Page:Military Occupation and Military Government Relations of the Allied Forces in Japan - Press Release Dossier Vol. 11.pdf/21

 GENERAL HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES, PACIFIC Public Relations Office

13:30 1 July 1946

Press Release:

GENERAL EICHELBERGER APPROVES LIFE SENTENCE FOR YAMADA

EIGHT ARMY HEADQUARTERS, YOKOHAMA--The life imprisonment sentence meted out last May 17 to Tomio Yamada, civilian employee at the Umeda Bunsho prisoner of war camp near Osaka, has been approved by Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger, Eight army commander.

Yamada was found guilty of contributing to the death of Sgt. William H. Fisher, 1638 West Holly street, Shamokin, Pa., and another prisoner. He forced Fisher to work in cold, inclement weather for two consecutive days while Fisher was ill with pneumonia, and forced the other prisoner to stand for 12 hours at rigid attention with a bucker of water in each hand, until he collapsed.

He also caused permanent injury to the ear of Capt. William B. Dinneen, 2421 N.E. Irving street, Portland, Ore., by beating, striking, and kicking him. He was convicted also on charges that he beat the following prisoners: Lt. Harry T. Simpson, 826 North Thirty-Fifth street, Richmond, Va.; Cpl. Adolph W. Meyers, 6204 Makee avenue, Los Angeles, Cal.; Cpl. Paul H. Martin, Zenia, Cal.; Seaman First Class Edwin H. Jahn, 914 N. Second street, Clinton, Iowa; Cpl. Edgar A. Ramsey, 813 W. Second street, Aberdeen, Wash.; Pfc. John A. Mueller, 101 S. Third street, Los Angeles, Cal.; Sgt. William T. Irchey, Route 2, Box 79, Port Arthur, Tex., and Storekeeper Second Class Austin L. Andrews, 711 Orange street, Macon, Ga.

-O- LIFE SENTENCE HANDED TWO AAIR CORPS SOLDIERS ON RAPE CHARGE HEADQUARTERS, PACIFIC AIR COMMAND--Pfc. Adan A. Palacios and Pfc. Arturo Canto, found guilty of raping a 23-year-old Japanese woman, were sentenced to life imprisonment and dishonorable discharge by a Pacific Air Command general court martial Saturday. Both were attached to the 7th Air Service Area Command.

The incident occurred in the vicinity of the Ottori station in Haneda on May 19, according to the defendants testimonies. The men said they had been drinking beer.

Palacios, 19, was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron of the 7th ASAC, and Cantu, 20, wasswith [sic] the 13th Supply Depot, 7th ASAC. Both are from Raymondville, Texas.

The sentence is subject to review by higher headquarters before it beomes [sic] final, PACUS authorities said.

-O- ORDER ISSUED FOR SECOND GENERAL HATA IN "MISTAKEN IDENTITY" CASE

Contending that Shunroku Hata, named a defendant in the war crimes trials is the wrong "Hata", defense counsel this morning obtained an order from the Military Tribunal for the Far East requiring the production of another General Hata to ascertain the validity of the defense's contention of mistaken identity between the two Japanese officials.

Marine Lt. Aristides G. Lazarus, appeared before the Tribunal and said that his client Shunroku Hata was the field marshal of the Kwantung Army while Hikosabura Hata, a Lt. Gen. and chief of staff of the Kwantung Army is the officer whom the acts ascribed in the indictment are attributable.

In his request, Lt. Lazarus, Mt. Vernon, N.Y. said: "Through the witness Hikosaburo Hata, the accused Shunroku Hata will prove conclusively the facts of mistaken identity."

The request of the defense was approved in chambers. Lt. Lazarus said that SCAP will be directed to make the search for the missing Hata.

In a supplement to the defense request it was contended that investigation discloses that Hikosaburo Hata has not been repatriated, that nothing is known of his whereabouts since the end of the war, and that the accused cannot say where this witness can be found. Defense contends that Hikosaburo Hata is needed to establish the fact of mistaken identity in counts 25 and 26 of the indictment as well as in other counts.