A Needless Sacrifice

On Tuesday May 29th 1945, fourteen American airmen were brought before a Japanese military tribunal in Taihoku (Taipei) and put through a mock trial accusing them of “indiscriminate bombing” and killing innocent civilians. With no-one to defend them, they were quickly found guilty and sentenced to die. In the early morning of June 19th at approximately 6:15 am – inside the walls of the old Taipei Prison, the sentence was carried out. Only 57 days before the end of World War II, all 14 were executed by a Japanese firing squad. Most of the “men” were only “boys” – ranging from 19 to 24 years of age!
Who were these men? They were the pilots and aircrew of American Army Air Force and Navy planes that had been shot down while attacking shipping and airfields and targets on the Island of Formosa as part of the effort to defeat the Japanese and put an end to the war.
One group of five airmen was from a PB4Y-1 bomber – the “Queen Bee” of US Navy Squadron VPB-117 that was based in the northern Philippines and which had been attacking Japanese shipping in the waters around Yung Kang Harbour on January 28, 1945. During the attack on what the Japanese court called “civilian” shipping, the “civilian” ship opened fire on the aircraft and brought it down into the sea with the loss of the pilot and three crewmembers. The rest of the crew were picked up by Japanese naval vessels and taken to Takao Navy Garrison HQ where they were interrogated by the Kempetai. One of the men died a few days later from burns suffered in the crash, one was sent to Japan, and the others were transferred to Taihoku where they were incarcerated in the Taihoku (Taipei) Prison until their mock trial and execution.
Of the other men in the group, some were individual pilots, and others were members of aircrews – both Army Air Force and Navy who had been shot down and captured. All were needlessly executed as part of the Japanese policy of not treating captured aircrews as POWs but as war criminals. It was common for captured airmen to be tortured and eventually killed, and this took place all over Asia - especially in the homeland of Japan.
It was a needless killing as the Japanese knew they were losing the war and the men could have been held for just a few more weeks and then set free. It was a great travesty of justice and POW treatment, and fortunately in the end, the Japanese who perpetrated this heinous crime were arrested, convicted and executed - ironically by firing squad as well!
This story came to our attention in 2000 through the efforts of Mr. Charles Parker of Florida USA - the brother of one of the young airmen who had been executed. We decided in this 60th Anniversary year that something special should be done to remember these brave men who died, and so the memorial service was announced. We were pleased that Charles and his sons Jeff and Rob Parker could join us on this special occasion, to represent the families of the men who were executed.
So on Sunday morning June 19th 2005 – exactly 60 years to the day the men were executed, a memorial service was held in

Taipei beside the remnant of the old north wall of the former Taipei Prison on Chinshan South Road.
The group assembled at the Chunghwa Telecom building and was led down the lane next to the wall by Canadian piper Mal Turner to a small bricked-over doorway, formerly one of the entrances to the prison compound. There an American flag stood solemnly at one side and 14 poppy crosses – with the name of each man who was executed inscribed on it, were lined across the bottom the doorway. A Navy uniform jacket and cap hug on the wall – the kind the Navy men would have worn.
TPCMS board member Jerome Keating opened the ceremony and Michael Hurst, Director of the POW Society, related the story of the trial and execution of the men. The poem “We Will Remember Them” was read by Society board member Mark Wilkie, followed by a message from Laurence W. Mitchell of the American Institute in Taiwan.

Memorial to 14 American Airmen at the old Taipei Prison Wall

Then the three members of the Parker family shared their thoughts on this solemn occasion and expressed their thanks on behalf of all the families of those killed for what has been done here in Taiwan to make sure that these men were not forgotten. A prayer of remembrance and consolation for the families was offered and then the poem “Miss Me, But Let Me Go” was rendered by Sally Mitchell.
Three wreaths were laid in the old doorway – one each representing the family members, the American Government and the POW Society. Then a moment’s silence was observed before the piper played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.
As we look back now – 60 years after this terrible event, we wonder why such things had to happen; why such precious young lives had to be sacrificed in this way. But we know that these men were brave right to the end. They gave their lives for the cause of freedom, for their country and their families, so that we could all live in peace.
Let us never forget this supreme sacrifice they made.

The five crewmembers of the PBY4-1 “Queen Bee”
who were executed by firing squad at Taipei Prison
– June 19, 1945

“We will remember them”

(no photo)

J.C. Buchanan
Age 22

Delbert Carter
Age 22

Wayne W. Wilson
Age 21

Don Hathaway
Age 21

John R. Parker
Age 20