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Asked Questions page. Related Resource: Naval Armed Guard Service During World War II
Source: Office
of the Chief of Naval Operations. "History of the Armed Guard
Afloat, World War II." (Washington, 1946): 252-253. [This
microfiche, identified as United States Naval Administrative History of World War II #173, is located in Navy Department Library, and can be purchased, or borrowed through interlibrary loan.]
There are three outstanding examples of Japanese cruelty to survivors
from ships which they had torpedoed which should not go unmentioned.
These cases illustrate the fanatical nature of the opponent with
which the armed guards had to deal while on duty in Pacific and
Indian Ocean waters. These cruel acts took place in 1944 after
the tide of battle had already turned against the Japanese.
The Richard Hovey was torpedoed in the Indian Ocean on
March 29, 1944, just two days after she left Bombay. The Japanese
submarine fired at No. 2 and No. 4 lifeboats and actually rammed
No. 2 boat. The submarine took No. 1 lifeboat in tow and took
four prisoners, including the master. The only persons who died
were one [U.S. Naval] Armed Guard and three men who were lost
in the engine room. The men were able to avoid machine gun fire
only by diving into the water behind the boats and the rafts which
were being towed by the lifeboats. The Armed Guard died of burns
received aboard the ship. One of the most interesting facts about
the struggle of the survivors for life is that the junior assistant
engineer constructed a still. The water which was distilled helped
to save the lives of several men.
The Jean Nicolet was also torpedoed in the Indian Ocean.
Two torpedoes hit her on July 2. The Japanese shelled the ship
and then forced about 95 men to come aboard the submarine from
the boats. They forced the men to give up all personal possessions
of any value and tied their hands behind their backs. They then
forced the men to run through a gauntlet and hit them with bayonets
and pieces of lead pipe. Others were taken to the after section
of the submarine and beaten. About 60 people were killed in this
awful ordeal. The approach of a plane forced the submarine to
submerge. A few men were able to untie their hands and escape.
Others died as the submarine submerged. Sharks killed others.
There were few survivors. Five men refused to go aboard the submarine,
including the Armed Guard officer. They were able to escape. British
ships picked up the survivors.
On October 30 the John A. Johnson was torpedoed between
Hawaii and San Francisco. The ship broke into two parts and both
sections were set on fire by shelling. The submarine machine gunned
lifeboats and rafts. Of the eleven dead or missing, five were
Armed Guards. A plane quickly sighted the survivors. The submarine
also rammed a raft and a lifeboat. Meanwhile the excited submarine
crew shouted "Banzai" and hurled other remarks not fit
to print at the helpless Americans.
For further information on the Prisoners
of War During World War II