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Source: NARA RG 331 Box 940
Transcribed by: Roger Mansell
Summary: Details the brutal beatings and deliberate starvation
of Waggoner. Woodhead calls him "Wagner" in error.
Woodhead also details deliberate starvation of a Private McPherson
of the Canadian Royal Rifles.
EXTRACT
From the statement of Pte. Charles Osborne WOODHEAD, H.6240,
presently residing at 821 Princess St., Victirin Bi.
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It was at this camp that is Nagoya, that the WAGNER [DOYLE
W. WAGGONER, U.S.N.] incident took place. WAGNER went
a bit mental and used to raid the cook house at night for food.
He was caught once and given the three days and three nights
treatment, that is, being tied up legs hands and arms and set
in front of the guard room for three days and three nights. On
the morning of 17 July 45 (2 a.m.) I went to the cook house to
prepare breakfast. The Japanese had been looking for WAGNER -
he had not showed (sic) up for a parade. When entering the kitchen,
I found blood-stained clothing on the table. We reported this
and the Japanese started a search of the cook house. WAGNER was
found in the rafters resting on a board. He had tried to commit
suicide by cutting his throat but did not succeed.
He was taken out and tied up in front of the guard room and was
kept there for three days and three nights. During that time,
he must have been beaten up one hundred times. Every Japanese
in the camp worked on him. After his release, he was put in a
cell and had a spoonful of rice, half a cup of water three times
a day. I used to carry the food for WAGNER to the Japanese guards.
The guard threw it away half of the time.
About the tenth day after he was put in the cell, the camp medical
orderlies went to see him. He was lying on the bed covered in
human dung and soaked with urine. He was trying to get water
that was coming through a hold (sic) in the roof. His reasoning
was entirely gone.
The next day he was reported dead and cremated. I do not know
the name of the camp commandant, but Mr. V.G.H. UPTON knows him.
One Private of the Royal Rifles, McPHERSON by name, was suffering
from dysentery at this camp and they would do nothing for him.
The day he died, he was taken into the hospital. The camp commandant,
TANAKA, came and watched him die. He would taunt the dying soldier
by saying, Why don't you die? We have a coffin ready for you."
and other such remarks. [No McPherson or
similar named Canadian died in this camp. A Rifleman, Harold
Matheson, Royal Rifles, died on 26 Jan 1945 from cardiac beri
beri, caused by starvation.]
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A CERTIFIED TRUE COPY
/s/ Everett Checket
EVERETT CHECKET
Major, Infantry |