americans and 20 Dutch. On 20 May 1945, 200 prisoners arrived from Umeda, all Americans. Later one American was transferred to Sendai. Total in camp 2 Sept 1945 - 399 POW's.

On 12 July 1945 the camp was bombed and the POW's were moved temporarily to a nearby warehouse in Sahura (this was bombed later, after POW's had moved again), which was in the dock area. At the end of July, the POW's were moved to Minami Tsunai, on the demand of Capt. Edward Nell (Medical Officer) [Nell, Edward R.,Capt,O&366913,USA (MC), 57th Inf Regt (Phil Scouts)]. They remained there until the end of the war, although work on building a new camp ourside the city had been started.
No other moves were made and the camp had no sub-divisions.

Camp Commander:

23 April 1945 - 2 Sept 1945: 1st Lt. Motto NAMBA
[See full list of Japanese staff - Not part of Morita Report]

Work:

At original camp, the POW's worked on docks, carrying bags of beans and grain from warehouse to freight cars. Operated cranes and unloaded iron from freight cars. At one time the POW's were used to unload a ship which had been hit by a mine and was anchored in the harbor
The POW's worked for the Tsuruga Transportation Co., doing above work. Mr. HASIMOTO had charge for the company. His assistant: Mr. IMYRA.
While at work, civilians attached to army guarded the POW's. The army had jurisdiction.