60th Anniversary Event Reports
2005 was the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II, and the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society held several events to help commemorate the Taiwan POWs and their suffering and sacrifice for our freedom.
Here are some of the events we held - more detailed information about these events can be had by clicking on the links provided under each one.
Commemoration of the Bombing of the Hellship “Enoura Maru”– at Kaohsiung Harbour.
January 9, 1945 – was the date of the bombing of the hellship Enoura Maru at Takao Harbour, Formosa, with the loss of more than 300 American POW lives. On January 9th 2005 – the 60th Anniversary of that tragic event, the Society held a special memorial service to remember the Enoura Maru and the men who suffered and died that day. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the City of Kaohsiung Cultural Affairs Bureau at a pier at Kaohsiung Harbour. Following the service on the pier, wreaths were laid on the water over the place where the ship was anchored at the time it was bombed. Many friends and supporters joined with us to remember the men and the events of that day.
For a look at what took place on the day please click on the following links.
- Enoura Maru Memorial Service - January 9, 2005
- The Story of the Enoura Maru and the Men Who Died
- Remarks by AIT Kaohsiung Branch Chief Robert Forden
Newspaper Articles
- WWII POW pays tribute to downed comrades
- Enoura Maru victims at Kaohsiung remembered
Memorial Service at the remains of the old north wall of the former Taipei prison for the 14 American airmen executed by the Japanese at the Taipei Prison 60 years ago -
June 19, 1945 – was the date of the senseless execution of 14 American airmen at the Taipei Prison Formosa. On June 19th 2005 – the 60th Anniversary of that tragic event, the Society held a special memorial service to remember the men who suffered and died that day. The ceremony was held just outside the remnant of the old north wall of the former prison with the brother of one of the executed airmen present with us for the occasion. Several friends and supporters joined with us as well to remember the men and the events of that day.
For a look at what took place on the day, please click on the following links –
- Story of the Executed Airmen
- A World War II Remembrance in Taipei - by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.
- Speech by Laurence Mitchell III, Chief, Liaison Affairs Section, A.I.T.
- Taiwan News Article
Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society Commemorates the End of World War II and the evacuation of the POWs.
World War II officially ended on September 2nd 1945 with the signing of the surrender of all Japanese forces in Tokyo Bay. On September 5th, 1945 Allied ships began evacuating the 1500 POWs that had survived the war in Taiwan. It took four days for the US and British Royal Navy to evacuate all of the prisoners and send them on their way to Manila for medical treatment and care before they returned to their homes again.
On Sunday September 4, 2005 a ceremony was held at Keelung Harbor, Wharf No.2, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the war and the evacuation of the Allied Prisoners of War from Taiwan. The ceremony was organized by the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society.
For a look at what took place on the day, please click on the following link –
http://www.powtaiwan.org/newsletters/2005%20Fall%20Winter/page_6.htm
Dedication of the Taiwan Prisoner of War Memorial Park
In the fall of 2005 the Taipei County Government decided to renovate and re-furbish the park surrounding the POW memorial on the site of the former Kinkaseki POW Camp at Jinguashi on Taiwan’s northeast coast. The architectural firm which was awarded the contract to carry out the work decided to try to make the park into a place of reverence and memory for the Taiwan POWs. The Society was asked for input to help plan the new park and gladly offered assistance where we could. The park - although not completely finished at the time, was dedicated on Sunday November 20th 2005, during the annual Remembrance Week event hosted by the POW Society. The park was finally completed at the end of December 2005, with the Eternal flame of Peace and Remembrance added the following year. The following photos show the park as it is today.
For a look at photos of the Taiwan POW Memorial Park, please click on the following link –
http://www.powtaiwan.org/memorialpark/memorialpark.html