Japanese Report of Dead
Rabaul Area- as of 31 Aug 1945

POWS in South East Asia:
Report of dead in Rabaul and New Ireland Areas
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The PARTIAL list, reputed to be complete by the Japanese, came from the Australian Military Forces. It has several dates on it including 10 Sep 45. Information was supplied in Appendix B of an HMS GLORY unnumbered signal of 062201K.

The header page is dated August 31, 1945 and is titled:
THE CONDITION OF PRISONERS OF WAR AND CIVILIAN INTERNEES WHO WERE AND ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION AND CARE OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY HEADQUARTERS, SOUTHEASTERN JAPANESE NAVY

The list of the dead, with the exception of the first name, did not indicate the individual's service.
Note the date of capture of C. Sciara and his death, in 40 days (!) from malaria and beri beri. Typically, aviators were tortured and murdered as a policy of the Japanese and a disease or bombing was cited by the Japanese as a cause on the victim's death certificate.

When death is noted as "killed by bombing, it is pure fiction. These men were simply executed


Source: Frank Sciara, brother of the murdered crewman. Charles Sciara was shot down on January 14, 1944 during a raid over Rabaul and was reported to be at a POW camp on Cape Gazelle.
2. DEAD [American unless otherwise noted]
NAME NATIONALITY RANK           Date of Capture Place of Capture Notes
Bartvett, H.C.O. Amer. 2nd Lieut, USAF 10/29/43 Gabubu  1/10/44, died of malaria
Manon, Paul Monroe Petty Off., 2nd Class 11/22/43 New Ireland 2/22/44, died of malaria
Sciara, Charles Staff Sgt [USMCR] 01/14/44 Rabaul 2/24/44, died of malaria and beri-beri
Marshall, R.W. 1st Lieut 01/20/44 Rabaul 1/20/44, died of excessive bleeding
Kirk, James Petty Off.1st Class 11/22/43 New Ireland 4/12/44, killed by bombing
Morgan, Carls Petty Off.2nd Class 11/22/43 New Ireland 4/12/44, killed by bombing
Thompson N.B. 1st Lieut. 11/22/43 New Ireland 4/12/44, killed by bombing
Clemens, Carl Clifford 1st Lieut 01/09/44 Rabaul 4/12/44, seriously injured by bombing and died soon after
Osgen, Cieon Isaac Captain 01/10/44 New Ireland 4/12/44, killed by bombing
Slipkas, Edward Michael Staff Sgt 02/14/44 Rabaul 4/12/44, seriously injured by bombing and died soon after
Marvin, Cecil Gunner 02/14/44 Rabaul 4/12/44, killed by bombing
Bachman, Ershist Swiss Civilian 02/14/44 Rabaul 4/12/44, killed by bombing
Unknown Finnish Civilian 02/14/44 Rabaul 4/12/44, killed by bombing
TOTAL: 13

Commentary: In post war tribunals, it was proven that the Japanese commander ordered the murder of these men and used a bombing as a means of covering up another atrocity. Sadly, this was typical in almost every single command that had aviation prisoners.