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In
Memorium
Albert
J. Hausske, a long-time Taipei resident and friend to all the POWs
passed away August 21, 1999.
“Al”, as he was affectionately known, spent most of his
life in the Orient. Born in Chicago of missionary parents, he moved
with them to Shansi province of China in 1920 when he was only 4
years old. He had a colorful and exciting life and was always happy
to tell his stories to those who were interested in hearing them.
Fluent in
Chinese, Al served as a language officer in the U.S. Marines during
WW II. He learned Japanese and was part of the 2nd Marine Divisiion
that landed on Saipan. His task was to persuade the people of Saipan
not to commit suicde, as they had been instructed to do by the Japanese.
He was right at the front and faced great dangers in his attempts
to save the lives of the local people. While many did die, Al was
instrumental in saving hundreds, and was later awarded the Medal
of Honor for his role.
At war’s
end he was sent to Kyushu, Japan as commander of four battalions
of liberated Chinese POWs. It was his task to get them successfully
repatriated home again - which he did.
Al
also took part in the Korean War and later worked on behalf of refugees
from Communist China in Hong Kong, and for Hungaruian Revo lution
refugees in Yugoslavia.
Al
came to Taiwan for the first time in 1954, and from then on divided
his time generally between here and Hong Kong. He operated a successful
computer business for many years until his retirement. He lived
on in Taiwan with his Taiwanese wife Hsiao-mi, who predeceased him
in 1997.
I
first met Al in the spring of 1997, when I accompanied Jack Edwards
on a visit to his home. Al was instrumental in helping to find the
site of the Kinkaseki POW Camp back in 1990, and shared a vital
interest with us all in seeing some kind of memorial to the POWs
built there. Al served on the former Kinkaseki Memorial Committee
from it’s inception and provided much help and guidance during
the whole project.
Later
Al and I became great friends and we shared many good times discussing
his life and the history of WW II. He was a great man, who loved
Taiwan and its people, and he will be sadly missed by all who knew
him.
-
Michael Hurst
Al
Hausske (l) with Michael Hurst and Jack Edwards at the Kinkaseki
Memorial Weekend in May 1997. (Photo- Polly Edwards)
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WORLD
POW NEWS. . . .
JUDGMENT
AGAINST JAPAN -
CALIFORNIA - Resolution AJR27 which
states that Japan was guilty of wartime atrocities and as
such should be made to apologize and pay compensation to all
those victims - both military and civilian, who were interned
during WW II, was passed by the California Assembly, The Rules
Committee and the Senate with an overwhelming majority on
August 23.
It was a Japanese-American
assemblyman, Mike Honda who brought the bill forward and the
only opposition came from another Japanese-American assemblyman
who represented a strong Japanese business and government
lobby.
The
bill which spotlights a growing U.S. movement seeking restitution
for Japan’s wartime atrocities, is now being introduced
in a number of other states.
"It's
a way to educate the public about the issues," Honda
told Reuters. "The pan-Asian communities and ex-POWs
have been waiting a long time to see this happen."
The
California resolution, was sent to Japan's diplomatic representatives
in the United States, and Congress has been asked to pass
a similar official demand for reparations and the president
to "take all appropriate action" to secure a formal
apology from Japan and compensation for war victims.
Honda's
resolution opens a new front in a global push to force Tokyo
to atone for what many see as wartime crimes.
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--- from
the Director
The
TPCMS has been very busy since our last newsletter in the spring,
as you have seen from the articles in this issue. A fantastic POW
tour in the UK this summer, the discovery trip to the former Heito
POW Camp, the POW Memorial stone project for the Taichu and Kukutsu
camps, sending out commemorative packages to ex-POWs we have located
in various parts of the world - all this done for the memory and
honour of the former POWs!
But
there is still so much to do. We need to raise the funds for the
two POW stones, and the research and planning goes on as we seek
to find the remainder of the other POW camps and document their
histories.
Hopefully we will be able to get the Memorial stones in place at
the Taichu and Kukutsu Camps by this November, and we are anticipating
a wonderful Remembrance weekend again with our four guest POWs.
Hopefully
our many friends and those interested in the POWs’ story will
join and help us to achieve these goals. We hope to see many out
to the remembrance service at Kinkaseki on November 21 and hope
that your lives will be enriched as well by the story the POWs have
to tell.
Time
is running out, so let us do what we can - while we can, to help
ensure that the memory of these men is “never forgotten”.
Let
Us Never Forget!
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