Tokyo Omuri Prisoner of War (POW) Camp Memorial Statue
Details:
In between the building accessible through parking lot. Statue
A bronze statue about 10 feet tall with the base. The base is inscribed in Japanese. The statue is of the Heiwajima Kannon - God of Mercy. An information sign is adjacent to the statue.
The statue remembers the suffering of the Prisoners of War (POWs) who were imprisoneed at this locationd during World War 2. POWs were from many Allied countries to include the United States. The Omori POW Camp was constructed on an island by POWs in the Tokyo Bay at Omori, Iriarai-machi near Tokyo in Japan. Operated by the Japanese as a POW Camp for Allied prisoners of war. The camp was known to the Japanese as Tokyo Base Camp #1, Tokyo Main Camp (Omori) or Nippon Tsuun. Also known as Omori Prisoner Camp. After Japan's surrender the Omori was liberated in late August 1945.
Many well known Americans were imprisoned at this camp. Bataan Death March survivors; Wake Island Marines as well as the Commanders of the U.S.S. Grenadier & USS Tang and the senior surviving officer of the USS Houston. Individual POWs included Marine Corps ace Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, former Olympic runner and Army bombardier Louis Zamperini (the subject of Laura Hillenbrand’s 2010 book Unbroken), and Richard “Killer” O’Kane, the most successful submarine commander of the war (USS Tang).
Sources:
Pacific Wrecks
www.gunboards.com
http://www.mansell.com/pow
Smithsonian Magazine
Monument Text:
The text on the base of the statue is in Japanese.
Commemorates:
People:
Richard Hetherington 'Killer' O'Kane
Units:
42nd Bomber Squadron, 11th Bomber Group
7th Air Force
Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214)
U.S.S. Gar (SS-206)
U.S.S. Grenadier (SS-210)
U.S.S. Houston (CA-30)
U.S.S. Tang (SS-306)
United States Air Force
United States Army
United States Marine Corps
United States Navy
US Army Air Corps
US Marine Corps Aviation
Wars:
WWII
Battles:
Bataan
Pacific Theater
Other images :
