Chico Enterprise Record
November 5, 1945
Myers Father, Son Saga In Japanese Prison Camp Not Soothing Bedtime
Story
By Gene Davis
The Myers father and son saga covering 44 months in Japanese prisons
of war does not sound like a southing bedtime story. Yet Charles
Myers, 49, and his son Leroy, 25, have related only some of the
milder details of their imprisonment. Continued from last week.
. During the attack on Wake, the Americans had cached their food
under bushes all over the island. The Japanese collected the loot
and fed it to their prisoners because they were afraid it might
have been thrown out as poison bait for them. Canned prunes raviolis,
spam, mincemeat, Japanese hardtack rotten fish and rice comprised
the principal diet of the Wake Island prisoners. Only two of the
350 prisoners died. A third prisoner died under the Japanese executioner’s
sword. The man was accused of breaking into the canteen at night
and stealing candy and wine. Because he refused to name his accomplices
he was executed before a group of the prisoners who were forced
to watch as the American knelt blindfolded beside his own grave.
On September 29, 1942 all but 98 of the American prisoners on Wake
were transferred to a camp on the island of Kyushu in Japan. The
Japanese say two of the men left on Wake made their escape in a
small boat. They were later picked up near Truk and executed. No
word has ever come from the other 96 men and the Japanese have made
no report on their fate. Myers and his son descried conditions in
the two Kyushu camps where they were held as “nearly unbearable.”
“For the first six months we had no salt. Our systems became so
run down we couldn’t assimilate the sparse food value in the vile
stuff they passed out to us. At first we had three bowls of rice
and a small piece of rotten fish each day. At night they fed us
a thin vegetable gruel. After the first six months we only had fish
about three times a week and the rice was mixed with soy beans that
were only partially cooked. The Japanese fish is really something
to avoid. Many of the men simply could not eat it even though they
were starving. The Japanese do not clean their fish but boil them
whole-including head, tail and entrails. By the time the prisoners
received the fish it had rotted and was the most sickening mess
anyone can imagine” “ At Camp 18 on Kyushu we worked 12 hours a
day constructing a water dam. Prisoners would come in off their
work detail and within three hours drop dead from exhaustion and
starvation. Not. Until we were moved to Camp 1 on April 16, 1944,
were we allowed medical attention from a doctor.” Myers and his
son suffered beri beri and are still under medical care for physical
defects resulting from malnutrition and beatings from Japanese prison
guards. The Chicans described the Japanese as masters of sadism.
“The Japanese’ favorite sport was beating their prisoners. If one
prisoner committed what the Japanese considered a crime, the entire
squad of prisoners received a beating. The beatings were administrated
from the waist to the ankles and were as severe as the Nips could
make them without breaking bones. If the prisoner collapsed during
the flogging he was soundly kicked as he lay unconscious. The first
year and a half we were without an interpreter so we learned Japanese
orders in a hurry to avoid beatings.”
(to be continued)
Stu’s Notes: Seventy of the most patriotic people in Oroville
stood on the steps of our beautiful Veteran’s Memorial Hall last
Friday to honor our over 100,000, Missing in Action Military Men
and Women and the Ten’s of thousands that were held as Prisoners
of War since our Revolution. An outstanding performance was done
by all involved in the program. The main focus of the evening being
the Missing Man Table, a very solemn and meaningful ceremony. The
following is from fortyandeight.org/pow_mia.htm; “ The table is
set for six, for each of the following Army, Marine, Air force,
Navy, Coast Guard and Civilian. The Table cloth is white, symbolizing
the purity of their intentions to respond to their county’s call
to arms. The single rose displayed in the vase reminds us of the
families and friends of our missing brothers who keep faith while
awaiting their return. The red ribbon tied prominently on the vase
reminds us of the red ribbons worn on the lapels and brothers who
are not among us tonight. A slice of lemon on the plate reminds
us of their bitter fate. Salt sprinkled on the plate reminds us
of the countless fallen tears of families as they wait. The glass
is inverted – they cannot toast with us this night. The chair is
empty – they are not here. The candle is reminiscent of the light
of hope which lives in our hearts to light the way home; away from
their captors to the open arms of a grateful nation. Let us pray.”