MANILA NEWS DAILY
Praying at Muntinlupa: With the Death-Row War Criminals in the Philippines (9)
Chaplain Kagao Shunin
The young men standing here were fourteen in blue uniforms. Warm blood still flowed through their bare feet in wooden clogs. On those clogs — so that their fathers would never have to meet such a sad day —
the children back home had written each man’s name, and, saying “Wild geese flying over the sea, deliver this,” had wrapped them in parcels and sent them; some of those were there as well.
The Japanese who were about to be snatched away, moment by moment, by the black hand of death were the following fourteen.
Mihara Kikuichi — Army Sergeant. 392 Aza Tanaka, Tanaka Village, Kida District, Kagawa Prefecture. Age 46.
Nakamura Shuichi — Army Captain. 1698 Higashi-Kiwa Village, Yoshiki District, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Age 51.
Ito Masuo — Army Lance Corporal. 55 Kuromatsu, Hase Village (長谷村), Ono District, Oita Prefecture. Age 34.
Ono Yasuo — Army Corporal. 1-1061 Chitose-machi, Kokura City. Age 35.
Kaneda Sadao — Army Sergeant. 8200 Mejima Ward (女島区), Saiki City, Oita Prefecture. Age 33.
Ueno Katsushiro — Army Sergeant Major. Nonaka-myo, Eura Village (江浦村), Kita-Takaki District, Nagasaki Prefecture. Age 32.
Eto Ritabu — Army Sergeant Major. 396 Kakihara, Minami-Shonai Village (南庄内村), Oita District, Oita Prefecture. Age 31.
Abe Sueo — Army First Lieutenant. 986 Kukinoo (久木野尾), Kami Village (上村), Hayami District, Oita Prefecture. Age 46.
Saito Tasuku — Army Corporal. 3671 Terahara, Shiratan Village (白丹村), Naoiri District, Oita Prefecture. Age 35.
Shiga Fujio — Army Lance Corporal. 3671 Terahara, Shiratan Village (白丹村), Naoiri District, Oita Prefecture. Age 35.
Sekimori Gido — Army Military Police Sergeant Major. 8535 Terahara, Sakai Village (坂井村), Higashi-Chikuma District, Nagano Prefecture. Age 35.
Miki Iwao — Army Veterinary First Lieutenant. 1-6 Minami-dori, Numata town center, Numata Town, Uryu District, Hokkaido. Age 35.
Suzuki Mitsutada — Navy Paymaster Lieutenant. 1 Nagata Ward (永田区), Nishi-Nasu Town (西那須町), Nasu District, Tochigi Prefecture. Age 35.
Jinnai Tatsuya — Army Second Lieutenant. 25 Sakura-machi, Nagasaki City. Age 35.