Hmm I just did some quick searching on the net and one guy has a blog with an old wwII aerial map that shows the Osaka kenpeitai headquarters being in Tenpozan 天保山 in the harbour area. Right (or near) where the Post office now stands. Presumably the grave would be around that area?
If you’re interested in the link
CraterLayer,
Thanks for sending along the scans. I’ve looked over the information and, while the story is interesting, I don’t see the narrative that would make it a viable book project.
That doesn’t have anything to do with the story of Japanese prison atrocities having been told already, or what is or isn’t known about this aspect of the war. The key for a nonfiction narrative is having a story to follow all the way through – such as one of these prisoners’ experience at this camp. That’s what made Unbroken work.
There well could be such a personal narrative with one of the surviving prisoners, but unfortunately the story of your relative who died at the camp can’t be that narrative linchpin. A book would require more of a personal account than what is available in the documents. Every one of my books has relied on the vivid and engaging personal accounts of survivors, with documents and other research backing up the narrative.
But I appreciate you letting me take a look. And even if you don’t find an interested author, documenting your family’s history is a worthwhile effort.
Here is what I found:
The burial spots are located in three places; 1-adjacent to the rifle range of the Osaka Castle within the Osaka Castle grounds; 2-Sanadayama Military Cemetery; 3-Shinodayama Miltary Maneuver Area south Osaka.
Disinterment of all known grave spots in the locations listed above was completed on 18 April 1946. In the meantime, Legal Section, SCAP, Osaka Branch interviewed other Japanese formerly connected with the Osaka Kempei-Tai and discovered that additional isolated burials were located in the Sanadayama Military Cemetery. To insure that all graves were disinterred, an area of 50 square feet in the northeastern corner of the cemetery has been opened to a depth of six feet. Three additional graves were located and disinterred on 19 April 1946 (X-48), 22 April (X-49) and 24 April (X-50, X-51, X-52 and X-53).
The first grave contained the remains 1st Lt. John F. McCowan (X-48). The second grave contained the remains of Unknown X-49. The third grave was a common grave of four containing the remains of of S/Sgt George C. Peare (X-50), Unknown X-51, Cpl Ralph J. Bilsing (X-52) and Unknown X-53.
Dingbang, don’t give up on me or this story yet. I only have the tip of the Iceberg. The Military investigators did a hell of a job trying to find out what occurred there, and that’s a story in itself.
As for my Uncle, they only found out that he survived the crash of his plane from a school-teacher who lived in the village near where the plane went down.
The teacher , who spoke English, was summoned by the local militia to interview a downed Airman. A year after the war he was able to positively identify that the prisoner he spoke with was my Uncle. The documents I’ve received don’t include their interview with the teacher, but it has got to be in the National Archives somewhere.