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IKUNO
POW Camp Osaka 19-B become 4-B |
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Location: HYOGO-ken, ASAGO-gun, IKUNO-machi, GINYA (MITSUBISHI KOGYO) Satellite - requires Google Maps Relief Map- a b it slow in loading Street Map - very slow load Ikuno as of today Short History: All the men came to this camp from Wakayama and Tanagawa 29 Mar 1945: Wakayama Camp closed and POWs transferred to Osaka 19-B 28 Mar 1945: New Camp established as Osaka 19-B (Ikuno) Aug 1945: Renamed Osaka 4-B (Ikuno) Sep 1945: Rescue effected Japanese Staff: NARA Record Group 407 Box 946 The following partial roster was presented by Mr. Don Brunelle: "My uncle Alex Benishake died about 7 years ago leaving me with his books memorabilia and best of all a diary of his experiences. In this diary was a list of names I assume were other prisoners of war. These names and addresses were accurate as of 29 May 1945. Many names and addresses may be misspelled. The writing was so small it is difficult to tell an N from an H or an O from an A. This diary was kept on Japanese parchment paper and hidden inside a 2 x 4 of his housing structure. He carved a small opening in the wood where he hid it, plugging it over with the carved out wood." Photographs: None located yet |
Labor:
Slave labor for the Mitsubishi Copper Mining Company; some silver veins were also mined. Mine closed in 1970. Hell Ships:Most Americans arrived earlier on the Tottori Maru (high POW NUmbers) or Nagato Maru (Low POW Numbers) Deceased: No deaths recorded at this camp Rosters: British Roster: From RG 407, Box 11; Some names appear to be missing as counts do not match SCAP Report Misc Roster: Aussie, Dutch, Canadian & NZeder (Actual Roster) American Roster: From RG 407, Box 11; also appears to be short a few names compared to SCAP Report; full transcription pending Partial roster supplied by Don Brunelle, nephew of POW Alex Benishake (See info on this in left column). Modified and spelling corrected with partial roster from RG 331 Box 479 by Center For Research SCAP Report: SCAP Investigation report by Lts. Ammon & Wilson. Investigation details camp details, movements, food, etc. NARA RG 389 Box 2129 -Notes regarding Ikuno: Brief overview of camp- buildings, number of men, work details, etc Affidavit Extract: Charles Littleton Slane, Lt Cmdr, 115917,USNR: Camp was first occupied 19 Mar 1945 when 43 American, British, Australian and Dutch officers arrived. Total of 437 at end of war: 44 Yank, 379 British, 3 Aussie, 1 Chinese, 4 Canada |
