Early on the morning of June 19th 1945 – 14 young American airmen were led out of their cells in the infamous Taihoku Prison and ushered into a small courtyard. There, they were lined up against a wall and shot to death by a Japanese Army firing squad. Their crime - doing their duty for their country and freedom!
Taihoku Prison - scene of the POW murders
These young men - ranging in ages from 19 – 24, were US Army Air Force and US Navy fighter pilots and bomber crews involved in missions to defeat the Japanese forces in the Pacific. They had been captured while making bombing and strafing attacks on Taiwan in the fall of 1944 and the spring of 1945.
In all there were 25 airmen held in the prison at the time. Other downed airmen had earlier been sent on to the Ofuna POW Camp in Tokyo for 'interrogation' by the Kempetai (secret police).
On May 29th - 14 of these young men had been brought before a Japanese Military Tribunal and tried as "war criminals". With charges trumped up against them and, having no defense, they were found guilty of "indiscriminate bombing" and sentenced to death by firing squad.
These killings, carried out less than two months before the war ended, were senseless as the Japanese knew they were losing the war. Those responsible were later brought to trial and given lengthy prison sentences, but that would not bring back the lives of these precious young men.
This story lay buried in military files and archives until the year 2000 when Charles Parker of Florida USA, the brother of one of the murdered airmen, brought it to our attention. Much research was done, the walls of the old Taihoku Prison were located and on June 19th 2005 – 60 years to the day after the executions took place, a memorial service was held at the old wall by the POW Society to honour and remember the slain airmen.
Charles and two of his four sons flew to Taiwan to take part in the service and what a memorable and moving event it was. There was hardly a dry eye as Charles and others spoke and poems of tribute were read. 14 poppy crosses lay along the wall, each with one of the men's names on it, wreaths were laid, the Last Post and Reveille were rendered along with Amazing Grace being played on the bagpipes.
Charles Parker remembers his brother at the 2005 memorial service.
Following the service it was decided that some kind of memorial plaque should be placed on the old prison wall to remember the men who gave their lives for our freedom. Over the next four years with support from the American Institute in Taiwan and assistance from the Taipei City Gov't. Cultural Affairs Dep't. a suitable plaque was produced and mounted on the wall. On June 20th 2009 another service was held to dedicate the memorial plaque.
See 'THE DEDICATION OF THE AMERICAN AIRMEN'S MEMORIAL - JUNE 20th 2009' elsewhere in the ARTICLES AND STORIES SECTION.
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Part of the crowd at the 2009 dedication service.
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In early 2014 the actual location of the execution site was confirmed by the Society Director with the co-operation of Chunghwa Telecom Co. whose facility now occupies the former prison grounds. A lovely little garden - cared for by the company, now stands there as a place of peace in memory of all those killed in the Taihoku Prison during the Japanese occupation period in Taiwan.
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With 2015 being the 70th anniversary of the executions, and also of the end of World War II, we decided to hold another service to commemorate this tragic event and to remember all of the men who had been incarcerated in the prison, including the 11 other men who were freed at war’s end and returned to their homes and families again.
On a lovely sunny June 20th morning, more than 50 people gathered by the old wall to await the start of the ceremonies. At about 10:45 - with the permission and co-operation of Chunghwa Telecom, the group entered the compound and proceeded to the site where the murders of the young airmen took place. The Society director explained how the location was found and a bit of the history of the prison. Then Amazing Grace was played on the bagpipes and everyone paused to reflect on what had taken place in this spot 70 years ago.
Following this Mal Turner our piper, led the group back to the wall and the memorial service began. POW Society Director Michael Hurst began by telling the story of the airmen and their needless execution, and then AIT Acting Director Brent Christensen shared a tribute from the US gov’t. He said, “Let us not take one day of freedom for granted, let us honor these airmen and all the others who died in that great struggle defending these freedoms”.
Rebecca Day read the moving poem written by the sister of one of the airmen entitled “Miss Me, But Let Me Go”, followed by an address from Chunghwa Telecom Vice President of Public Affairs Ho, Hsu-Hui who said, “I would like to express my respect to these airmen who sacrificed in this place, and to give my consolation to their relatives”.
Emcee Jerome Keating then read messages from the John Parker family, and also the granddaughter and niece of Ralph Hartley, and this was followed by the reading of the poem “Remember Us” by Tony Hu.
Rev. David Homer of Grace Christian Church gave a poignant message on remembrance saying, “We never want to forget what these men did for us. If we forget, we shamefully trample underfoot their precious blood; we make their life meaningless and their death senseless. If we fail to remember we do not deserve the freedom they paid for so dearly”.
Poppy wreaths were laid alongside the 14 poppy crosses with the names of the slain airmen that lined the wall. Last Post and Reveille were played by trumpeter Joseph Chuang and a minute’s silence was observed. Finally Lt. Col. Jennifer Groves of the Salvation Army led the group in the FEPOW Prayer to bring the service to a close.
It was a wonderful service and celebration of the lives of the 14 airmen who died, as well as all those who were held in the prison 70 years ago. To re-echo the words of Rev. Homer – we must never forget them !
Our thanks to Chunghwa Telecom for their kind assistance, and to all those who took part.
Event Photos courtesy William Wang, TPCMS
Piper, Mal Turner leds march AIT Director Brent Christensen Chunghwa Telecom VP Ho
Jerome Keating reading family messages Rev. David Homer gives address Deryk Walker lays airmen's wreath
The official party poses after the ceremony. Photos of some of the murdered airmen.
POSTSCRIPT : In 2020 another ceremony to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the imprisonment and murder of the American airmen was held at the wall - see the next article in this section.